Arabeyes: Ramadan Thoughts
Interesting Global Voices article about Ramadan, collating the thoughts of various bloggers from the Arab world.
Note QLs current photo shoot gets a mention towards the end!
Arabeyes: Ramadan Thoughts
Wednesday, September 17th,2008 at 00:11 UTC
by Amira Al Hussaini
With the holy month of Ramadan quickly wrapping up, bloggers from around the Arab world share their thoughts on the month, their activities, driving standards and their yearning for a holiday.
Iraqi Bookish complains:
It is very hard to fast because of the hot weather in the current Ramadan. I do not feel hungry but so thirsty……Well, the worst thing is that I am losing weight.
To illustrate this, the blogger posts her weight on the scales before and after breaking her fast - where the difference is a kilogram.
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during the month.
Shopaholic Q8eya, from Kuwait, can't wait for the month to end. She writes:
I am so ready for Ramadan to end. I want my coffee. I miss seeing our tea boy placing my XL cup of starbucks bold coffee. I want to be able to drink water while working out in the gym. I am fed up with all those Ghabqa’s [late night social gatherings and meals] yet I always have fun going to one. What’s up with everyone passing away? Just got a call and he didn’t make it. He has been in the hospital for few days now and I guess it was meant to happen..May his soul rest in peace. This is the 4th funeral since Ramadan started. I told you this month should be over very soon.
And Khadija Teri, from Libya, too is waiting for the month to end.
Ramadan is the season for beggars and pickpockets. Unfortunately, I seem to be a magnet for both. The other day when Jenna and I were out shopping we nearly had a repeat of the pickpocket experience we had before (I posted about it here). […]
Ramadan is lasting forever this year… I am ready for it to be over.
Back in Kuwait, Pearls complains about driving standards:
Driving is crazy now. Better to avoid going out unless it’s necessary. I was so close to getting into two car accidents yesterday, first wasn’t my fault. The guy in the van turned on me and I hit my breaks hard. The second one was because the car in front of me took a sudden stop and I wasn’t focusing well.
So I got away with the last two but it didn’t take me too long. Today I hit the car in front of me but my feet were off the pedal so no harm was done. Again I got away with it …
From Saudi Arabia, Stilettos in the Sand posts a similar complaint about driving. She explains:
Driving While Fasting… Dangerous. Driving in the Sandbox is scary under the best of conditions! To say that driving, here, is challenging is the understatement of the century if there ever was one - and you literally take your life in your hands the moment you step into a vehicle, whether as the driver or as a passenger. The chances of being in an accident are exponentially multiplied during Ramadan as “drivers, eager to reach their destination, throw all driving sense and caution to the wind.” Yep. ‘Tis true. Today's Saudi Gazette has an article that says, “The standards of driving are known to be erratic in the country and it only gets worse in the holy month of Ramadan.”
And while Desert Girl, from Kuwait, is full of praise for a series of advertisements celebrating the virtues of the Holy Month, Khadija Teri is polling her readers to find out what their thoughts are about Ramadan's television programming. She explains:
There are mixed feelings about the amount of TV watched and the type of programming available in Muslim countries during Ramadan. There's even a ‘No More TV in Ramadan' campaign. And a lot written here. […]
What are your thoughts about TV in Ramadan?
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At Qatar Living, the Spirit of Ramadan is being celebrated with a photography contest.
Joe was named the first winner for this photograph of children sitting on a cannon, traditionally fired to mark the end of the fasting day:
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And last but not least, Teach the Masses, from Kuwait, has holidays on her mind. She writes:
The rumour mill is up and running. KSA [Saudi Arabia], Qatar and other Gulf states are giving the last 10 days of Ramadan as a holiday and will Kuwait follow suit?
So far no confirmation- some people saying yes and some maybe but no official link.
Going back to PMs point, muhabbet it's clear just in Qatar that there are people who see Ramadan as an excuse for time off work and to have a good time, mirc rather than the real meaning of Ramadan.
and why will she love ramadan?
http://www.shopaq8eya.com/2007/11/30/im-dreaming-of-a-white-christmas/
All this week, I was not able to sleep at all. Why? Because of all the loud prayer calls coming from the newly built mosque close by. Okay, now slow down. I am NOT against mosques or prayer calls BUT I am against ugly voices yelling for people to go and pray.
I know for […]
http://www.shopaq8eya.com/category/god/
Good point PM.
Abu, you said that "To complain about it is very odd as you have to fully believe in them and practice them with willingness."
But perhaps they don't fully believe in them, or perhaps they don't really care about them. Surely there are Muslims who don't agree with everything Islam says. Or Muslims who feel it's not worth going through a month of fasting for, but feel obliged to because everyone around them is.
Going back to PMs point, it's clear just in Qatar that there are people who see Ramadan as an excuse for time off work and to have a good time, rather than the real meaning of Ramadan.
So I reiterate my point; not everyone is as committed Muslims as some of you guys are, so it doesn't surprise me that there are some negative views, even regarding one of the founding principles.
well now, that makes no sense any more, does it!
Amnesias illoveqatar is very balanced i think its great.
Alexa - amnesia's always moaning about one thing or another on his blog on iloveqatar.net!!!
Not everyone is as committed Muslims as some of you guys are, so it doesn't surprise me that there are some negative views.
What does always surprise is when "fully committed" muslims find it odd that some other muslims aren't as committed as them. Don't take it the wrong way, I just thought that you'd be used to there being different levels of commitment.
Allah describes them well in Quran
I too agree with Abu America
As I'm sure you're realised from being part of QL Abu, people are far more likely to write about negative things than positive things.
Do it Speed. It's a good prize. You'll need to enter them by start of next week to stand a chance of winning.
.. hmmm ! it's so nice to see your post was picked by the Globalvoiceonline.org.
Keep up the good work.
I told my wife to keep the camera in the car we might be able to capture some good pictures during Ramadan and join your competition just for fun :-)
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Well I know that you get far more beggars during the month of Ramadan, presumably because people are more likely to be generous and give money during this time, and apparently some of these beggars are organised groups who aren't actually homeless or penniless. I guess the next step up from begging could be pick-pocketing so the increase in beggars also means on increase in petty thieves. That's my theory anyway!
and I'm not even sure why that should be, since I thought Ramadan was more associated with rich giving to the poor.
However, I noticed there a couple of threads on QL about this type of theft happening at the moment in Doha, so maybe pick pockets ARE more likely to be around and a side affect of life during Ramadan.
Can anyone explain why that should be? Perhaps because the Muslim community shop for a siege and therefore carry much more case around than usual?
"Khadija Teri, from Libya, too is waiting for the month to end.
Ramadan is the season for beggars and pickpockets".
Nice. Congrats to Joe.