It’s dinner time. We’re sitting in our favorite restaurant in Souq Waqif. The place is crowded and food has already been served. But most of the guests seem nervous and impatient. Nobody’s eating.
And then…
BOOOOOOOM!
A loud explosion. Did somebody just fire a cannon? The sound of its blast must be audible from miles away… but it was so loud! We’re pretty sure it came from the nearby square.
Somehow nobody seems to mind. On the contrary – smiles, looks of relief are shared. Just as in synchronized swimming, all the guests attune, simultaneously plunging their forks into the food that has been sitting in front of them for a while.
The fast has been broken. Another day of Ramadan has come to an end and we can finally eat our awaited meal.
Ramadan 101
We all have our traditions and festivities. Whether for you it’s Christmas, Diwali or Vesak, I’m sure your local culture is full of special customs and rituals that you hold dear.
In Islam, the most sacred time of the year is the holy month of Ramadan. It’s the ninth month of the Islamic Hijra calendar, during which Muslims abstain from eating and drinking between dawn and sunset. It’s a spiritual time in which people focus on charity, gratitude and good deeds. Muslims engage in increased prayer and try to practice increased self-discipline.
The Hijra calendar is lunar, and hence Ramadan’s dates change every year. It officially begins with the crescent moon sighting and ends by spotting of the new moon of the following month (one complete moon cycle lasting for 29 or 30 days).
This year Ramadan is expected to start in the evening on May 15th.
Daily rhythm
During this period, the days are mostly quiet. Luckily working hours become shorter (5-6 hours depending on the sector), making work easier on those who are fasting.
Malls and shops change their opening times and most restaurants and cafes remain closed during the day. They will reopen after sunset and serve food until the early hours.
The evenings and nights are busy. Heavy traffic, people enjoying their meals, visiting families, shopping and running errands. Hotels offering lavish buffets for iftar (the meal at the break of fast) and suhoor (the second most important meal served from 2am till the break of dawn).
Doha becomes filled with night markets, pop-up Ramadan tents and various Ramadan activities take place in venues such as the Katara Cultural Village or Aspire Park.
Although nightlife at this time of the year is vibrant, it has a slightly different style to the usual. Alcohol is strictly prohibited during the entire Ramadan period. Don’t count on any loud music or dancing. Nightclubs, bars, lounges as well as the Qatar Distribution Company (QDC, the “special” store where it’s possible to buy alcohol and pork) close for the month. New movie releases are put on hold in local cinemas – if you’re looking forward to a new blockbuster, you’ll have to wait till the Ramadan ends!
It’s time for family, friends, reflections on life and prayers.
Garangao – no trick, just treat
The halfway point of the holy month is marked by a joyful tradition awaited all year long by children. On Garangao, the 14th day of Ramadan, kids dress up in traditional clothes and once the sunset prayer is over, go from door to door in their neighborhood asking for sweets and nuts. They sing the Garangao song (“Gara”, in Khaliji – the sound of things knocking) and hit stones together to create a rhythm.
Just like Halloween, but without the scary part.
Work
I spend most of the Ramadan last year working on a project for Qatar Foundation. We had just started and I was responsible for gathering requirements from key stakeholders, performing user research and organizing interviews to gain a good understanding of the user needs. Believe me, it was a challenge. I was lucky to have had a motivated team on the client’s side, but some changes in our work routine were inevitable.
Fasting for 15 hours during the sweltering summer days is really hard. You must expect, and be prepared for things to slow down. If you’re coming to Qatar for a project during Ramadan, remember to schedule your meetings early in the morning when people are less tired and more able to concentrate. Also, try to set your important project milestones and deadlines before or after the Ramadan period.
This time has a special flow, there’s nothing you can do about it, simply embrace it.
Dos and don’ts
Even if you’re not Muslim, if you happen to be in Qatar during Ramadan, it’s good to adjust to the local etiquette.
- Be respectful of the local traditions.
- Enjoy the iftars and early morning suhour buffets. They are similar to Friday brunches, although the focus is on local specialties and Ramadan dishes from all over the Arabic world.
- No matter what your religious views are, consider contributing to a charity. Get involved in the act of feeding the less fortunate ones, prepare food packs and distribute them to laborers. It is believed that the spiritual reward for good deeds during Ramadan is multiplied.
- Accept small gifts and invitations to meals.
- Don’t eat or drink in public during daytime, it’s strictly forbidden but also just plain rude. (also forget about your chewing gum or cigarette). If you’re not fasting, feel free to eat and drink, but make sure you do it in the privacy of your own home.
- Dress modestly.
- Drive carefully, preferably avoiding travel within an hour of sunset when the traffic is heavy and the accident rates are high.
- Abstain from PDAs (public displays of affection). In Qatar, it should be avoided all year long, but during Ramadan it’s even more important.
Magic time
I have this happy core memory from childhood. I’m 10 years old and I’m laying in the middle of the street with my best friend Fatim Zahra. It’s warm and we both feel very brave, laying down so calmly on a (usually very busy) avenue. We stare at the sky and laugh. Deep down we both know that we’re safe, that during the next 30 mins not a single car will pass. The Moroccan town of El Jadida is completely deserted. Everybody is at home eating.
Many years later I’m 5810 km away from that same street. But I feel that same joy, the same magic. I’m adjusting to a very similar special rhythm of life. I’m planning to fast, at least during a part of Ramadan, hoping to immerse myself in the local culture and to gain a deeper understanding of the way Muslims feel, in Qatar and across the world.
Ramadan Kareem!
