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By Hanan Alnufaie
Saudi Gazette
IN bygone years Ramadan used to be a totally different experience altogether. Ramadan lifestyle and habits have changed over the years, with many of the cherished customs and traditions of the past vanishing without trace.
A fast-paced lifestyle, the increasing tendency to rely on technology and the influence of social media have all contributed to this change.
Talking about the Ramadan habits of yesteryears and how much have they changed, Saudi Gazette sat with the representatives of two generations to spot the differences.
Abu Nasser is in his 60s and remembers how they used to spend Ramadan in his youth. “Ramadan to my generation was mainly about worship and family gatherings. It is a month to strengthen our relation with Allah through prayers, reading Qur’an, seeking forgiveness and giving charity,” he said.
He said they used the remaining time for social gatherings with all extended family members, even the ones they do not usually meet with in the other months of the year.
“I feel that my generation had more appreciation for kinship. People were doing their best to invite their extended relatives. However, now the case has dramatically changed. Everyone is sitting with their IPads and smartphones watching their favorite shows or sharing their meals on social media. Unfortunately, today only television can bring together members of even a small family,” he commented.
Speaking of food eaten during the holy month of Ramadan, he said: “In the past, the women in the family stayed in the kitchen, cooking traditional dishes. Even the food had tasted better. Everything in our time had a special taste because they were genuine genuine. Nothing looked like another. Now everything looks the same. The food tastes the same,” he said.
He said unlike now it was impossible for housewives to order restaurant food or homemade food from other women. “Now they sometimes cook while at other times depend on restaurants or homemade food cooked by women,” he added.
Abu Nasser believes that Ramadan now is full of distractions such as television, technology, shopping malls and entertainment. “All these factors shift our focus away from the basics of Ramadan. And the parents also get distracted, so they do not know what their sons and daughters do in Ramadan,” he emphasized.
On the other hand, Sultan, 20, believes Ramadan today is much better than it was in the past. “I have no idea how older people spent their Ramadan in the past. I think with modern technology and the busy lifestyles, Ramadan today is much better. True, the family gatherings are much less than in the past and it is an expected change. However, I believe invitations to iftar and suhoor still remain a top priority for Saudi families. But surely not like before,” he said.
Sultan said he uses social media for sharing his moments in Ramadan and staying connected with his family members. “We can have different ways of gatherings. Our lifestyle now has more flexibility than that of the older generations,” he said.
Moving to his favorite dishes in Ramadan, Sultan said: “Of course, we cannot dispense with our traditional cuisines such as jirish, kabsa and samosa. But we have new dishes from around the world, which is good.”
Of the cooking habits in his family, Sultan said, “Sometimes we order food through Instagram from cooks who prepare dishes from different countries and we always enjoy their food. Also, we go to Ramadan tents in different hotels and enjoy their different offerings.”
Sultan has no qualms about having multiple Ramadan activities, which Abu Nasser described as “distractions”.
“Life would be dull if we just have one or two things to do whether in Ramadan or other months of the year. The rule is the same, the more opportunities you have to see and explore the world around you, the better, stronger and healthier your personality becomes. Technology, including social media and entertainment activities, has helped me to meet with inspiring personalities and unique talents who were hidden from sight and unreachable in the past,” he said.
