Manifestations of Ramadan in Qatar... A renewed cultural heritage

The blessed month of Ramadan is a religious and social occasion in which the Qataris undertake to preserve the social values and popular traditions associated with it as part of the Qatari identity, as the people of Qatar seek to revive these customs every year.

Experts in social sciences and heritage stressed, in exclusive statements to Qatar News Agency, the keenness of the people of Qatar to preserve the well-established folk traditions, which are part of the Qatari identity to be passed on from generation to generation, stressing that no matter how different the manifestations of the celebration of the holy month are, the values that Carried by the month of fasting, it remains a part of the identity of society, even if its manifestations and forms differ.

For her part, Dr. Fatima Ali Al-Kubaisi, Head of the Department of Social Sciences at Qatar University, told QNA: The Qatari society was ancient and is still full of many social values, the most important of which is cooperation, interdependence and compassion among people, stressing that the Qatari society He was keen on adhering to these values in the past, despite the difficulty of life at that time, in addition to his interest in strengthening strong social ties between family and neighbors, as the individual felt the other in need, and he panicked to him with help.

She added: Religious values were the most sovereign in the month of Ramadan, as people in Qatari society feel the spirituality of this month, and the manifestations of readiness were characterized by simplicity, given the nature of life during that period.

She stressed that there are still many values that Qataris preserve today, such as cooperation, compassion, and solidarity by searching for people in need of their help, visiting relatives to congratulate them on the holy month, and exchanging gifts and food, even if it has some exaggerated appearances due to the pattern of the current consumer society.

The Head of the Department of Social Sciences at Qatar University explained that the change and development of societies is a universal year, so that a society does not remain the same, and therefore social manifestations differ due to the high standard of living, and the contact with the many cultures that our country embraces also has an impact on the way of celebration, so we see the keenness to decorate the streets And homes, and the exchange of Ramadan gifts, noting the keenness of members of the Qatari society to help the poor in this month, noting that many are keen to pay their zakat in the holy month. She pointed to the Qatari society's interest in strengthening family, family, and even community cohesion, as they gather in the ghabka and are keen on the Garangao tradition, amidst the spiritual feelings and social solidarity that exist in the Qatari society, stressing that these values will remain rooted in society, even if the forms of expression differ.

popular heritage

Dr. Al-Kubaisi pointed out the necessity of strengthening the popular heritage among the new generations, through the family’s keenness to share with children these manifestations, reminding them of their importance and significance, and how they were and how they became, and emphasizing on them the need for compassion, cooperation and solidarity, in addition to focusing on the importance of this holy month in the life of all. Muslim, where parents should be keen to accompany their children with them in all manifestations of this holy month, such as praying, visiting relatives, and providing aid, so that children acquire these behaviors, and those values remain firmly established in society, calling for investing the spirit of the blessed month of Ramadan in strengthening the bonds between society by During family visits and heritage celebrations.

Preparing for Ramadan

For his part, Khalifa Al-Sayed Al-Maliki, a researcher in Qatari heritage, said in a similar statement to QNA: The month of Ramadan has a special place among Qataris in the past, and it has a special connection to values, customs and legacies. Qatari women prepare tortillas from which porridge is made, beat grain, and so on. Qatari customs have been associated with certain foods in this month, such as: harees, porridge, sago, luqaimat, and others. They are mostly cooking associated with the month of Ramadan.

Ramadan appearances

And he talked about some aspects that the people of Qatar still preserve within their popular heritage, such as “Ghabga”, which is a name for a feast eaten at midnight, and its aim is to gather people on one feast. Pointing out that the "Ghabga" in the past was not for strangers or those far from the people of the neighborhood, but with the change of society, it has taken new forms, and has become held in men's councils for friends and acquaintances, or in hotels and restaurants, and some companies and institutions also invite their employees As a way to enhance the rapprochement between colleagues and get to know each other more, stressing that the “Ghabga” is not devoid of the delicious traditional Qatari food.

He also referred to the Garangao, which is considered one of the prevailing Ramadan traditions that have been passed down to generations in the State of Qatar and the Gulf countries as well, and it is a celebration on the middle night of Ramadan, where families prepare sweets and nuts, and prepare to receive children who roam the streets of Al-Fareej (the neighborhood), knock on doors, and sing. Rhymes associated with this occasion.