Our software training session continued into Ramadan period in Dubai. On the 1st day (July 20), hotel sent a sheet with some information about Ramadan to all guests. I put some of the warnings here.
“1. It is illegal to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours (including in your car). Urban legend has it that you end up in jail for the remainder of the month of Ramadan if caught (the law says a fine up to 2000 dhs or a one-month jail sentence as far as we know), however it is more likely that you’ll get a lecture from the police and possibly a fine.
2. It is respectful and polite to dress more conservatively during Ramadan – shoulders and legs should be covered.
3. Almost all restaurant and cafes will be closed during the day but many will extend their opening hours at night.
4. There will be a few eating outlets open during the day for dine-in customers in larger hotels and shopping centers. Some fast food restaurants allow drive through or take outs.
5. Bars in Dubai are usually still open but patrons will be asked what religion they are and refused entry if they are Muslim. Live and loud music is banned, so is dancing. Bars in Abu Dhabi might be closed. Bars in Ras Al Khaiman stay open. Bars in Sharjah don’t exist.
6. Car stereos should be turned down.”
Local newspaper started publishing articles about keeping healthy during Ramadan.
I also survived the very 1st day of Ramadan. I was sightseeing on the street on Friday (their weekend). The afternoon heat made me thirsty like I was in the oven. Finally I saw a stand selling coconut water. I bought it but was advised not to drink on the street. Eventually, I found a metro station and went into a restroom to quench my thirst. . .
For a visitor like me, coming to a place like Dubai during Ramadan is not a good choice. As opposed to other holidays, when people often indulge, stores often profit, Ramadan is by nature a time of self-restraint. The idea is that through fasting, people experience hunger and thirst, and sympathize with those in the world who have little to eat every day. Visitors might feel inconvenient, as almost restaurants and cafes are closed during the day.
But people who are fasting can enjoy quite a few physiological benefits including weight managements, lower of blood sugar, cholesterol, and the systolic blood pressure, etc. Peace and tranquility are achieved through fasting. Personal hostility is at a minimum, and the crime rate decreases.
There is a reason for everything. I appreciate this opportunity of being there witnessing people doing fine in Ramadan. We live in a world of interruption. Arguably, eating multiple times a day is a kind of interruption to our body. During fasting, when the body’s energy is not being consumed to digest food, it can be directed forward building up the immune system.
Parallelly thinking, our daily life is full of interruption, with the greatest sources of interruption being our computers and mobile phones. Yes, they are convenient, resourceful. But many have found that great clarity and a fresh perspective can be achieved by temporarily unplugging ourselves from the grid and grabbing pens and paper to sketch out our ideas.
Dr. Medina, author of the best-selling book “Brain Rules” (Pear Press, 2009) cites “When you’re always online, you’re always distracted”. “We are biologically incapable of processing attention-rich inputs simultaneously”.
Giving up something to gain certain benefits is not only restricted to food we eat. It probably helps to “fasting” on information we take daily.
Oops, should this article to be in your ‘fasting” list?