Ramadan Is Right Around The Corner

The Holy Month of Ramadan is hours away.

It is expected to begin from tomorrow (11 August) based on astronomical calculations - although some argue that it should begin on the 12th as the crescent moon cannot actually be seen until tomorrow.

Either way, people have been shopping more than usually for the past couple of days, decorations with lanterns and inscriptions wishing people a blessed Ramadan have been put up, stores are posting their changed opening hours for the coming month and I can clearly feel that there is something in the air. Although the two are in no way comparable, it feels a bit like the anticipation for Christmas.

During Ramadan, Muslims all over the world are expected to fast from sunrise to sunset. I have always found this quite an accomplishment but considering that since the Ramadan falls earlier every year they will now have to endure the August heat often above 50 degrees Celsius (122F) without a drop of water from sunrise to sunset. I could probably go without eating but I am not sure I could survive not drinking.

Non-Muslims are not required to fast, however the Interior Ministry of Kuwait has made it very clear that anyone who eats or drinks in public will be fined KD 100 ($357 / €262 /Kr. 1954) and/or a month in jail (that should very efficiently prevent you from eating again in public during Ramadan). Last year during Ramadan a foreigner who hadn't done his homework on 'do's and dont's during Ramadan' got jailed. Not dressing conservatively supposedly lands you in jail as well.

Although supermarkets stay open, cafés and restaurants (including delivery and take-away) will largely remained closed until after sunset (my local Starbucks will be open from 6.30pm to 2.30am for the next month). My local mall will open at 11am (when people have had time to sleep after eating in the early morning before sunrise) and stay open until 4pm. Then people will head home to prepare for breaking the fast (including a number of specific prayers) and shops reopen at 8pm staying open until 1am. It really is a change of day (and night) rhythm for a month.

To make it a little bit more bearable, official work hours have been cut to 6 hours per day (typically 9am to 3pm) and I have heard that some places unofficially accept their people not showing up to work every day. I have heard a few people (Kuwaiti Muslims) raise this issue over the past days on blogs and in newspapers - that the month of Ramadan is supposed to be difficult to endure (that's the whole point) and that by making it easier by reducing work hours and allowing people to rest inside in air-condition or sleep for much of the day, the point is being diluted. It is not in my place to judge this - I understand their point but I am also sure that it is very hard even with reduced work hours.

Since 'eating and drinking in public' also includes smoking, dissolving a mint in your mouth or chewing a piece of chewing gum I'll make sure to empty my hand bag before going to bed - of anything that could land me in jail for a month (I always carry chewing gum, mints and a bottle of water when I venture out of the air condition).

To those who partake in Ramadan I wish you and your families 'Ramadan Kareem' and to those of you who have to deal with a somewhat special month I wish you the best of luck...