Ramadan in Dubai
迪拜斋月Martin Kubler 2012年7月20日
这是我的第三篇博客，发布这篇博客的时候我在迪拜，和穆斯林世界的任何地方一样，这里处于斋月节前。人们都在等候着官方公告正式宣布斋月开始。斋月是伊斯兰历法中的第九个月也是最重要的一个月，今年预测在7月20日左右开始。其准确的开始日期要由望月结果而定。迪拜的望月委员会（moon sighting committee）将于明天晚上开会来验证和确定新月的出现，这将标志着这个神圣月份的开始。
穆斯林相信斋月是一个吉祥的月份，因为先知穆罕默德（Muhammad）就是在这个月份中第一次得到《古兰经》的。在斋月期间，穆斯林们从日出到日落这段时间都要守斋戒，他们一般都认为斋月是他们净化灵魂的机会（敬畏真主）。斋戒时间段内在公共场所吃饭、喝酒、抽烟、嚼口香糖等活动都是被禁止的，所有人都必须遵守（不仅是穆斯林），人们的生活在某种程度上转移到了晚上。
迪拜的斋月比其它地方的斋月氛围轻松一些。大多数的酒店和商场在斋戒时间段内会用幕隔出一片区域作为那些不斋戒客人的餐饮区。商业活动依然持续，只是节奏放缓，营业时间也减少了。但是商店和公园的开门时间和关门时间通常都往后推迟。另外，在斋月期间像现场音乐会这样的娱乐活动都要停止，电影院在白天放映电影也受到限制。
我很喜欢迪拜的斋月，我将它看做是一个特殊的时间段 — 虽然我不是一位穆斯林，不斋戒，工作量也不减少（这可能是做自由职业者的缺点）。我尤其喜欢斋月晚上人们聚在一起吃开斋饭的时候（这是每天日落之后斋戒的休息时间），人们走亲访友，吃东西，喝果汁，玩棋盘游戏。大家还在一起讲故事，抽shisha水烟。
迪拜是一个非常现代化的大都市，因而传统的当地文化在平常难觅其踪迹。而斋月是一个很好的机会，可以借此一览当地的传统和习俗。迪拜博物馆别具特色，有特别的斋月艺术展览和经典作品展览。并且在斋月期间迪拜的街道也都有灯笼和其它斋月标志物品做装饰。
虽然斋月并不是一个旅游月份，但是迪拜的酒店在每个斋月都会以提供特殊折扣的方式争夺来自邻国或更远地区的客户资源，以此来支撑酒店度过“开斋节”（Eid）前的淡季。开斋节的到来标志着斋月结束，届时游客会从四面八方蜂拥而至。
敬请关注我们的下一篇博客，“斋月吉祥” — 祝大家度过一个快乐的斋月！
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Ramadan in Dubai
by Martin Kubler 20 July 2012
My 3rd post comes to you from a still pre-Ramadan Dubai where, just like everywhere else in the Muslim world, people are awaiting the official announcement marking the start of Ramadan. Ramadan is the 9th and most important month in the Islamic calendar and is forecasted to start around 20th July. The exact start date is dependent on the sighting of the moon and in Dubai the moon sighting committee will meet tomorrow evening to try and spot the crescent moon, which marks the beginning of the Holy Month.
Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month because it is the month in which the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH). During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and generally think of Ramadan as an opportunity to develop their spiritual lives (taqwa). Eating, drinking, smoking, chewing gum, etc, are forbidden in public during fasting hours for everybody (not just Muslims) and life tends to somewhat shift into the night.
In Dubai, Ramadan is a little more relaxed than in other areas in the region. Most hotels and malls have special areas screened off and reserved for non-fasting guests and customers to eat and drink during fasting hours, and business continues albeit it at a reduced pace and with shorter working hours, while shops and parks usually open and close later. In addition, entertainment such as live music is stopped and cinemas limit daytime screenings of films.
I always enjoy Ramadan in Dubai and see it as a special time, even though I’m not a Muslim and do not fast nor work less (the downside of being self employed, perhaps). I particularly enjoy evenings during Ramadan, when people come together for iftar (the daily breaking of the fast at sunset) and friends and families meet over food, juices, and board games. Stories are told, and shisha (waterpipe) is partaken in.
Dubai is such a modern metropolis that it’s often very difficult to find traces of traditional local culture and Ramadan is always a good opportunity to get a glimpse of local customs and traditions. The city’s museums feature special Ramadan art exhibitions and monuments and streets are decorated with lanterns and other Ramadan symbols.
Although Ramadan is not necessarily a month for travelling, hotels in Dubai are vying for guests from neighbouring countries and further afield every Ramadan by offering special discounts to try and shore up business in what would otherwise be a rather quiet time until “Eid”, the festival that marks the end of Ramadan, when the city fills up with travellers from all around the region.
Until my next blog post, “Ramadan Kareem” – A Happy Ramadan!
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【原文引自】：http://www.gheac.com/thread-7289-1-1.html
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