Plastic Lanterns and Camels? What Ramadan Isn’t About

The Holy month of Ramadan is the month in which Prophet Mohammed is said to have received his first revelation. For thousands of years, fasting has been enjoined upon the entire Muslim community during this month.

In its essence, Ramadan is supposed to be a time of meditation, spiritual cleansing, and charity. During Ramadan, Muslims should not only abstain from food, water, and intercourse but also from doing anything deemed sinful or impious.

However, something has changed in recent years, something all Muslims feel but few dare to say out loud—it’s the corruption and decay of what was once a holy month. Live bands, stuffed camels, and plastic lanterns have replaced solemnity and spirituality. Ramadan has become a month of entertainment rather than a month of remembrance and piety. Asceticism and spiritual reflection have been overshadowed by consumerism and indulgence. In the Middle East, Ramadan now comes with pizza meal deals and religious quiz shows on television. Singing and dancing have become essential components of the modern “Ramadan mood.”

On top of all this, Ramadan has turned into a month of excess and wastefulness. At Iftar, piles of food flood dinner tables, and elaborate Iftar parties have become competitions for status, based on the number of guests and dishes. This results in the wastage of vast amounts of food that could otherwise feed the poor across the world.

What has happened to Islam’s most holy month and the Muslim community? How has a month once blessed and meaningful ceased to feel religious at all?

Prophet Mohammed said: “Nothing is worse than a person who fills his stomach. It should be enough for the son of Adam to have a few bites to satisfy his hunger.” —Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah

This advice from Prophet Mohammed is especially relevant during the holy month of Ramadan, a time when Muslims should focus on getting closer to God and following the example of their Messenger. Yet, in recent times, the Iftar meal to break the fast after sunset has become increasingly lavish. Night after night, Muslims compete to serve the most dishes. In the Gulf, five-star hotels host opulent buffets of meats, vegetables, and desserts every evening during Ramadan, often in large ballrooms.

Year after year, dozens of Muslims are hospitalized after overeating at such feasts. Arabian Business reported that hospitals in Qatar receive an average of fifteen patients daily during Ramadan due to overeating. If this holy month was meant to bring Muslims closer to God and further away from worldly life, then these large Ramadan buffets appear almost blasphemous.

It should pain every sincere Muslim to see the meaning of their religious festivals buried under a mountain of indulgence and consumerism. This is not a natural development; rather, it is a sign of the last age, in which Satan has infiltrated the religion of God and distorted it beyond recognition.

Prophet Mohammed said: “A time will come to my people in which Islam is nothing but a name, and those who call themselves Muslims will be the furthest from Islam.”

Ramadan has indeed become a month of food. Proof of this is that Muslims across all nationalities have been reported to gain weight during Ramadan.

In Tunisia, a survey by a government-run health institute showed that 59% of women and 35% of men gained weight during Ramadan. The average consumption of food soars by 50% during the month.

Two-thirds of Saudis report weight gain among some or all family members after Ramadan.

In Amman, demand for meat products increases by almost 50% during Ramadan, which is already a period of high consumption.

How ironic is it that in a month devoted to fasting, Muslims gain weight? What does this say about the distortion of the month’s original meaning?

In specially erected Ramadan tents, hundreds of people feast until the morning. These tents, once a symbol of Middle Eastern hospitality and charity, have become luxurious spaces for extravagant dinners and late-night entertainment. Lavish Arabian Nights-inspired tents are now staples of Ramadan across the Gulf, featuring pyramids of desserts, shisha, and live entertainment. At the Jumeirah Beach Hotel’s Ramadan tent, for example, the minimum price is $270 per guest for food and non-alcoholic drinks.

These grand Iftars are often followed by all-night shopping sprees, as many stores remain open until dawn. Discounts and offers flood advertisements before Ramadan, urging people to consume more than ever. The advertising world promotes luxury and comfort, encouraging people to buy and eat more than they can consume.

The Dubai Department of Tourism describes Ramadan in its shopping mall guide:

“With extended trading hours and a higher volume of shoppers after dark, malls make Ramadan an extra-special experience with a calendar of events and exhibitions. Visitors can expect everything from live concerts to exhibitions of traditional art and handicrafts, as well as giveaways and special offers throughout the holy month.”

Muslims now shamelessly turn religious events into shopping and entertainment festivals. Prophet Mohammed warned:

“By Allah, it is not poverty that I fear for you, but I fear that worldly riches may be given to you as they were given to those before you. You will vie with one another for them as they did, and they will destroy you as they destroyed them.”

In Egypt, Ramadan is less lavish than in the Gulf but equally unspiritual. Cafes and public squares remain packed with Egyptians smoking water pipes and socializing until the early hours of the morning. Egyptians spend double the amount on food during Ramadan compared to other months. Everyone from McDonald’s to Lipton Tea offers Ramadan promotions. And a recent Iftar at the Cairo Grand Hyatt doubled as a launch party for the new Mercedes-Benz.

Food Waste During the Month of the Poor

Ramadan in Egypt is marked by lavish celebrations in the form of music, dance, and grand buffets, often featuring meat, chicken, and fish all at once. Studies have shown that those who eat out and those who cook at home during Ramadan tend to buy and consume twice the amount of food compared to any other month. The National Centre for Social and Criminal Research (NCSCR) in Egypt estimates that national spending on food during Ramadan amounts to 1 billion Egyptian pounds every single day. Egyptians spend 66.5% more on meat and poultry, and 63% more on sweets.

Despite Ramadan being intended as a month for personal reflection, self-discipline, and spiritual growth, these lavish feasts stand in stark contrast to the true essence of the holy month. In the Quran, it is said:

“O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.”

It is ironic that in a month meant for fasting and abstinence from food, Muslims paradoxically spend the day preparing meals and the evening feasting on them, often posting images of their culinary creations on social media, which took hours to prepare. The focus of Ramadan has shifted from inward reflection to outward display, with many spending an increasing amount of time blogging, lobbying, and spending money on Ramadan-related products and experiences. Twitter activity alone rises by an average of 26.3% during Ramadan, with users predominantly sharing photos of their opulent Iftar dinners and competing over who has the most lavish spread or who wears the most fashionable outfit for Iftar. In this way, Ramadan in the Arab world has become just as commercialized as Christmas in the West—if not more.

“O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer; eat and drink, but waste not by excess. For Allah loves not the wasters.” – Al-Quran, 7:31

The hunger and thirst Muslims feel during Ramadan are meant to remind them of the daily struggles faced by the less fortunate—those who go without food and must fight for their next meal. Yet, instead of using the month to practice restraint, many Muslims break their fast with lavish meals, filling tables with enormous quantities of food that ultimately end up in the trash. How many hungry children could have been fed with the food wasted day after day during the holy month?

Every year, food waste increases dramatically in Muslim-majority countries. In Malaysia alone, around 270,000 tonnes of food are thrown away during Ramadan. According to the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation (SWCorp), this amount of food could have fed 180 million people—six times the country's population of 27 million. Meanwhile, thousands of people live on the streets, unsure where their next meal will come from.

In the UAE, approximately 1,850 tonnes of food are discarded every day during Ramadan—nearly twice the amount wasted in any other month. More than 500 tonnes of that food is still perfectly edible, yet it is discarded, while millions of migrant workers live in harsh conditions, struggling to get even one meal a day.

Jordan also reports a significant increase in food waste during Ramadan. In the first two days of Ramadan in 2017, the volume of waste collected in the capital, Amman, increased by 500 tonnes, while a third of the country's population lives under the poverty line. Similarly, in Egypt, at least 60% of perfectly edible food is thrown away during Ramadan, even as 16 million people in the country live below the poverty line.

Even the holiest sites in Islam are not immune to this waste. After Hajj, Ramadan sees the highest number of pilgrims traveling to Mecca, but with the influx of visitors, luxury hotels raise prices exorbitantly. In 2018, workers in Mecca collected 5,000 tonnes of waste during the first three days of Ramadan. Saudi Arabia has been ranked as the biggest food waster in the world, with 30% of the four million dishes prepared during Ramadan being discarded uneaten.

The increase in food consumption and waste leads to rising food prices, creating yet another burden for the underprivileged during Ramadan. In 2011, food prices in Pakistan rose by 17% during Ramadan, exacerbating food insecurity for 60% of the country’s population, according to the National Nutrition Survey. Similarly, in Abu Dhabi, vegetable and fruit prices rise by about 15% during the month.

Commercialization of the Holy Month

A major reason for the Muslim community's oblivion to these harsh realities is the portrayal of Ramadan in commercial advertisements. On billboards and social media, we rarely see the poor or their struggles. Instead, companies like McDonald's and Coca-Cola promote a glossy, colorful image of Ramadan, where everyone breaks their fast with a happy meal and Lipton tea.

Khaled Gadallah, managing partner of the Dubai-based advertising firm Tonic International, compares Ramadan to a month-long celebration like Christmas or the Super Bowl. In 2012, Pepsi spent $91 million on Pan-Arabic television ads, and Coca-Cola spent $40 million. The commercialization of Ramadan is now akin to Christmas or Hanukkah, with large corporations profiting from the sale of merchandise and food items adorned with symbols like the half moon or lantern.

In Egypt, advertising spending during Ramadan alone hit $146 million in 2009, a 62% increase compared to any other month of the year. Companies aggressively market their products, offering Ramadan-specific promotions that have little to do with the spiritual significance of the month. It’s not about fostering spiritual growth—it’s about profits.

Fashion designers also capitalize on the Ramadan market. Companies like DKNY have used Hadiths of the Holy Prophet to market their exorbitantly priced luxury clothing, marketed as modest or Islamic wear for women during Ramadan. In 2017, Glamour magazine even titled an article “Ramadan Is the Holiday High Season for Modest Fashion Brands,” noting that women in Dubai use the occasion to show off their unique style.

Ramadan has become a season of shopping, feasting, and showing off, rather than a time for spiritual reflection.

The Prophet Mohammed said, “Verily, simple living is part of faith” (Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4161)

In 2018, Amr Khalid, one of the world’s most influential Muslim preachers, appeared in a Ramadan commercial for a brand of chicken, suggesting that eating this chicken would bring people closer to God in prayer. This advertisement is a clear representation of how Ramadan has been hijacked by capitalism. The month of fasting, spiritual rejuvenation, and reflection has been turned into a season of overeating, excessive spending, and mindless entertainment.

In the Arab world, Ramadan has also become a television season. In the UAE, Emirati viewers watch TV for more than six hours a day during the first ten days of Ramadan. In Egypt, the TV season during Ramadan is known as “The Ramadan Race,” with dozens of new series being promoted—none of them with religious content, and many featuring provocative themes. Shows like Hikayat Hayat (a story about a mother and son falling in love) and Mazag alkhair (the celebrity life of a drug dealer) highlight the growing trend of materialism and escapism during Ramadan.

In 2018, even a controversial Egyptian belly dancer, Sama Al Masry, announced her plan to host a religious show during Ramadan, making a mockery of the sacredness of the month.

As families gather around the TV after Iftar, watching episode after episode of trivial shows, the question must be asked: at what point does prayer, charity, spiritual reflection, and quality family time come into play? Sadly, it seems that in the modern-day Ramadan, these virtues have been overshadowed by the distractions of consumerism and entertainment.

One of the most controversial programs aired during Ramadan in the Middle East is Ramez Wakel el-Gaw, an Egyptian pranking television show that has garnered widespread attention in recent years. This show, hosted by Ramez Galal, is known for its shocking and often uncomfortable pranks, with celebrities believing they are in life-threatening situations, such as a plane crash. Among the many well-known figures who have been victims of these pranks is US model Paris Hilton, who is infamous for her provocative media appearances. In 2016, Ramez Wakel el-Gaw became the most-watched show in Egypt during Ramadan.

However, the question arises: Is it truly humorous for the guests, who genuinely believe they are facing imminent death? The humor in Ramez Wakel el-Gaw is heavily criticized for being inappropriate, relying on crude jokes, explicit language, and even sexual harassment accusations against the host. Despite this, the show continues to capture the attention of millions, while religious scholars in the region seem to turn a blind eye, with some even participating in or endorsing their own Ramadan TV shows.

In Pakistan, the Ramadan experience is dominated by the superficiality of late-night game shows. The hosts are charming, the prizes are enticing—though often out of reach for the average Pakistani—and the games are demeaning at best. Contestants, driven by the desire for material gains, participate in ridiculous challenges, all while the nation tunes in after Iftar. The real motivation for many participants seems to be the fleeting fame of being on television or the hope of winning luxury gadgets that most cannot afford. 

The commercialization of both Ramadan and Christmas highlights the extent to which consumerism has hijacked the true spirit of religious holidays. The question remains: Is the TV industry solely to blame for this shift, or do the viewers, who eagerly consume every bit of entertainment—including the most indecent of content—bear responsibility for the trivialization of these sacred months?

The irony is clear—what should be a time of spiritual reflection and devotion has become a month of materialism, indulgence, and spectacle. As corporations and media networks profit from the commercialization of Ramadan, the essence of the month is overshadowed by shallow distractions.

Ramadan is the new Christmas

It is disheartening to see how Ramadan has become a farce, disconnected from the core values of Islam. Take, for instance, the 2005 White House Iftar dinner hosted by then-President George W. Bush, while at the same time leading a brutal war in Iraq that claimed the lives of over one million civilians. Watch here. In 2018, his successor, Donald Trump, also held an Iftar dinner—despite his administration having banned Muslims from entering the United States and his role in the devastating and ongoing war in Yemen, which has caused untold suffering to Muslim populations. These political figures, who have inflicted pain and destruction on Muslim communities, use the supposed blessings of Ramadan to ingratiate themselves with the very people they harm.

Ramadan should be a time of self-reflection, spiritual growth, and devotion to God. Yet, it is increasingly hijacked by distractions that are at odds with its purpose. Our behavior during Ramadan reflects our relationship with God throughout the rest of the year. Why has Ramadan lost its blessings? Why do we witness corruption, disrespect, and disgrace everywhere we turn?

The answer lies in our daily lives, where we indulge in worldly desires and treat religion as little more than a hobby. We have forgotten the true meaning behind the rituals we practice, and in doing so, we have lost touch with God. Religion has been so distorted that Islam, in many respects, has become a name devoid of its original purpose.

This degradation is evident in the actions of some scholars, who issue fatwas on trivial matters like building snowmen or drinking urine—demonstrating just how far removed they are from the true teachings of Islam. Meanwhile, rulers live in luxury, inhabiting opulent hotels and towering skyscrapers that overshadow the Holy Kaaba, all while claiming to be religious authorities. Yet, these are the same scholars and rulers who are entrusted with telling us when to begin and end the holiest month of Ramadan.

The contrast between the true essence of Ramadan and the actions of those in power is glaring. It begs the question: How did we allow the sanctity of this month to be so corrupted? How have we, as a community, allowed the sacred to become so hollow?