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abu dhabi diary christmas in ramadhan |
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We
had Christmas lights up around the city on December 25th for the first
time in the 16 years I've been in the Middle East. Not Christmas lights,
actually, in this Muslim country in the midst of its holy month of
Ramadhan--they're National Day lights which have been held
over for Eid Al Fitr, or for the Y2K New Year Celebrations,
or both.
Anyway, it's a first. Every year previously, the hundreds of thousands of lights draping, wrapping, ornamenting almost every building, lamp post, and tree along the corniche and other major roads were unceremoniously switched off by December 23rd. This year has been different! Like last year, we've been in the midst of Ramadhan on Christmas. Ramadhan is a month in the lunar Islamic calendar. The lunar year is shorter by 11 days or so, which means that Ramadhan, the holy month of fasting, is 11 days earlier each year than it was the year before. When I first arrived in Kuwait in 1983, Ramadhan was in summer: long hot days to go without water or food. Ramadhan in December is less difficult, except when Christmas and daytime fasting come into conflict. No cosy breakfast on Christmas morning or midday turkey dinner. And when day is swapped for night on the job, no noise during the day either, to disturb the fasting sleeper. Christmas caroling at a whisper. But this year, the city was lit up like a Christmas tree, for celebrations yet to come. Christmas dinner was at Iftar (sunset prayer time when the day's fast is broken). But in spite of a bit of dissynchronization, this Christmas in Ramadhan was a wonderful one. Next year's "normal" one may seem very ordinary by comparison. |
not
Christmas lights, actually
december 30, 1999
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