What does Ramadan mean for travellers of other faiths?
Ramadan is by no means an obstacle to travelling to Oman. You just have to be prepared for
special circumstances:
Almost all restaurants and food stalls outside hotels are closed between sunrise and sunset.
However, supermarkets are open and also sell food during the day. So nothing stands in the way of self-catering. However, this is not possible in public areas. Wherever locals are staying, you should refrain from eating, drinking and smoking out of respect for the country’s culture.
Of course, most hotels also offer food during the day. In the evening, guests are often invited to Iftar, the traditional breaking of the fast, which includes some special dishes.
As Ramadan is not only about eating and drinking, but also about inner contemplation, you should also adapt your behaviour and clothing to this special time. This means that clothing should be even more in keeping with tradition than it already is. Shoulders and knees covered, and no plunging necklines, please! Loud music should not be played in public during this time. However, Ramadan is by no means a bleak month – life goes wild after sunset, after the signal to break the fast. The streets and souqs are bustling with life in the evenings. Families go shopping, people have a picnic for Iftar on the pavement and friends meet up. It is a great pleasure to experience this and perhaps to be invited to join in the Iftar.
As the vast majority of Muslims in the country are fasting, including guides, drivers and staff in shops and hotels, there may be restrictions. For example, opening times and working hours may change. Or guides may not be able to accompany strenuous tours. We have to take this into consideration.
What you should know about Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and fellowship. It commemorates the revelation of the Koran by the Archangel Gabriel to the Prophet Mohammed. According to Islamic belief, this happened in the year 610 – on the 27th day of Ramadan. At that time, the so-called ‘Night of Destiny’ took place, which is commemorated today in Ramadan.
The Islamic calendar is calculated differently to the Christian Gregorian calendar and is based on the moon. This is why the time of the month of fasting varies. The official start of Ramadan depends regionally on the visibility of the waxing crescent moon. As Ramadan follows the shorter Islamic lunar year, it moves back through the solar year and the seasons by ten to eleven days each year. It can therefore be in winter or midsummer, any time of the year.
The annual observance of Ramadan is considered one of the five pillars of Islam and lasts twenty- nine to thirty days, from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next. This month is all about inner reflection, social commitment and personal purification. Ramadan is therefore also considered a month of good deeds. The faithful pay the zakat tax and support those who need it.For Muslims, fasting is one of the five pillars of their religion – alongside the profession of faith in Allah as the only God, the five daily prayers, almsgiving and the pilgrimage to Mecca. Fasting is intended to emphasise that devotion to God has a higher value than human needs. The fast ends daily with the ‘Iftar’, the communal evening meal. Believers often meet in the mosque to pray together.
The word ‘fasting’ means ‘hem’ in Arabic. It means cleansing the heart and soul, making room for faith and thinking of people who are not doing so well. According to the Koran, daily fasting begins as soon as you can distinguish a white thread from a black one at dawn. This means that plates, cups and glasses remain empty from dawn until sunset. However, it is not only food and drink that are abstained from. For example, you should also not smoke or chew chewing gum or have sex. It is a time to reflect on one’s life, on one’s actions, on one’s relationship with God, with people and with nature and to practise remorse and contemplation.These rules apply to all Muslims – regardless of the different religious communities.
Ramadan is also a time for social commitment. Poor and needy people should be supported. This can take the form of monetary donations or invitations to break the fast in the evening. Family cohesion is just as important.
Anyone who is physically unable to fast, such as pregnant women or sick and elderly people, is exempt from fasting. Younger children are also not called upon to fast, while it is voluntary for older children. Travellers and soldiers at war are also exempt. They can make up for the fast.