City Talk: Spirit of Ramadan captivates country

Dubai Ramadan is a many varied thing a month long spiritual journey of reflection, worship, praise and self control. Gossip, road rage and impatience are out. Kindness, forbearance and patience are in.

For 30 days, families get together at one table and share the same meals. What about the social side of Ramadan? Those long nights and those shortening working days for those lucky enough, of course.

Does Ramadan mean shisha nights or are you one of those for whom it means new and creative ways to eat at work without drawing the attention of Muslim colleagues?

Gulf News asked shoppers at a Dubai mall what Ramadan means to them. Many began by pointing out that in a busy city such as Dubai, Ramadan is a welcome and needed change.

Elie Karam, 38, a Lebanese freelance photographer living in Dubai for 28 years, said: "Ramadan is very cool, it's different. Dubai today needs Ramadan. The lifestyle today in Dubai is very industrial.

"OK, it was similar before, but there wasn't always that rush. Ramadan comes and you feel you need it. Things move in slow motion. You can feel the magic of living in Dubai during Ramadan for a year."

Gulam Kargar, 43, a press photographer, agreed. "It's good. It makes me happy. It's different from any other month. Why? I don't know. People think differently. I feel it here too. Ask anybody you can feel it. In the streets, it will feel different in Ramadan."

Kol, 41, from South Africa, said: "Sometimes it can be frustrating because there's no way I can conduct business during the month. But as a religious person I have the utmost respect for this time."

"Sometimes I do forget it's Ramadan. In past years, I've eaten gum, food, had coffee," he said.

Bilal, a 35-year-old marketing manager from Lebanon, called Ramadan the month of goodness, blessing and giving. It's not that people change, he said, but that some try to.

"People become more friendly, or they try to be nicer... People this month remember their family ties, I think, and as they say, tables gather people," he said.

Sultan Al Ali, 30, a UAE national businessman, said Ramadan is different for the chance it offers for people to get together.

Reflecting on what Ramadan is like for nationals, he said: "It's a big difference for us nationals. We change our foods. We eat more haris, aysh, biryani, gemat. We do eat these foods at other times but it becomes a daily thing in Ramadan. Of course there's dates as well.

Sultan said people change as well. "People become more relaxed. And people want to make up and forgive in Ramadan... In Dubai and Sharjah you can see the difference in these times. There's the open tents, especially in Sharjah. Maybe it's good for tourism as well."

An older UAE national said times have changed and Ramadan has changed but not necessarily for the better. Saleh Thani Obeid, who is retired, said: "Of course as a Muslim it's a duty to fast in Ramadan. But not all people do it. Some families get together, but some don't. I think it's different in the desert and the villages.

"In the old days there was more social gathering. And the old timers tell stories to their children and grandchildren, what it was like in those days. Even though there were no cars, they'd go in the heat, travelling while fasting. They had patience and values. Now, there's no patience."

For some among Dubai's hard-working manual labourers, Ramadan simply meant a time for more spiritual reflection.

Mohammad Fatih, a 50-year-old cleaner from India, said Ramadan for him is "fasting during the morning, praying five times a day, thinking about God Qur'an - I read. Maybe on Friday I have special food."

Sari, a 26-year-old maid and house-sitter from Indonesia, said: "Ramadan is good. I am fasting, praying, I talk on the phone to my family. I get more homesick."

But what does a Buddhist do during Ramadan? C.B. Curung, a 25 year old information desk assistant from Nepal, said: "No idea. Yes, it's much different from other months, people try not to do anything wrong. You can say it's easier (for my work)." Did he ever slip up and eat in public? Curung smiled: "No."

"For me, Ramadan means you fast until sundown, and friends and family gather for dinner. I've been made aware of the do's and don'ts' and I don't want to upset anybody!"