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?

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: Iftar is when fasting is broken during the holy month of Ramadan. Followers of Islam, fast from Sunrise to Sunset during this month. In Qatar, a canon is fired to mark the end of the day's fast. People here, gather to near it to watch the canon being fired and then rush home where a delicious meal awaits them.

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.