Ramadan traditions keep markets profitable

Ramadan is a month of festivities for Muslims around the world. It is an opportunity for them to clear their souls of sins and experience the hunger the poor constantly feel. Families gather together for iftar and suhoor meals to celebrate the Islamic tradition of fasting in Ramadan.
Shopping during this holy month is at its peak, with shopping malls open until late hours of the night while hyper and super markets work round the clock.
Ramadan traditions in the Makkah region involve many festivities and exciting events that have been carried out from one generation to another and from one country to another. Most of these traditions have faded, while others are still carried out today. Ramadan in this region is very colorful. People hang light bulbs and lanterns on their windows while shops are decorated with colorful textiles to reflect the Ramadan spirit. One tradition that started outside the Kingdom and has been adopted here is that of the Ramadan cannon. This tradition came from the Fatimid era, when cannon shots were a signal for breaking the fast.
Ramadan Mesaharati is another tradition that emerged from the era of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Mesaharati is a 30-day volunteer job created especially for Ramadan that requires a man with a special drum to go around his neighborhood early in the morning to wake up Muslims for suhoor before the Fajr prayer.
Back in the days Muslims used to sleep early in order to wake up early. Now, most stay up all night to watch TV. “The Mesaharati’s role has started to fade ever since technology started to enter people’s homes in Saudi Arabia,” Ibraheem Hashim, an 86-year-old citizen said. “People started depending on the radio, TV and alarm clocks to know when it was time for suhoor. In the past, people used to sleep all night knowing that the Mesaharati would for sure wake them up,” he added.
“There is no use for Mesaharatis anymore. People are staying up late. I guess the clock took the Mesaharatis’ role away,” said Hashim. Families take Ramadan as an opportunity to gather and come together for the iftar and suhoor meals. “I visit the supermarket and open air vegetable market everyday to buy fresh ingredients to cook the best meals for my families,” said Um Khalid. “I spend a lot of money on groceries in this month because my children and grandchildren come over for iftar and suhoor every day for the whole month,” she added.
Um Khalid says taking the iftar and suhoor meals with the whole family is what makes Ramadan special for her. She makes sure that she cooks something new everyday so that the meals are not a monotonous affair for her grandchildren.
Supermarkets and hypermarkets offer special discounts on popular Ramadan items to attract shoppers to them. “We are known for our special offers on Vimto, which is a well-known berry drink in Saudi Arabia; in the offer you can buy two bottles and get the third for free and this is great for big families who purchase stuff in large numbers,” said manager of a local supermarket in Jeddah. “We have other offers on frozen and canned food that people especially come for. Ramadan in one of our best seasons when it comes to making good sales,” he added.
Restaurants around the Kingdom open only around iftar and stay such until after midnight to offer suhoor. “We make a special offer for people who want to break their fast in our restaurant. Diners who pay a fixed amount of money will be served traditional Lebanese food, including soups, appetizers, a main dish, dessert, drinks and Arabic coffee and dates for free,” said manager of a Lebanese restaurant in Jeddah. “We usually have a full house every day for the whole month of Ramadan, especially during the iftar time. Our guests are families and groups of female friends who want to dine together for fun,” he added.
“Satisfaction and fun is guaranteed at our restaurant as we have plasma TVs all over the restaurant for people who want to watch special Ramadan shows,” the manager added. Shopping in Ramadan is the most exciting thing to do now, according to Lama Abdulaziz, 26-year-old housewife. “Ever since I was young, I enjoyed going to shopping centers and choosing clothes for Eid Al-Fitr,” she said. “I always take this opportunity to buy new and fashionable clothes because Eid is one time when families meet and we get to see distant relatives and cousins. I always want to look my best wearing the latest trends,” she added.
Cashing in on the shopping season in Ramadan, shops and boutiques display the latest trends and offer special deals for this special occasion. “We always try to showcase new and upcoming collections for people to choose from in Ramadan because it’s one of our best selling seasons,” said manager of an international clothing shop in Jeddah. “This season is the only time when we run out of stock on certain items, especially those of formal clothing. We also take this opportunity to display the last season’s outfits and list them on sale with special prizes so that we can make the best of Ramadan,” he added.
Ramadan shopping usually starts after noon prayer and ends around midnight. “I believe that shopping is a reflection that characterizes the family in particular. Families usually head to the malls where adults do their shopping and children have fun in the games section,” said Raneem Sadaga, 39-year-old banker. “Shopping centers are always busy and crowded during Ramadan because people are looking for Eid clothing as well as gifts to give to their family,” he added.
Sadaga says shopping is the best form of entertainment because he can enjoy it with his entire family and share ideas on fashion and trends.