Ramadan in Qatar

Well its the 1st of September and Ramadan has begun in Doha. So today all Muslims fast for dawn until dusk. This is a very long time especially in these summer months. The first call to pray is just before 4am so the first meal of the day must be eaten before then. They do not eat or drink again until after the fast is broken at evening prayer which is about 6pm. No one is allowed to eat, drink or smoke in public during Ramadan and all food outlets are shut until the evening. It a way it is like the country becomes nocturnal.



My friend Osama wrote this for our team and it helps give us a good understanding of this special time.

"The month of Ramadan - Ramadan Al-Mubarak (The Blessed) is the ninth month of the Hijri year. It is singled out for acts of worship and fasting because the first verse of the Qur’an was revealed to Mohammed (Peace be upon him), The Prophet, in the month of Ramadan, during a period of meditation and solitude in a cave near Mecca. The Muslim year is comprised of 12 lunar months and the calendar begins with the year 622 AD, when Mohammed (Peace be upon him) and his followers left Mecca and went to live in Medina. This event is called the Hijra (migration). As there are only 354 days in 12 lunar months, the Muslim year begins 11 days earlier every year comparing to the solar calendar.

For Muslims, Ramadan means four weeks of total abstinence from food, drink, smoking and continence in all other aspects from dawn until sunset. It also calls for more prayers and meditation. Only the sick, the infirm, nursing mothers, pregnant women and travelers are exempt, but they are expected to make up the lost days at some other time during the year before the following Ramadan arrives. Muslims, who for one reason or another, do not fast, tend to show self-restraint and modify their habits in private as well as public.

Ramadan is also a month of charity and compassion. Alms are given to the poor. Relatives and friends are gathered till the early hours of the morning. Special food and sweetmeats are prepared for breaking the fast each evening throughout the month. Ramadan as a spiritual exercise in endurance and self-discipline imposes considerable strain on those who fast, especially in the hotter weather. It is therefore important for those who are not required to fast to understand the significance of this religious occasion and appreciate the social and religious implications associated with it. It is important that the Ramadan values and practices be understood by all non-Muslims in the community.

During Ramadan one should take particular care with modest dress. Also, store hours will be altered, usually opening later in the morning and with evening hours extended until quite late. Driving can get a little erratic, particularly just before the breaking of the fast. There is a distinct drop in morning traffic, but the late afternoon and night time traffic becomes unmanageable at times. Restaurants will not sell liquor during this time and most are closed during the daylight hours, except in some of the hotels."



So we are also trying our best to support our Muslim colleagues and we don't eat or drink in our work places. The school day is shortened to 8am to 1pm and nearly shops including the malls are closed until 8pm. You can do grocery shopping but you can't eat or go to a cafe during the day.

This photo is of one of my favourite mosques it is out by the Diplomatic Club and a lovely building.

Later in Ramadan we will all go out for a Iftar meal. This is the meal at night that breaks the fast. It is a like a big party and starts at 8pm and can go on to 1am but that is the subject of another blog.