Ramadan in Doha, time for fasting or feasting
Recently a supplier from HK who wanted to visit Qatar during Aug-Sept wanted to know 'do offices open during the month of feasting?'. I corrected him saying it is the month of fasting and not the otherway around! But if you look at the images of Ramadan they all show lavish food arrangements, and this must have created the impression among people out side the region.
But really what happens during the month? Today's GT article will explain. The Ritz Carlton reresentative said,"Plus all the decorations and entertainment will be in place to ensure that the ambience for Ramadan is established". Entertainment during Ramadan! All the hotels are busy making arrangements to create an entertaining ambience during Ramadan!!
Would like to see the comments from those who pretend to take care of culture,tradition, etc. :)
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=307094...
Dear friend, We appreciate those who are really taking care of the fasting season which is called Lent. Sawm in Ramadadan does not mean only fasting in terms of eating. Muslims should do fasting in many other matters. They should keep their eyes, their mouth their hands, their ears and even their mind from engaging in bad things. Sex is forbidden during the day. Those who are involving in things which are forebidden in Ramadan are not fasting but they are just starving. Muslims who are aware of these things will not be involved even in the feast as well. Food is allowed at a specific period between sunset and the call to the morning prayer but Muslims are not supposed to waste the food for the sake of feasts. Sawm is to understand the feeling of those who are really starving in the day to day life in different parts of the world.
Fasting or Feasting...whatever.I am enjoying the ramadan timing and I am looking forward for the Eid holidays.
Qatarexplorer, you missed the point, but never mind.
But for your reference, it's not only Muslims who know about fasting. Heard of Lent?
that is your opinion, and obviously you are not a muslim, only a muslim can understand what is the meaning of fasting, because he should know why he is doing it. not for show or what ever fancy thing people might think. the occassion of ramadan is individual's devotion. a muslim is obeying what his God's commandment.
fasting and feasting, yeah might be correct. i am on a fast and after i break my fast i feast. what is wrong with that.
so you make a little charity, so that you have something to say about it. how sad it is windup, you know in Islam the good thing your right hand did, must be unknown to your left hand, you know what i mean. and another saying. those who said that he/she give charity his/ her reward will become half of it and then told again, another half until nothing is left with him.
most of the muslim doesnt like to tell their charity. they dont like to annouced, no, no. i am talking about the real muslim, not the nominal muslim, who knows nothing of his religion.
It's obviously a time of feasting. Prices of staple foods have jumped up to increased demand. Fasting?? I think not.
Shortened work hours and enormous feasts everyday is a festival of feasts. Sounds like Xmas.
If you want to feel a little humility or hardship why not try doing a little manual labour?
Last Ramadan, I did a little charity work making lunch for the less fortunate to be distributed later in the day. Not one person there was a Qatari doing the preparation, but I bet there were plenty there taking the credit during the distribution.
who is starving you? and who is forcing you to starve? no one in the face of the earth can force anyone not to eat, drink or sip softdrinks. you can do it all in your privacy. in your home. in your garage if you like. but to do it in public or infront of someone who is fasting this is something inappropiate and discourage specially this month of ramadan.
maybe you need some overhaul so that you will understand or maybe it is your attitude not to understand what your host country is. maybe you can leave the country every month of ramadan so you will not deprive of your so called basic right.
your logic is good for you and those who believed in you.but not to us.
all the store is open, you can shop and by your basic needs.
if not eating or drinking in public cause you a big trouble of being starved to death then you must leave for a while and comeback once the ramadan is finish.
Sorry, but I see that muslims are going through the same road of christians: Christmas has just become a time for shopping or business so as Ramadan is going to become, insha'Llah. But, every single muslim, or mulslim family CAN preserve this period doing a real fast, with the body and with the spirit.
Ramadan Mubarak to all of you that still belive in God.
Stay at home, eat and drink all you want as long as you don't do it in public or in the presence of those fasting, no one gives a damn.
A lot of humans on this planet fast day in day out Ramadan or not, because they are dirt poor & starving. A little humility never hurt anyone. And there is absolutely no need to be offensive to others because for some reason you perceive going without food, drink and nicotine during daylight hours to be a form of intolerable cruelty.
For some people Ramadan is a month of restraint. For some a time of nighttime feasts and joy. I will however add that the way Ramadan is marked in the gulf countries is nothing to write home about, in my humble opinion. In the countries of the Sham and Maghreb however, it is a festive season with which few cultures can compare.
ramadumb????
Flan,if you respect islam, why are you refering to ramadan as ramadumb??????it only shows how much respect you have!!
master-piece, you don't make any sense.
by restricting a basic right means qatar doesn't respect other religions. i respect islam, but why should i be forced to starve?
During Ramadan out of the 1.5M only a small number of party loving hit these tents. For most others it is a month of happiness through fasting. For me atleast. I take time to get the best healthy food for my family and make sure we break our fast together. We invite friends and visit others.
But the commercialisation of the month really hurts.. and news papers like Peninsula who otherwise acts as champion of modesty, tradition and culture jump in..
it must be harder for people to fast in europe in this time of the year (around summer time) because they have longer daylight?
soon you will be taking ramadan if you will continue your flesh obsessed with ramada birds.huh!its difficult to pee when your organ is just like burning,or just like the head is falling down,soon you will put diaper not to mess the interior side of your pink kia ramada boy!har!har!har!:)
Me too, love to be home for Ramadan, I guess most people do.
Ramadan Karim to all..:)
Salam
I always like to be home for Ramadan...in Qatar...for me it is a month of less, not more...only more spiritually. I guess it depends how and who you spend it with.
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In other Muslims communities (like in the States or even the UK) it feels more spiritual to me.
I didn't drink the kool-aid! -- PM
flan..
how do expect a country to respect ur "basic" needs while u dont have no respect to its religious values, or even to the value of worldness?!
I've gotta see it, Drac.
QLady..in fact with Parking Area!
.
Brit..You're obsessed with Ramada!
Its a feast... Meet the petite flowers from China, spend a few dorra and have fun...
Hold on... Are we talking Ramada or Ramadan here ????
ah yes, the time of the year when oppressive laws force expats to conceal basic necessities like eating and drinking.
why can't i respect ramadumb while enjoying a basic right still baffles me.
and the feeding frenzy at night is a sight to behold!!!!
salax, wonderful quote...that is the way it should be
i don't give usually to anyone (poor, needy...) nor to organisations. if anyone would see a diamond out of me, it would be the red cross and only the red cross!
but last ramadan, and this one too, i feel like it's the right thing to do. it's a matter of "ambiance" u live in.
although i'm christian. i liked the idea. last ramadan i took 2.5% of my salary and distributed it. beside, i loved ramadan schedual, working at night till 1-2 am.
it was routinr breaker. and during ramadan everyone seemed "nicer".
Probably that is difference between the developed and developing countries
Only after coming here I knew the new meaning of Ramadan. After the fast it is all feasting around. Shop-owners are crazy to grab as much money they can from the customers in the month of Ramadan.
Back home Ramadan means fasting and prayers. I have never noticed any other difference than this in this month and feasting was only on the day of Eid.
i heard in month of ramadan ppl give a zakat
let c who will give a zakat from ql:P
nothing really sweet about ramadan bonus:)
Well this is what has been portrayed to our non-muslim friends.Its a sad and humilliating to be honest.
But one thing for sure is that you cannot and should not judge the whole muslim community by what a few people do.Its easy to point fingers and say "see this is what they say Ramadan is, and see what the do"...but the point is,there are enough and more muslims who obey and look forward for Ramadan in the right spirit.Y not have a look and them and see what Ramadan is all about...
If you go to buy fruits,you will look at the best ones there, not the spoilt ones, to see if the bunch is good or bad...like wise look at good muslims and see what ramadan means to us, before making unncessary comments about what ramadan is and what it should be...
I wish u all a good day..
Looks like, I will miss my sombre and spiritual Ramadans in Canada.
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The future belongs to those who prepare for it today.
Malcolm X
RAMADAN BONUS.HMMMMMMMMMM!
One can feast through fasting because fasting is soul- entertaining and enriching. You see, I can use fast, feast and entertainment in one line, no conflicts as commonly presumed.
Salam
its my first ramadan here since ten years ago..
any idea how to use it speritually? mosques, lectures, charity projects & groups,etc..
On the last Friday of the month of Sha'ban, the Holy Prophet (SA) stated the following concerning the magnificence and value of "the month of Allah".
"O people, the month of Allah, along with its blessings and salvation, has revealed itself to you. It is a month which is regarded as the best of all the months by Allah. Its days, nights, and hours are the best of all. It is a month in which you are invited to be the guest of Allah and are entitled to His favour and generosity."
"In this month, your breathing will have the thawab of tasbih saying "Subhanallah" (Glory be to Allah) and dhikr and your sleeping will have the thawab of the worship of Allah."
"If you resort to Allah in this month and worship Him, Allah will grant your prayers. Therefore, with all your truthfulness and sincerity and with a pure heart pray to Allah to grant you His Divine dispensations for having sawm and reciting the Holy Qur'an, for one who remains deprived of the forgiveness and blessings of Allah in this bountiful and blessed month is indeed unfortunate."
no, we sound like muslims about ramadan.
Poverty is not for the sake of hardship. No, it is there because nothing exists but God. Poverty unlocks the door -- what a blessed key!
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
You guys sound like Christians about Christmas. :P
its is becoming of more commercial value than spirtual one...
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Have Courage To Live.
Anyone Can Die.
its more like Merry Ramadan
As-Sunnah As Saheeha
http://www.islamlecture.com/
... sorry but this is reality ! Shame.
fasting,feasting,fishing,farting,samesame, still work 10 hours a day
Let them have some fun. Doha is safe because them folks have an outlet. Or you would have ravaging rapists around!
my opinion is that hotels do decorate in respect of the Ramadan. At the same time, they have to do that to entice people - I mean Muslims in general to choose hotels with good ambiance so to speak and of course with good food to choose from for their Iftar.
No idea.
peaceful folks
As-Sunnah As Saheeha
http://www.islamlecture.com/
"I don't know, I'm going by what they're allowed and not allowed to have in the tents. Music & sheisha are ok, belly dancing isn't. Not my religion so I don't particularly care what goes on in the tents." gypsy
understandable, i guess the tent isn't that religious.
Poverty is not for the sake of hardship. No, it is there because nothing exists but God. Poverty unlocks the door -- what a blessed key!
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
I don't know, I'm going by what they're allowed and not allowed to have in the tents. Music & sheisha are ok, belly dancing isn't. Not my religion so I don't particularly care what goes on in the tents.
oh so music and sheisha is halal? since when?
Poverty is not for the sake of hardship. No, it is there because nothing exists but God. Poverty unlocks the door -- what a blessed key!
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
No belly dance is haram. There's music, food & sheisha.
I've never been to any of these tents. I can't imagine what entertainment they provide other than food. Music and Belly dance?
Ramadan's a bit from column A and a bit from column B isn't it, depending on how pious you are? Luckily this year I don't have to go to a single Ramadan tent :D
its like didn't we fasted last ramadan... feasting/fasting is yearly.
Poverty is not for the sake of hardship. No, it is there because nothing exists but God. Poverty unlocks the door -- what a blessed key!
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
@ britexpat,it's an annual thing mate...*wink*!!
mentioned it earlier on another thread,will repeat it here again...according to statistics,incidence of diabetes & heart conditions or rather more specifically,diabetics & people with heart conditions pay more visits to Hamad hospital A&E during Ramadan than during the rest of the year as consumption of high calorie foods in excessive amounts increases significantly during Ramadan...supermarkets in Qatar look forward to Ramadan as sales of food items significantly increases...now correct me if i'm wrong,but aren't these stats the opposite of what one would expect to see during the month of "abstinence"??...because my idea of Ramadan is a bit different,in India,life goes on as usual,restaurants(even muslim-run ones & there are lots),bars,etc. are all open as usual,muslims don't work reduced hours or anything of the sort...They go about their day like normal,only taking a break @ sunset to pray & break their fast,then continue with their day...now that,my dear friends is what i would call real abstinence...as opposed to what's practiced here...i won't elaborate as my post on the same was deleted earlier(s'ok they can't handle the truth,don't blame 'em.)
we will discuss it again next year ramadan ....
Didn't we discuss this last Ramadan ??
during ramadhan people should eat less, cant see the reason they jack up the food price ....
Yes for many its the month of feasting. i remember Dr Bilal Philips at Fanar telling us lots of us just fast as cultural thing and do lots of feasting in the evening until we can't get up.
sadly, we forgot the meaning of Ramadan.
Poverty is not for the sake of hardship. No, it is there because nothing exists but God. Poverty unlocks the door -- what a blessed key!
- Jalaluddin al-Rumi
Its just a reson to hike up prices on all food and drink in all areas.
Theres more food sold at Ramadn than any other time of year, Are they really fasting or hiding behind closed doors. Would not suprise. They arepretty hypocritical when it comes to white women, alcahol etc. So how do you know?
kimd, i wish they do that since 8 years ago :o)
Novita- the roads will definitely be quieter in the mornings and lunchtime in Ramadan as all government schools will be closed until September 27th after the Eid holiday.
>
May your dreams take you travelling all through your life.
one thing that i know for sure, the road would be chaos. All schools and offices finish in the same time. My 20 mins trip from schools to the house can take up to 1 hours.
Another excuse to fleece customers.
Shouldn't the ambience be one of quiet reflection?
which is of immense interest to the general non-fasting public. I'am sure there would be a lot of get togethers during that time. Please feel free to invite me.lol...I'll block my calendar.
Source:
- A study Conducted by FriedUnicorn - Vol I (September,1999)