UAE | General
Ramadan behaviour revealed in new survey
Seventy per cent of UAE Muslim residents tend to have iftar with close family members during Ramadan, revealed a study that surveyed people in the Arab world on the social aspects of fasting.
- Staff Report
- Published: 23:52 September 15, 2008
Dubai: Seventy per cent of UAE Muslim residents tend to have iftar with close family members during Ramadan, revealed a study that surveyed people in the Arab world on the social aspects of fasting.
Eighty-six per cent of those surveyed tend to observe iftar with their fasting as Ramadan is seen as a good opportunity for family gatherings with an overwhelming 96 per cent of Muslim Arabs observing the fasting month.
The Maktoob Research conducted during the month of August, just prior to the beginning of Ramadan, canvassed the opinions of 6,128 adult Muslims from across the Arab world.
"Seventy-one per cent believe the month allows them to feel a sense of solidarity and brotherhood with fellow Muslims," a report of the survey stated.
"However, as restaurants and hotels region-wide tout their special Ramadan iftar and suhur promotions, a big majority (67 per cent) also feel that Ram-adan is becoming a bit too commercial."
Among the results revealed is a 62 per cent view that non-Muslims living in Arab countries should not eat or drink in public during Ramadan, while 52 per cent believe that all restaurants should be closed during the day - even to non-Muslims - to respect the observance of Ramadan.
The social impact showed that 74 per cent of respondents spend their free time reading the Quran during Ramadan.
| The results | ||||||
| Compare and contrast | ||||||
| Countries |
A*
|
B*
|
C*
|
D*
|
E*
|
F*
|
| UAE |
70%
|
28%
|
35%
|
27%
|
29%
|
20%
|
| Bahrain |
89%
|
39%
|
14%
|
20%
|
14%
|
3%
|
| Egypt |
92%
|
48%
|
29%
|
24%
|
26%
|
6%
|
| Jordan |
90%
|
44%
|
24%
|
22%
|
24%
|
9%
|
| Kuwait |
75%
|
36%
|
31%
|
21%
|
20%
|
8%
|
| Lebanon |
90%
|
40%
|
26%
|
19%
|
22%
|
5%
|
| Morocco |
91%
|
26%
|
14%
|
26%
|
11%
|
2%
|
| Oman |
89%
|
36%
|
22%
|
24%
|
20%
|
2%
|
| Qatar |
74%
|
32%
|
30%
|
24%
|
23%
|
11%
|
| KSA |
79%
|
35%
|
31%
|
18%
|
26%
|
9%
|
| Syria |
92%
|
39%
|
19%
|
16%
|
17%
|
6%
|
| Other |
82%
|
27%
|
24%
|
20%
|
20%
|
5%
|
| *A: Iftar with my (direct) family at home *B: Iftar with my (direct) family at their place *C: Iftar with my friends at home *D: Attending a religious ceremony *E: Iftar with my friends at their home *F: Iftar at restaurants |
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