Ramadan is a holy month which includes mandatory worshipping. Not being a Muslim, Ramadan does not have any religious meaning for me, but the way it’s celebrated here definitely affects my life. Here are a few things I know about Ramadan:
1) It is a religious occasion where followers are required to fast (refraining from food, drink, and smoking) from sunup to sundown. As soon as the dusk Call to Prayer is called, families gather together to break the fast. This is a huge event! The fasting is imposed on everyone, which means that there is no eating or drinking in public. (The exceptions: babies, pregnant women, elderly, and sick.) This is hard because the temperature is 114F or so, and it is difficult to stay hydrated when we’re out and about so much. I have heard that if you are caught on the street eating or drinking (and this includes gum or breath mints), that you will be thrown in jail and/or fined! We carry bags with our water bottles in them and then go to the bathroom, lock ourselves in a stall, and have a drink!
2) In the same manner as Easter, the dates of Ramadan are determined by the phases of the moon. This year, Ramadan has been throughout the month of August, which is early. How does this affect us? Well, after Ramadan ends, there is an actual holiday called Eid al Fitr. Usually this falls somewhere in September after school starts, but this year it is early and we have our holiday right before school – actually, next week.
3) During Ramadan, businesses close down during the afternoon. I am assuming this is because they rest to conserve their energy while fasting. Not all businesses, but many. For instance, I can walk to my food co-op and get groceries, but I cannot go to the money changer. All restaurants are closed. Also, we went to a large mall one afternoon, and the majority of businesses were closed, even IKEA. All the grocery stores were open. During Ramadan, you can buy food, you just can’t eat it in public.
4) We live near a very busy commercial street and once the sun goes down, the traffic increases! People are out and about. I live in a neighborhood where computer shops, jewelry shops, and cell phone stores abound. You can find most anything you want on this street (no bookstore, darn it!). It gets lively and is a fun place to walk around and watch people. So once the sun goes down, anyone who is not with their family breaking fast is downtown having a good time!
5) And lastly, during Ramadan, the street cleaners (trash picker-uppers) have not been working and so there is trash all over the place!
Now, a few other things about Islam
1) Call to Prayer. This happens five times a day, the first being around 3:30 am. All the mosques have loudspeakers on them so it is broadcast very loudly. And since there is a mosque on every corner (this is only a slight exaggeration), no one misses the call. First, there is a short warning announcement and then about 15 minutes later is the actual prayer. Interestingly, while other places have a “recorded” call, Kuwait requires a real, live person do it. It reminds me of the old days when our churches actually rang bells. Now, the Catholic church that is near my house has recorded rings that rings on the hour and half hour.
2) "Women may choose to cover due to religious belief, tribal tradition, family expectation, or fashion trend. Women have a wide range of head coverings they may choose to wear. The hair can be covered by a colorful scarf (hijab) that matches the outfit, or a solid black hijab. There is even variety among the black hijabs, since some are plain and simple, while others are decorated. Hijabs can be short, covering only the hair, or long to cover the entire upper body. Women may also choose to cover part of all of their face with a cloth “nakab.” The black body wrap is called an abaya and may be worn with or without a hijab." This information came from our psychologist, who is married to a Kuwaiti man and is a convert to Islam. I just want to add the following: The burka that we all seem familiar with is one piece which covers the woman from head to toe. These are seldom seen here in Kuwait. They are common in the stricter, more conservative countries. Women here are free to choose what they wear.
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