Prayers, fasting, Qur'an reading mark first day of Ramadan
Prayers in mosques, reading of the Holy Qur’an in Muslim homes, and fasting from sunrise to sunset marked the first day of the holy month of Ramadan on Monday.
Many Qataris and Muslim expatriates went to mosques in various areas before 3am to pray, ahead of the start of the fast.
“We pray at least five times a day and we start to abstain from eating and drinking during the day. Fasting is obligatory and it isn’t optional. We also allot more time to read the Qur’an during the holy month,” an Asian expatriate told Gulf Times.
In the morning and a few hours before sunset, a large number of people were seen rushing to major supermarkets and hypermarkets in Doha, as well as in Al Khor, to buy food and other grocery items.
Dozens of residents witnessed the firing of the cannon at Imam Mohamed Ibn Abdul Wahhab Masjid Doha to mark the end of fasting on Monday. Led by members of the Qatari Emiri Forces, the traditional Ramadan activity also gave attendees, especially children, the opportunity to experience the thrill and excitement.
A large number of Muslim residents and workers in Qatar were given free Iftar meals at many locations to break their fast. Many Iftar tents are hosted and organised by government and non-governmental organisations during the holy month.
A mall manager said the rush started four days before the start of Ramadan, with people spending more on food items and other necessities.
He noted that all their branches in the country usually receive a large number of shoppers during the holy month especially after office hours.
Government offices also started implementing shortened working hours, from 9am to 2pm, while employees of privately-owned companies work for at least six hours.
Besides office working hours, school timings have been shortened to five hours from 8am to 1pm starting Monday.
While there was a smooth flow of traffic on major roads in Doha on Monday, motorists had to bear with long queues at petrol stations.
Some embassies in Doha told Gulf Times that they will operate from 8am to 1pm with no breaks in between to serve their citizens and other customers.
Many residents were seen donating to charitable institutions while others are planning to do various charity works in the coming days to help less fortunate families and those in need.
Story/Picture courtesy: gulf-times.com
