Ramadan Kareem to you!

It’s that time of year again where the Muslim world uses fasting, prayer and contemplation as a way to remind themselves of the blessings they have in their lives.  A time for kindness and charity, and forgiveness.

I wrote about it in the past, but in case you don’t want to look through my archives and you do have a few questions about Ramadan, please click here.

A few pointers for any tourists coming to the region though…

1.  Dress respectfully.  If you wouldn’t wear it to church, don’t wear it here.  Cover your lumps and bumps.  Just because its hot doesn’t mean you should be flashing anyway.  We don’t want to see your fat bits just because you’re on holiday.  As an aside, why do so many women ditch bras when they are on holiday?  Does their home country have a different gravitational force? No!  Keep them on!  Back to my point… it’s holy month, so you absolutely need to be covered and respectful.

2.  Please mind your cursing and blaspheming.  Potty mouth can be left and collected at your home airport. Unless it’s in a language other than Arabic or English because the likelihood is that you won’t be understood anyway.  But don’t swear just in case.  It’s very rude during the holy month and you could get in legal bother.

3. No smoking or eating or drinking in public between sun up and sundown.  And, while we are talking about food, please stop talking with your mouth full of food.  Blugh.  Also, chewing with your mouth open.  Why!?  Don’t do it, ever.

4.  Be nice to people, especially day time taxi drivers.  Also probably a good time to pray for a safe delivery to your destination.  The poor chaps haven’t had a sip of water since sun up and their shifts are 12hrs long, which can make for an “interesting” ride!  Be nice to people anyway.

5.  Try saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ more often.  This is a general one but it really bothers me the way people think that because they’re talking to staff, they don’t have to have manners.  You do.

Thus concludes my information session… or rant.  It wasn’t quite meant to go that way, but it did.  Its probably totally not in keeping with Ramadan, but as a Christian, I’m ok with that!  I follow my own rules above and so should you!  Haha!

Seriously though, I do hope that everyone has a blessed month.  I actually enjoy Ramadan, and experiencing the culture in this beautiful city.  I hope you get an opportunity to as well.