Hello, Ladies! So we are on to another challenge this week, asking us to share our experiences about holidays from a religion/culture other than our own. To know more about this challenge, I urge you to check out this contest announcement - Ladies of Hive Community Contest #60.
Since my family and I have been living in an Islamic country for several years already, I would like to share some of my personal experiences during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The Holy Month of Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar. It is when our Muslim brothers and sisters observe fasting (not consuming any food nor drink) from sun up until sundown.
No specific date
Unlike Christmas or other special holidays that we usually observe, Ramadan (and other Islamic holidays) do not fall on the same day of the year. They follow as I mentioned the Islamic calendar, and wait for the official announcement from Saudi Arabia. For us, we rely on the newspaper and yes, FB to know whether Ramadan has been declared.
As non-Muslims, we also have to be aware of this because office timings are also changed during Ramadan. It is shorted to 6 hours during Ramadan. Oh, happy days! Haha.
Photo SourceA Time of Giving
Yes, every time is a time to give but for those who observe it, Ramadan is a month of giving. Hence, there are lots of donation drives and special sales promotions happening especially during this month.
I personally experienced a special act of generosity a few years back - my youngest son and I were just walking down our neighborhood when a car stopped next to us. Out of the blue, the lady gave us 100dhs (around $30). My Muslim friends say special acts like these are part of their petition during the Holy Month.
Food, Food, Food!
While Ramadan is mostly about fasting, one thing I look forward to during this month is the Iftar Dinner. Iftar is the breaking of fast at sundown. Pre-pandemic, there were lots of Iftar dinners we used to attend (mostly from company invitations).
Hotels also always have special Iftar Buffet offer. Oh, the food spread is always great!
Likewise, there are also simpler ways to have Iftar especially for those who cannot afford to have lavish hotel buffets. Some set-up Iftar tents where anyone can come and eat for free. There are also some organizations that give away Iftar boxes on the roadside for those who are still travelling during the Iftar.
These have dramatically changed last year and this year due to the pandemic - Iftar tents were banned and buffet dinners were limited too.
More Ramadan Experiences
Having been in the UAE for 17 years, I've written about my Ramadan experience here on the blockchain on several occasions. Here are what I could find:
Why I Love Ramadan | 7 Day Positivity Challenge
Ulog #8: The Irony of Keeping My Sanity
And because I still cannot access most of my photographs, I have taken first and last photos on this post from my previously published ones.
Hey, @sherylneil, are you up for the challenge?
Women Empowering Each Other
I try my best to keep up with what's been happening in the community, and boy, you ladies are so active! There are lots of posts to visit here, which I try to support as much as I can and I also comment to those that resonate the most with me.
Thank you for being you and for sharing your journey. Let us continue to inspire one another!
XOXO
