Saturday, October 07, 2006

What is Iftar?

After several years in Dubai, I’m still not sure what, exactly, is iftar.

Neither was Condi Rice. My advantage was actually living here; hers was a phalanx of advisors.

I’ve been to quite a few iftars now. Some consisted of dates and juice, while others had a ‘sumptuous array of dishes.’

Perhaps the best examples of iftar invitations were from Fahad: the actual iftar consisted of an offer of dates (I think three is the customary number, so that’s what I took, but I didn’t count how many Fahad ate), a glass of juice, and a glass of water.

Then Fahad went off to pray.

About half an hour after iftar, we had dinner, a normal dinner, such as he serves when it’s not Ramadan.

Sometimes, I’ve been with people at sunset, and all they offered were a bag of dates and a bottle of water or juice. Dinner was to be much later, and was not included in the iftar invitation.

This is what Condi Rice had heard, but she couldn’t find any dates, so she set out candy instead, about three pieces for each guest one assumes, and water.

On her last trip out here, she got invited to the other kind of iftar.

The other kind of iftar involves a huge buffet laid out with salads (mezzes I think they’re called), vegetables, pakora, and lots of goat, chicken, and fish prepared in different ways. Plus fruit and sweets for dessert, especially the sweet called Umm Ali.

The buffets open about half an hour before sunset, and all the people load up their plates. Some load up two or three plates, piled as high as possible.

Everyone gets a glass of juice, or three, and a glass of water.

They everyone sits down in front of the pile of food (and dates, of course) and waits patiently for sunset. At the instant of sunset, in Dubai at least, a cannon goes off. Then, in Dubai and throughout the entire Islamic world, the azan sounds.

And everybody digs in until the buffet is empty, which usually takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice post, I like the way you describe your experiences :-)

Unfortunately, ramadan is becoming a month of fasting instead of feasting. At least this is what I have observed in the last couple of years. Iftar buffet is something which was unimagineable a few years ago but a common sight now. Maybe this is the price one has to pay for embracing capitalism. I am afraid our religious festivals are also becoming commercialized just like the West.

3:04 am  
Blogger Harsha said...

yea..apart from the usually discussed debate about making it easier by shortening working hours, the Iftar buffets are giving rise to wastage of food.

I hear in Saudi Arabia, Banks work 2 hours during the night and about 3 hours during the day.

Its like turning your day clock towards night.

How is that sacrificing?

10:04 am  
Blogger Legal Translation Company in Dubai said...

Sharjah Public Contracts Laws
Ajman Public Contracts Laws
Umm Al Quwain Public Contracts Laws
Ras Al Khaimah Public Contracts Laws
Fujairah Public Contracts Laws

6:12 pm  

Post a Comment

<< Home