The month of Ramadan is traditionally a quiet one. During daylight hours, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking and sex, typically spend more time with their families, and, of course, pray and perform charity work. But things are changing in some parts of the Muslim world.
In Dubai, for example, five-star hotels lavish buffet meats, vegetables, and desserts each night during Ramadan. Iftars and suhoors – places where Muslims gather to breakfast – are becoming increasingly commercialized. Also, with Dubai’s economy in recession and hotel occupancy rates low, managers are pressing their staff to keep the business up.
Egypt is also offering low hotel rates, while a Toyota newspaper ad offers a special holy-season sale – no payments until Ramadan 2011. Since Muslims also have more leisure time due to reduced working hours, special Ramadan soap operas are created and advertising spending spiked up to 62%.
Like Christmas to US and to other parts of the world, the United Arab Emirates retailers are counting on the Ramadan sales to serve as the foundation for a year’s worth of business.
With this changing attitude, some charitable groups have launched campaigns to remind Muslims of the real spirit of Ramadan. Hefth Al Ne’ma, a charity that collects leftover food from banquets and weddings since 2004, has collected Ramadan leftovers to donate to suhoors. The Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi also reminded Emiratis against wasting food. After all, the Koran teaches the faithful that God is with those to restrain themselves.
Source: Time
