Ramadan is not sad. In fact, it is the best time of year to find inner peace, devote more time for worshipping and perform a spiritual detox. However, there are certain things that people do that cast a sad shadow on the whole Ramadan experience.
Here are 5 of the worst ones:
1. The overflowing iftar table
When did preparing five kinds of appetizers, cooking three different main dishes and eating four types of sweets at Iftar become the normal thing to do in Ramadan? It’s not like food is running away, and it’s not like you won’t eat anymore. People need to know that their stomachs are exactly the same size in Ramadan as they were before, and they can’t fit more food inside them at iftar.
2. People’s behavior at iftar and suhoor buffets
I’m not even going to talk about how much food gets wasted at the massive and exaggerated iftar and suhoor buffets, but I simply don’t understand why some people over stuff their dishes with huge amounts of food that they won’t even eat! I mean how many stuffed vine leaves and kibbeh can they eat? And what are they going to do with the ones that will remain on the plates? Why bite off more than they can chew? Just take what you need and STOP WASTING FOOD! No need to remind anybody of the number of people who wish they could have a bite of that wasted food.
3. The lucrative but ugly business of Ramadan tents
Hotels and restaurants spend so much money on lamps, lights, ribbons, decorations, giant screens and other knick-knacks every Ramadan. They then redeem that cost by charging tent goers no less than 100 dirhams for food and drinks (excluding shisha of course) but these people can’t really eat because they just had iftar, so they end up paying 100+ dirhams for a cup of Moroccan tea and probably a kunafa! Is that robbery or what?
4. People who get hospitalized for overeating
Last Ramadan, a third of the patients admitted to the emergency department in Burjeel Hospital were there because of overeating on Iftar. How embarrassing, disgusting and sad is that?
5. When Ramadan became associated with the wrong things
Instead of being associated with spirituality, self-control, compassion and sacrifice, in recent years, Ramadan has become more associated with road rage, watching TV, attending suhoor tents and commercializing everything from mobile bundles to fizzy drinks. That's not to forget the extravagant eid concerts and festivals. Does anyone else find this sad?