Ahlan Ramadan!

What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. In this month, Muslims are obliged to abstain from eating, drinking, smoking from sunrise to sunset.

Why do muslims fast?
Fasting, as well as all other acts of worshipping Allah, has physical and spiritual benefits for Muslims. Fasting has proven to be a way of cleansing the body of toxins, and it also increases one's energy level. There is a lot of medical research about fasting as a cure to certain illnesses. On the other hand, spiritually, fasting teaches Muslims patience, discipline and self-control. It also encourages Muslims to do good things during the month as a way of training them to apply these good deeds throughout the year.

So, how do we spend Ramadan in Saudi Arabia?
Ramadan is a magical month in Saudi Arabia and in all Muslim countries; Muslims celebrate it as other countries celebrate Christmas. Streets are decorated with lights, stores are decorated with a special red fabric that has beautiful Islamic patterns. But what we love the most is the echoing sound of the night prayers that come out of the mosque speakers and spread all over town.

(The fabric that is used to decorate stores and restaurants)

(Visitors in the old downtown in Jeddah are watching one of the World Cup games)

Ramadan represents generosity and charity, so most of the meals are feasts! Some families open their houses to host the poor who are welcomed to eat as guests everyday of that month. Most of the mosques offer Iftar (which is the breakfast meal at sunset) for free.

(Thousands attend the daily Iftar at the Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah)

Ramadan is also about family. I will show you an ad from a Kuwaiti telecom company but it really represents the spirit of Ramadan in every house.

This is another ad from Egypt; it also shows the spirit of Ramadan. The main characters in this ad are from previous Ramadan shows that we loved to watch when we were children. Ramadan makes us feel very nostalgic!

What is my family's tradition in Ramadan?

On the first day, we all gather at my Grandmother's house for breakfast around 6 or 7 pm. Each one of my aunts contributes with a dish or two. At 8 or 9 pm we either pray "Taraweeh" which is a special night prayer in Ramadan or we just gather and watch TV. After prayer around 10:30 pm, it is time for coffee and sweets. We stay together until 12 or 1 am and we either have "Suhoor" which is another meal before we start fasting, or we just go home and eat there.

During the day while we are fasting, we go to work or school for shorter hours than the regular working days, we read Qura'an, the holy book, we start cooking and preparing food and desserts. In my previous work, we used to gather in the atrium after Duhur prayer, the mid-day prayer, and share a lesson about Islam.

Is there a special holiday or occasion that you enjoy in your country? Tell me about it :)