Jordanians start Ramadan preparations

AMMAN — Jordanians are getting ready to welcome the holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to start by the end of March, with hopes of changing their lives for the better. 

As Ramadan — the fasting month for Muslims — is coming around the corner, preparations are underway. Many Jordanians are stocking up food items, decorating houses with colourful lights and many are hoping to take advantage of the long fasting hours to quit smoking. 

During Ramadan, Muslims choose to observe a month-long fasting period that involves complete abstention from food and drink from sunrise until sunset, or about 15 hours a day. Practitioners typically abstain from tobacco use for the duration of the month.

For many, Ramadan provides a chance to overcome the usual environmental barriers of tobacco use cessation, such as pro-tobacco living and working environments, and the widespread cultural acceptance of smoking.

Thirty-six-year-old Ahmad Qudsi, a smoker since the age of 18, is determent to quit smoking this Ramadan. 

“I want to seize this golden opportunity during the month of Ramadan and quit smoking for good,” Qudsi told The Jordan Times. 

Qudsi added that he usually smokes a pack of cigarettes every day. However, he believes that five cigarettes a day are enough to get his desired nicotine intake for the day.

“I’m a social smoker. Therefore, I think Ramadan will be the best chance for me to quit smoking,” said Qudsi. 

Abdel Rahman Shaher, the former health director at the Ministry of Health, told The Jordan Times that those wishing to quit smoking during Ramadan are strongly advised to stay away from secondhand smoking. 

““If a smoker can stop smoking for 15 hours during the day, he can keep going for the rest of the day and the following days. The first eight hours of nicotine deprivation are known to be the hardest,” Shaher added. 

Meanwhile, home decoration showrooms reported increased sales for their Ramadan collections, according to retailers. 

“People buy new dining sets, silverware and decorative items prior to Ramadan,” Ala’a Weshah, a showroom employee, told The Jordan Times. 

Weshah said that he records the best annual sales during Ramadan.

“Now, people are showing even more interest in buying home decor thanks to social media,” Weshah added.

Local clothing designer Shatha Mustafa told The Jordan Times that her traditional Ramadan outfit collection is sold out. 

Despite harsh economic conditions, Jordanians are buying Ramadan outfits and home decor, Mustafa said. 

Mustafa and Weshah both cited social media as a major driver of Jordanians’ shopping patterns.

“People are willing to invest in their image, which is nowadays displayed on their social media accounts,” Mustafa added. 

Homemakers have also begun Ramadan preparations by stocking up on food items. 

“The prices of chicken, meat, cooking oil and rise usually increase during Ramadan due to the remarkable increase in demand,” Wafa Masoud, a homemaker, told The Jordan Times. 

In order to avoid the increased prices, Masoud said that she prefers to stock-up on all food items prior to Ramadan, and consume them throughout the holy month. 

Hana Omar, another homemaker, told The Jordan Times that she likes to prepare for Ramadan ahead of time. 

“I’ve already bought everything that I can stock,” Omar said. 

Supermarkets are usually “packed” during Ramadan, Omar noted, adding that “traffic will be crazy out there”.

“I prefer to stay home and avoid going shopping during Ramadan,” Omar said.