The youngest foul vendor of Makkah
The youngest foul vendor of Makkah
June 17, 2016 | 12:13 AM
Ali Hassan Al-Sheikh
June 17, 2016 | 12:13 AM
Last Updated: June 17, 2016 | 12:13 AM
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[caption id="attachment_62928" align="alignleft"]
Ali Hassan Al-Sheikh[/caption]Badea Abu Al-Naja
MAKKAH — Many fathers are keen to pass on to their children the trades they have themselves inherited from their parents so the business is kept within the family for years to come.
An example is Hassan Abu Bakr Al-Sheikh who owns a foul (smashed fava beans) restaurant in Makkah. He was keen to hand over the business to his 13-year-old son Ali, who has become the youngest foul seller in the holy city.
The restaurant has a large number of customers, who could easily run into thousands especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Ali said he is in his first intermediate year but has been selling foul since he was an elementary school student.
“My father was keen to take me with him to the restaurant to learn the trade of his ancestors. He did not want the business to die with him but it to run in the family for generations to come,” he said.
Ali said he used to watch his father prepare the foul, then sell it to the customers whose number usually soars up during Ramadan because foul is an important ingredient at the iftar table.
Ali said when he entered intermediate school, his father gave him a foul jar and asked him to sell its contents along the streets of Makkah.
“After repeated requests by my father, who was keen that the trade remain in the family, I agreed and started selling foul during school vacations and in Ramadan every year,” he said.
Ali said he was also working in shifts with his father in the restaurant to be able to serve the largest number of customers possible.
“I have been able to excel in the trade and my studies. I am good at both. I am dreaming of becoming an architect but I will never give up the family business,” he said.
The father said Ali is doing extremely well in school and is often among the top students.
“My son has a strong personality. This shows in the way he keeps order in the restaurant. Many customers will not like to queue or wait for their turn to be served but Ali easily organizes them,” he said.
Sheikh said Ali is also good in dealing with the customers, which convinced them to visit the restaurant again.
He hopes his son would pass the trade to his children so the passion of selling foul will remain in the family for may years to come.
Ali Hassan Al-Sheikh[/caption]Badea Abu Al-Naja
MAKKAH — Many fathers are keen to pass on to their children the trades they have themselves inherited from their parents so the business is kept within the family for years to come.
An example is Hassan Abu Bakr Al-Sheikh who owns a foul (smashed fava beans) restaurant in Makkah. He was keen to hand over the business to his 13-year-old son Ali, who has become the youngest foul seller in the holy city.
The restaurant has a large number of customers, who could easily run into thousands especially during the holy month of Ramadan.
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Ali said he is in his first intermediate year but has been selling foul since he was an elementary school student.
“My father was keen to take me with him to the restaurant to learn the trade of his ancestors. He did not want the business to die with him but it to run in the family for generations to come,” he said.
Ali said he used to watch his father prepare the foul, then sell it to the customers whose number usually soars up during Ramadan because foul is an important ingredient at the iftar table.
Ali said when he entered intermediate school, his father gave him a foul jar and asked him to sell its contents along the streets of Makkah.
“After repeated requests by my father, who was keen that the trade remain in the family, I agreed and started selling foul during school vacations and in Ramadan every year,” he said.
Ali said he was also working in shifts with his father in the restaurant to be able to serve the largest number of customers possible.
“I have been able to excel in the trade and my studies. I am good at both. I am dreaming of becoming an architect but I will never give up the family business,” he said.
The father said Ali is doing extremely well in school and is often among the top students.
“My son has a strong personality. This shows in the way he keeps order in the restaurant. Many customers will not like to queue or wait for their turn to be served but Ali easily organizes them,” he said.
Sheikh said Ali is also good in dealing with the customers, which convinced them to visit the restaurant again.
He hopes his son would pass the trade to his children so the passion of selling foul will remain in the family for may years to come.
