UAE: Commercialisation Creeping Up on Holy Ramadan

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Meena Janardhan

DUBAI, Oct 17 2006 (IPS) - Ramadan is traditionally a month of piety and abstinence, marking the revelation of the Quranic scriptures, but many Muslims now worry that it is being turned into a huge opportunity for business.

While the month (ending this year on Oct. 24) is characterised by dawn-to-dusk fasting, it is also a period of increased social interaction, community prayers and sumptuous ‘iftars’ (meals ending the fast at sunset) that businesses are eyeing.

Of late, businesses have reached the point of devising innovative Ramadan offers and promotions, giving rise to a debate about the commercialisation of a sacred tradition.

‘‘Islam is against commercialisation of religion, but encourages it if it bears a spiritual element or serves a humanitarian cause. What matters is where you draw a line or where you cross it,” Ahmed Salem, a Dubai-based religious scholar, told IPS.

Salem cited the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, as an example. ‘‘It has become commercial in a lot of ways, but most of the money is ploughed back into constructive and charitable purposes, thereby diluting the commercial aspect.”

Hosting iftar, especially for the poor, is considered highly meritorious but the affluent among Islam’s 1.3 billion followers hold lavish iftar parties and, increasingly, in the luxurious ambience of five-star hotels.

‘‘The month of Ramadan brings in high revenues,” said Kalyan Karnik, a food and beverages manager at a leading five-star hotel in Dubai. ‘‘We shift our timings to suit the fasting schedule of our guests and offer facilities to hold iftars or suhoors (meal before sunrise). We have also several menu options with special food and beverage items that are normally consumed during this month.”

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), several sectors are altering timings and business plans to suit the needs of their customers. The hospitality sector leads here with everything from luxury hotels to small cafeterias opening only after sunset. On offer are iftar tents with lavish buffets, traditional Arab music and games and suhoor options that are far removed the idea of retreat and reflection.

‘‘Feeding people during iftar is definitely commendable. But it is meant to be an act of charity when you feed the needy. Nowadays iftars are more of social gatherings, where people congregate to eat, talk and often gossip. During Ramadan, ideally one should eat less, sleep less and talk less and spend more time in worship and thanksgiving. But these parties seem to encourage just the opposite – and most often, after the heavy food intake and late nights, one tends to sleep more during the day,” Tariq Anwar, a sales manager at a leading engineering firm in Dubai, told IPS.

‘‘We should also remember that an ideal iftar should be a light meal consisting of perhaps milk and dates. Dates provide instant energy which the body needs after a full day of fasting. But if you consume heavy meals filled with fried food and sweetmeats, the health benefits of fasting and consuming dates gets negated. I am not against iftar gatherings, but the purpose of charity is lost somewhere. And with all the hotels cashing in, commercialisation is definitely creeping in,” Anwar added. Ahmed Salah, a Dubai-based Egyptian journalist, echoed Anwar’s sentiments, ‘‘Like everything else in today’s world, iftars are getting commercialised as well. A traditional act of charity is being taken over by businesses with showy displays and consumption of food.”

Commercial iftars can be encouraged ‘‘only if they have a spiritual link,” Salem, the Mauritanian religious scholar, said. ‘‘Beyond social cohesion, the proceeds from such gatherings must serve a larger cause. Otherwise, the month of Ramadan cannot be considered any different from the others. It is a month where you must strive to be different from the rest of the year. You must not splurge and squander; the same can be given to the needy,” he added.

Afsha, an Indian housewife living in Sharjah, one of the Emirates, said, ‘‘It is always considered ‘punya’ (merit accumulated due to good deeds/thoughts) to feed others, especially the needy and that should be the main purpose. Such gatherings help sustain and revive relationships as well. We don’t have enough time nowadays to maintain even a parent-child bond – iftars and suhoors give us the opportunity to meet old friends, relatives and even parents, reminding us of the importance of such ties.”

The travel sector is not far behind with innovative ideas to woo customers during this month, which usually sees a slump in travel, especially in the Gulf countries, because families like to spend time at home.

Some airlines are shifting flights around to accommodate iftar timings – several Emirates Airlines’ Middle East flights now operate in the evenings or late night. There are extra flights to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which is the disembarkation point for Muslims heading to Mecca for the Haj pilgrimage.

‘‘We have received notification of several changes in schedules and menu options as well to suit fasting Muslims this month. This will definitely please our customers, especially the frequent fliers who have to travel in spite of their fasts,” said Mona Al Sayegh, a Dubai-based travel agency manager

Shops, showrooms and other outlets have rescheduled their timings to ensure customer satisfaction and often stay open till 3 a.m. Intensive product promotions and offers have been announced. Food items, particularly energy-rich products, beverages, garments, and gift items see brisk sales.

Some retailers say that 15 percent of their annual sales occur during this month.

‘‘Ramadan is a month when Muslims offer a lot in charity and hence buy a whole lot more than other months. Spending increases among non-Muslims as well, as they are attracted by the exciting offers. But one must remember that all this must be done in the spirit of austerity and discipline. This is not the time to go on shopping sprees just because the shops glitter with offers and attract you with temptations,” said Al Sayegh.

‘‘This is our holiest month. We, as devout Muslims, need to ensure that the teachings of the Quran are actually put into practice – let’s hope that these modern-day social gatherings and acts of charity continue that tradition,” Anwar said.