“Ramadan is not the month for television serials,” said Sakeena Jamaluddin, an Indian national.

Jamaluddin admits that television does have some good points and can be watched in Ramadan for certain things.

“In my home in Ramadan, television is only switched on to watch the news and the Maghreb prayer in the Haram Mosque before iftar.” she said. “Ramadan is such a great month, why should we spend it glued in front of the television watching one serial after another for hours?”

Jamaluddin doesn’t say that a person should not try to entertain themselves in Ramadan, only that television should not be the source of that entertainment when there are so many aspects to Ramadan, such as visiting family members, going outdoors and enjoying the lively Ramadan nights, not to mention learning Hadith and talking about the heroes in Islamic history.

Pakistani Umm Omar also prevents the television from being switched on in her home, mainly because of the line-up of serials that she says only serve to distract people from worshiping Allah and reciting the Holy Qur’an.

Umm Omar says that Ramadan is also a time when family members get together and forgive each other irrespective of who is wrong.

Rahwa Ebrahim, an Eritrean housewife, also bans television during Ramadan in her household. She complains that TV channels show women in wearing inappropriate clothes in advertisements, shows and serials.

“I used to watch television in Ramadan, but a few years ago I stopped because of all the indecency that is shown on channels, even in the month of Ramadan,” Ebrahim told Arab News.

“Owners of television channels don’t show respect for Ramadan. They know very well that Ramadan is primarily the month of worship — still they line up serials for Ramadan. This makes many people sit in front of the television for the most of Ramadan instead of engaging in worship and good deeds,” she said.

Ebrahim also finds it a waste to spend a beautiful month such as Ramadan watching television.

“Ramadan is only once a year, while television is there all year long. I don’t want to instill in my children the culture of television serials in Ramadan, I want them to understand this great month and spend it how it was traditionally done.”