The Holy Month of Ramadan begins tomorrow and for Muslims all over the world, a month of fasting begins.
This year , the Holy Month has fallen over the extreme summer heat of June and July and it will be particularly difficult for Muslims to abstain from drinking. During the heat one hardly feels like eating anyway, but there is no way I can manage an entire day without water!
Out of respect, non Muslims will also not be able to eat or drink in public and while a lot of people find this is major problem, I really don’t. I find Ramadan to be a much calmer, more sedate time of the year which effectively means we all slow down. When the temperatures hit 48 and higher, I am more than happy to slow down I assure you! We generally end our working day two hours earlier than normal which is great-most of the sites we work on finish early and as it is the law in Dubai that work hours are cut, there is not much one can do after 3pm so I tend to go home and rest which is very beneficial because at the hottest time of the day, one can be indoors out of the heat and humidity.
It is also a time of kindness and generosity and this feeling softens the usually rather busy and callous city. Charities benefit hugely from the most incredible acts of generosity by devout Muslims and its always wonderful to read about our leaders donating millions to the needy. It is my theory that part of the reason why Dubai is such an overwhelming success, is because of the incredible generosity of HH Sh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and other UAE leaders to the less fortunate.
The only thing which does get worse is the driving, with many drivers rushing to get home in time for Iftar. (breaking the fast) I make a concerted effort to be off the roads by that time but if I am not, I try to be extra vigilant to avoid getting caught up in a fender bender or worse! It can be a bit of a mad dash at times!
To my Muslim readers, I wish you and your families a blessed and peaceful Ramadan.
A Decorator's Notebook 