Ramadan is a holy month observed by Muslims which involves a number of lifestyle changes. The aim is to bring oneself closer to God through behaviour.
Qatar is just 1 of the 50 countries where Islam is the religion of the majority. Here, the Muslim faith is everywhere. People live and breathe it, so when Ramadan arrives, the habits of the whole country are affected.
Many People who observe Ramadan go without pleasures such as food, drink and sexual activity from sunrise to sunset for a whole month. Nothing passes their lips – the really devout don’t even brush their teeth!
Just to give you an idea of what a commitment this is: in 2012 in Qatar, Ramadan will start around 18 July. The average temperature at this time will be 45°C. The sun will rise at 4.30 am and set at about 6.00 pm. That means many are going 14 hours in the searing heat without a drop of water for an entire month.
And while it might sound dreary and demanding, those living in the Arab world see it as an auspicious time of great celebration. It’s a happy time. Sure, during the day it’s all very solemn, but come sunset it’s all about eating, drinking and generally being merry! Families pray and eat together every night and gifts are given.
Ramadan in Qatar: Expat Challenges
As if moving from Australia to live in Qatar wasn’t a big enough culture shock, I experienced my first Ramadan less than a month after my arrival in Doha. The idea of it filled me with trepidation.
Other expats merely shrugged it off – it seems that 1 Ramadan is enough to prepare you for all future ones. But I had so many questions: When will I be able to buy my groceries? What do I have to wear? Will everyone still be working? How can anyone go a WHOLE DAY without eating?!
So, how does all this affect the non-Muslim visitor and expat?
To be honest, it can be pretty tense. Non-Muslims are expected to follow many of the customs of Ramadan. Our clothing must cover us from wrists to ankles, we’re not allowed to touch in public and we’re expected to tone down our general demeanour.
Maintaining these standards can be slightly arduous, but then again, Ramadan in Qatar is a great experience and fantastic reminder of where we are. For 1 month our lives are turned upside down.
The good news is that non-Muslims are allowed to eat and drink but just not in public. If we’re eating at home we are urged to close the windows and not cook anything too fragrant, so we save the curries for another time!
Many restaurants close during the daylight hours and any that stay open keep curtains drawn so that food cannot be seen from the outside. At my work they use hospital screens at the entrance to the staff cafeteria to hide all the coffee addicts! In times of desperation I may or may not have been known to hide out in the bathroom for a cheeky sip of water!
Hospital screens hiding my work cafe during Ramadan
No alcohol
During Ramadan, Qatar dries up. The single alcohol shop in Doha closes for the month, as do all hotel and restaurant bars.
If you want to drink, you need to have stocked up in the months before. Absolutely do not even think of leaving your house or hotel if you are intoxicated. I just hate to think what would happen if someone found out!
Work hours/business hours
Ramadan is a time for contemplating your relationship with God. It is NOT a time for working! Plus everyone’s just exhausted and cranky from hunger. So, official work hours are reduced, even for non-Muslim expats. For an entire month we work just 5 hours a day, usually from 10 am – 2 pm. Not a bad deal, really!
Since many people try to restrict their activity during the day, businesses also switch up their hours during Ramadan. Many supermarkets, malls and banks are only open from the late afternoon until 1 am – it’s as if night has become day.
This is definitely a big factor for any visitor contemplating a trip to Qatar during this time but it’s not necessarily a bad thing – a bit of midnight banking never hurt anyone!
Road Rage
The first rule of Ramadan: stay off the roads between 5.30 and 6.30 pm. Why? Low blood sugar and driving do not mix!
Picture this: it’s 5.45 pm. It’s been over 12 hours since your last meal. Your stomach is hollow. Your mouth is dry and stale. The sun will set any moment which means that you are minutes away from food and water. The only thing standing between you and a plate piled high with food is the 20-minute drive to the mosque. If traffic is good, you can do it in 15 minutes. If you speed, 10.
This is the mentality that fuels the infamous Ramadan road rage. It’s statistically proven that there are more road accidents during Ramadan than any other month which means that we expats stay housebound at sunset.
One of the traditions that makes Ramadan a treat is the nightly Iftar that marks the breaking of the fast. Every restaurant in the city host a decadent buffet with serving stations offering unlimited quantities of food from all over the world.
Often these feasts are set up in special tents, lavishly decorated with lanterns and carpets where traditional Arabic music and dancing is performed. Anyone is welcome to attend and all 30 nights are big events on the Doha social calendar so bookings should be made well in advance.
A whirling dervish performing during Ramadan celebrations – Photo credit
No singing, dancing or music
In order to preserve the piousness of Ramadan, music is forbidden during the day which means expats need to be sure to turn down the speakers in their cars and homes. Even in the malls the music is turned off, leaving us with nothing but the dulcet sounds of children crying!
As if to fill the silence, the call to prayer is amped up during Ramadan, often playing throughout the night. There is a mosque on nearly every block in Doha so when the chanting starts, the air is filled with a cacophony of voices from every direction. Those who do not want to be woken by the nasal resonations of their local Imam at 3 am get used to wearing earplugs pretty quickly.
Unpredictable start
So now you’re prepared for Ramadan in Qatar, but how do you know if these new rules have actually kicked in? Well, it’s tricky. The start of Ramadan is dictated by the appearance of the crescent moon. It must be physically seen before Ramadan is officially ‘on’.
The news is then announced by a viewing committee. So, basically there’s about a week where we are all left guessing. Plus, as Qatar expats, we don’t tune in to many of the Arabic communication channels so we’re usually the last to know!
All in all, Ramadan is a great time in Qatar. There are a few extra rules and some can be a bit of an inconvenience but in the end it’s all part of the adventure of being in the Middle East.
Bio: Velvet is an Australian writer and editor who gave up Bondi Beach for the sand dunes of Qatar. She offers observations and newbie tips on her blog Must Love Dust and never leaves home without a scarf.
Craig Makepeace is the co-founder of yTravel Blog. He's been traveling and living around the world since 2002 and believes that life is all about accumulating memories and moments with his family, not just possessions.
He's a travel addict, sports fanatic, beach lover, and passionate craft beer drinker!
31 thoughts on “Ramadan in Qatar”
Elizabeth
Wow. This has really opened my eyes to something that I knew little to nothing about. Very interesting! Great piece of writing!
I’ve been in Malaysia before during Ramadan. Same deal. Basically everything is closed and there is nothing to really do. Glad I was only there for one day.
Fascinating reading. I’ve always wondered how the behaviour changed during religious festivals. My only experience of living in another country where the main religion is not Christian is Fiji, and as the country is so touristy none of these restrictions seem to apply. Come on over to my expat Kiwi blog and let me know what things you would put in a memory box if you were to return home from Qatar now. Cheers Vix x
Wow, definitely sounds interesting! I’m having a hard enough time adjusting to life in Germany as an American, so I can’t imagine the culture shock you must deal with moving to Qatar. Then on top of that, having to figure out how to handle Ramadan – definitely sounds stressful!
Ramadan timing is definitely a factor to consider if you’re planning a visit. But don’t forget that the timing changes each year – it will be held about 7 days earlier next year (i.e. around 10 July).
That’s a great time to visit. It’ll be nice and warm so you can enjoy some of the lovely outdoor restaurants. And, more importantly, you’ll be able to have a glass of wine with your meal!
Great post, but we don’t have to be cover from wrist to ankle. This is my 4th ramadan and my husbands 26th Ramadan in Qatar as expats and we have never heard or had to follow this ruling or have most of our friends who like my husband have grown as expat children in the Gulf. Also if this was the case I’d have been informed immediately as I teach Arabic children. X
Wow – you’ve both had a lot of experience with this! It’s good to know that it’s not a strict rule. I must admit that I’m probably a bit overly cautious when it comes to the way I dress and usually cover up more than others. I could probably afford to loosen up a bit!
you should have done more research if there is anytime that the road as free of traffic is at 5:00 pm to 6:00pm during the holy month of ramadhani will teach you one thing that in this article you missed it up or rather mess it up the brushing of teeth’s for muslims is recommended five time a day find out about that. second the tents that you see around are not for dancing as you mentioned they are meant for breaking the fast together as one in one place ,there a no music or dance.
many restaurants close during ramadan but they are ones with doors open they are not closed for restriction of ramadan because in the first place there doors are always open for business majority being muslims will they still have there doors open for no reason
Hi Burhaz. This is an account of my personal experience as an expat with some help from my Mulsim friends and colleagues. It’s not a definative guide to Ramadan as everyone has a different story. But I appreciate your helpful feedback – the more insight the better.
Great piece, thanks so much for writing this, we are about to move to Doha at the end of May so we were looking at what Ramadan would mean for us and you have hit it spot on.
I am not Muslim but like their tradition and culture… As Zakat Charity said “I never been there but your writing style made me feel that I have been there, Very nice post.” i feel the same and i wish this Christmas i wil be there..
Fantastic post, but we don’t need to be cover from wrist to ankle. This is my 4th ramadan along with my husbands 26th Ramadan with Qatar as expats and we have never heard or had to follow along with this ruling or have almost all of our friends who like my better half have grown as expat children in the Gulf. Also if this was the truth I’d have been informed immediately when i teach Arabic children.
I agree with the other Aussie expats, you don’t need to be covered from ankle to wrist just modestly…and you would have to live in a bubble or Al Rayyan Village not to know when Ramadan started. You also didn’t mention anything about the fact most expats leave for Ramadan or that there are some of the best travel deals in the ME during his time
That is great information, thank you so much….. was considering a trip to Doha instead of Dubai…… but did not realize Doha gets totally dry during Ramadan…. Never mind thanlkfor all the information
Beautifully written and almost a true picture shared but I would like to share few things which I feel should be corrected.
Though, there are a lot of things that are over stated, like not be able to hold hands, dressing up from wrist to ankle, closing your kitchen windows and all.
There is nothing like that AT ALL!
The tents are not for dancing as stated earlier by another blogger and I find it unfair on your end to write something which is words of mouth to you and nothing else.
PLEASE, it is not intense at all, all you need to do is spend time with a Muslim family or friends and you will see. They cook for themselves and others while they are forbidden to eat or drink while they fast and its pretty ok, I’m 33 and I have absolutely no problem at all to see someone eat smoke or drink infront of me while I’m fasting. This is and Islamic Arab country where a lot of people fast, imagine the lives of people living on far east n far west and living and fasting over there and I’m sure they can pretty well handle it.
Construction places that I’ve worked at, there were expats who smoke in a confined place and turn it off when they see a Muslim coming as respect but there are no confrontations at all.
Wow. This has really opened my eyes to something that I knew little to nothing about. Very interesting! Great piece of writing!
Thanks Elizabeth. Eye opening is definitely a good way to describe Ramadan!
Loved this! What an amazing thing to be able to experience. Thank you for sharing – it’s wonderful to get a glimpse into expat life from back home xx
Thanks Maddy. I guess the great thing about living here is that there’s always a story to tell!
Stories to tell……The Arabian Nights….1001 stories, this is the land….this is where story telling has fuel to keep going…Tunes of the Dunes…
Great post!! Very interesting… Love the photos
I’ve been in Malaysia before during Ramadan. Same deal. Basically everything is closed and there is nothing to really do. Glad I was only there for one day.
Yes Ramadan isn’t for everyone. I think in Malaysia would be especially hard because you’d have to wait until sunset for all that amazing food!
A great piece of writing Velvet. I think you summed up Ramadan in Qatar perfectly
Fascinating reading. I’ve always wondered how the behaviour changed during religious festivals. My only experience of living in another country where the main religion is not Christian is Fiji, and as the country is so touristy none of these restrictions seem to apply. Come on over to my expat Kiwi blog and let me know what things you would put in a memory box if you were to return home from Qatar now. Cheers Vix x
Hi Vix,
Just read your post. A memory box is a fun idea – I’ll have to have a think.
Wow, definitely sounds interesting! I’m having a hard enough time adjusting to life in Germany as an American, so I can’t imagine the culture shock you must deal with moving to Qatar. Then on top of that, having to figure out how to handle Ramadan – definitely sounds stressful!
It’s a ittle bit stressful but it’s also great fun. The 5-hour work day helps keep the stress at bay!
Thank you! I’ve been planning a visit for next year and was unsure whether to plan around this time or not. Very useful.
Ramadan timing is definitely a factor to consider if you’re planning a visit. But don’t forget that the timing changes each year – it will be held about 7 days earlier next year (i.e. around 10 July).
Actually, my mistake. Ramadan falls approximately 10 days earlier each year(the estimate of 10 July for 2013 is still correct).
A very interesting piece Velvet. Thank you for your fantastic writing- it made for a very captivating read!
Great article Velvet. We’ll be visiting Qatar in late September, early October. Can’t wait to learn all about this fascinating place.
That’s a great time to visit. It’ll be nice and warm so you can enjoy some of the lovely outdoor restaurants. And, more importantly, you’ll be able to have a glass of wine with your meal!
Great post, but we don’t have to be cover from wrist to ankle. This is my 4th ramadan and my husbands 26th Ramadan in Qatar as expats and we have never heard or had to follow this ruling or have most of our friends who like my husband have grown as expat children in the Gulf. Also if this was the case I’d have been informed immediately as I teach Arabic children. X
Wow – you’ve both had a lot of experience with this! It’s good to know that it’s not a strict rule. I must admit that I’m probably a bit overly cautious when it comes to the way I dress and usually cover up more than others. I could probably afford to loosen up a bit!
Thanks so much for your input.
you should have done more research if there is anytime that the road as free of traffic is at 5:00 pm to 6:00pm during the holy month of ramadhani will teach you one thing that in this article you missed it up or rather mess it up the brushing of teeth’s for muslims is recommended five time a day find out about that. second the tents that you see around are not for dancing as you mentioned they are meant for breaking the fast together as one in one place ,there a no music or dance.
many restaurants close during ramadan but they are ones with doors open they are not closed for restriction of ramadan because in the first place there doors are always open for business majority being muslims will they still have there doors open for no reason
Hi Burhaz. This is an account of my personal experience as an expat with some help from my Mulsim friends and colleagues. It’s not a definative guide to Ramadan as everyone has a different story. But I appreciate your helpful feedback – the more insight the better.
Great piece, thanks so much for writing this, we are about to move to Doha at the end of May so we were looking at what Ramadan would mean for us and you have hit it spot on.
Thanks
Andrew
I never been there but your writing style made me feel that I have been there, Very nice post. Wish you a best Ramadan.
I am not Muslim but like their tradition and culture… As Zakat Charity said “I never been there but your writing style made me feel that I have been there, Very nice post.” i feel the same and i wish this Christmas i wil be there..
Fantastic post, but we don’t need to be cover from wrist to ankle. This is my 4th ramadan along with my husbands 26th Ramadan with Qatar as expats and we have never heard or had to follow along with this ruling or have almost all of our friends who like my better half have grown as expat children in the Gulf. Also if this was the truth I’d have been informed immediately when i teach Arabic children.
I agree with the other Aussie expats, you don’t need to be covered from ankle to wrist just modestly…and you would have to live in a bubble or Al Rayyan Village not to know when Ramadan started. You also didn’t mention anything about the fact most expats leave for Ramadan or that there are some of the best travel deals in the ME during his time
That is great information, thank you so much….. was considering a trip to Doha instead of Dubai…… but did not realize Doha gets totally dry during Ramadan…. Never mind thanlkfor all the information
Beautifully written and almost a true picture shared but I would like to share few things which I feel should be corrected.
Though, there are a lot of things that are over stated, like not be able to hold hands, dressing up from wrist to ankle, closing your kitchen windows and all.
There is nothing like that AT ALL!
The tents are not for dancing as stated earlier by another blogger and I find it unfair on your end to write something which is words of mouth to you and nothing else.
PLEASE, it is not intense at all, all you need to do is spend time with a Muslim family or friends and you will see. They cook for themselves and others while they are forbidden to eat or drink while they fast and its pretty ok, I’m 33 and I have absolutely no problem at all to see someone eat smoke or drink infront of me while I’m fasting. This is and Islamic Arab country where a lot of people fast, imagine the lives of people living on far east n far west and living and fasting over there and I’m sure they can pretty well handle it.
Construction places that I’ve worked at, there were expats who smoke in a confined place and turn it off when they see a Muslim coming as respect but there are no confrontations at all.
One thing is not true in this post…WE DO BRUSH OUR TEETH …In islam hygiene is a must!