Tuesday 12 June 2018

Where is Ramadan in the UK?

I'm over from Dubai for the summer. I leave around this time every year because it just gets too hot and besides I get to spend time with my family and friends.

We've been living in Dubai for 3 and a half years and have been experiencing our 4th Ramadan. We're not muslims and we don't fast, but we do observe Ramadan and alter our behaviour to accommodate those fasting which is more than 60% of the population.

I arrived in the UK at the end of the 2nd full week of Ramadan this year and to be honest I forgot it was Ramadan, we had our sons wedding on Saturday and a funeral on Monday. Today is the first day I've had some time to switch off. I went out for a coffee and it struck me that the windows weren't covered or that I was only able to purchase a take away.

Ramadan ends on Thursday this week and I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people in the UK who have no idea that Ramadan is actually taking place and exactly what it involves. I did hear a comment from a school volunteer who said they had wondered why year 6 has been making lanterns and why there were Arabic words on the classroom wall.

I've written about what Ramadan is like living in Dubai many times, which you can read more about here.

I'm actually missing Ramadan, even though I don't fast, it reminds me think about other people's needs and to have some discipline in my own life.

Are you observing Ramadan in the UK? How is the experience for you? Either as a Muslim or an observor?

Eid Mubarak 

May you have a blessed Eid Al-Fitr. 


16 comments:

  1. I have to be honest it's nothing I come accross in the town where I live. I can imagine in the bigger cities you would but certainly where I live there isn't anything. Thanks for linking up with #TriumphantTales.

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  2. When I worked in a library in Dearborn, Michigan, some years ago that part of the city was largely Muslim. I experienced Ramadan there. A gentlemen who worked as security at the library would bring us ladies at the library pastries from the bakery at the end of the fast. He was such a sweet young man and very observant.

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  3. I feel the same here... and I live less than 10KM from a predominantly Moslem area. Only reason I know is because of family. Back home One couldn’t miss it, 50% Moslem population plus a Moslem Dad

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    1. There was an item on the news about Eid being celebrated in Birmingham

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  4. I don't know what its like over there, but I think there is still a large segment of the Muslim population that tends to keep their head down a bit here in the States. Its sad #triumphanttales

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    1. yes I think that is the case in some communities, very sad

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  5. As someone who hasn't travelled very far and never outside of Europe, I found this an interesting read#pocolo@_karendsdnnis

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  6. I saw it marked on my calendar and didn't know it was the end of Ramadan. It's easy to forget once you're not there I suppose, 60 percent is a great deal of the people. I totally agree with you about the importance of understanding others beliefs.

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  7. I only know about it from a couple of people who's blogs I read. There are muslim communities in town, but in the villages it's predominantly white, and unless you've friends who're muslim you're unlikely to come across it even in town. The school has a few muslim children but N's class haven't done much RE in the last 3 years. They're CofE so obviously have church and assembly, and in the past they've studied a couple of other religious festivals. I presume they'll learn more about the rest in future years.

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    1. I don't recall anything from PE, the government in Dubai are very good at educating you when you move over there, which is really good

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  8. I was aware of people fasting and why, but not much more. I think in the UK we're very accepting but with that comes a reduction in awareness and dare I say it discipline. Thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo

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    1. I guess unless you're in a big city, you'd probably not know it was Ramadan

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