Preparing for Ramadan in Oman

Ramadan is a joyful time, a month that is all about mercy and goodness, love and brotherhood, and drawing closer to Allah. It is an opportunity to change yourself through acts of obedience to Allah, a time to celebrate all that you have been blessed with, and to put aside differences from the year past.
Here in Oman, the preparations begin early with people stocking up on special foods from hypermarkets and traditional souqs, both of which are decorated with lanterns and flags and packed with bulk items on discount. In Omani society, people often help neighbours and relatives who cannot afford to buy food for the Holy Month as acts of charity and goodwill that are especially blessed during this special month.
The night Ramadan is to be announced, people wear new traditional clothing and wait for the moon to be spotted, marking the beginning of the “month of goodness”.
And, in remote villages you will still find children dressed in traditional costumes beating home-made drums and roaming the lanes and alleys singing to welcome the Holy Month.