The annual Ramadan thread

[Swerveut]

Do people actually get arrested in the UAE for eating and drinking conspicuously outside during Ramadan??

I would think it would just be frowned upon... but not punishable by law. Is it?

[XDoodlebugger]

Originally Posted by katiepotato

Yes gyms are still open. I don't know how all of them handle it, but last year Fitness First put a screen around the water fountains on the gym floor - so if training during daylight hours you could drink during your session but you couldn't carry a water bottle around with you. Easiest option is probably just to go after Iftar, but you may find the gym is busier than usual as those who are fasting who still want to work out will wait until the evening to go.

I was doing an outdoor bootcamp at the end of Ramadan last year and we had to hide round a corner out of sight to have anything to drink.

Any idea about an apartments gym? We don't have a water fountain, but as we are mostly non-muslims and I can't see many Muslims working out in the afternoon when I plan on it anyway.

Just curious.

[katiepotato]

Originally Posted by XDoodle******

Any idea about an apartments gym? We don't have a water fountain, but as we are mostly non-muslims and I can't see many Muslims working out in the afternoon when I plan on it anyway.

Just curious.

No idea I'm afraid. I guess the safest thing to do would be to ask anyone else who happens to be working out at the same time if they mind whether you drink or not. If they already have a water bottle to hand it's probably safe to go ahead.

[verdikt]

Originally Posted by Swerveut

Do people actually get arrested in the UAE for eating and drinking conspicuously outside during Ramadan??

I would think it would just be frowned upon... but not punishable by law. Is it?

I think so. I heard there was a 200 buck fine, but I don't think laws that go against their faith would be taken with little action. I mean, why the hell are we waiting for August to go see The Dark Knight Rises after all? :P

[Descenter]

Originally Posted by Swerveut

Do people actually get arrested in the UAE for eating and drinking conspicuously outside during Ramadan??

I would think it would just be frowned upon... but not punishable by law. Is it?

Officially speaking, there is a fine for eating or drinking during Ramadan day.

If the offender is a Muslim he/she will be fined, no questions asked.

If he or she is not a Muslim and an expat AND got caught by a policeman, they are encouraged first to educate you about Ramadan traditions then they will let you go out of good faith that (you didn't know). Which should make the offender feel ashamed and not do it again. But if the offender refused the advise and insisted on the act, the fine will be applied on the spot.

The fine is there for mostly awareness not to give non-Muslim expats hard time living here. It's just a matter of respect.

My source: A family relative works in the police force.


In regards to the general public, yes you will be frowned upon even from non-Muslim expats who are aware about Ramadan traditions.

[Descenter]

Originally Posted by XDoodle******

Any idea about an apartments gym? We don't have a water fountain, but as we are mostly non-muslims and I can't see many Muslims working out in the afternoon when I plan on it anyway.

Just curious.

Well, that is a gray area. You see the law "officially" forbids eating and drinking but it is not a strict law because the country is 3/4 expats many of are not Muslims. Now going to the GYM by default implies you need to drink and the law doesn't say GYMs have to close during the day...

Some GYMs during Ramadan tint their windows so people outside do not see what's going on inside. I suggest that you suggest for your apartment GYM to do the same.

Now re INSIDE the GYM, you see I am a Muslim and I do go every Ramadan to the GYM in Festival City Mall an hour or two before sunset, so by the time I'm done working out it is already time to drink and eat for me but would it be appropriate for me to complain about people drinking inside the GYM while I went there by my own will? I don't think so.

[Swerveut]

Originally Posted by Descenter

Officially speaking, there is a fine for eating or drinking during Ramadan day.

If the offender is a Muslim he/she will be fined, no questions asked.

So if it is a Muslim who is not fasting that day (for any reason), he/she must be careful to avoid eating or drinking outside. Otherwise - fined! Hmmmmm

[Descenter]

Originally Posted by Swerveut

So if it is a Muslim who is not fasting that day (for any reason), he/she must be careful to avoid eating or drinking outside. Otherwise - fined! Hmmmmm

Yes, because as a Muslim you are expected to respect this month (in public) more than non-Muslims

[Swerveut]

Sure, do it out of respect maybe, but not out of fear of being fined or punished yes? Anyhow, but thats an argument for another thread

[SahD]

Originally Posted by verdikt

I think so. I heard there was a 200 buck fine, but I don't think laws that go against their faith would be taken with little action. I mean, why the hell are we waiting for August to go see The Dark Knight Rises after all? :P

The Dark Knight Rises was delayed for purely financial reasons. It was not done out of respect for Ramadan. J&C Sons, the region's distributors, have admitted as much on their Facebook page and to journalists. If they were actually culturally sensitive, they wouldn't have scheduled special screenings of The Dark Knight during Ramadan to promote the release of its sequel. Like Harry Potter last year, they feel the film is close enough to Eid that they should wait another month so as to release the film during the holiday and try to reap maximum profit.

Expect to see this trend continue with more high-profile summer films in the coming years as the beginning of Ramadan moves earlier into the summer.

The wonderful irony is that in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim-majority country, the film will still release on July 20. I guess the distributors aren't quite as greedy over there.