Tuesday, Jun 27, 2017

Manama: As communities celebrate Eid Al Fitr with great fanfare and accolades, the sentiment of pride and achievement is strong among Bahrainis that the holy month of Ramadan once again largely contributed to boosting the one-family spirit in the kingdom and brought people together regardless of their social, economic and religious backgrounds.

From greetings, to majlises to ghabgas (late evening dinner), the generosity that embodied Ramadan was evident and the spirit of togetherness was invariably omnipotent, generating great compassion and genuine care.

From King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa to Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to ministers, officials, diplomats, common people, the majlis visits in the evenings of the holy month embodied a united nation, consolidated direct communication, allowed open interaction and engendered pleasant sentiments.

For most Bahrainis, Ramadan and its majlises and ghabgas, be they at homes or in tents or in hotels, were a special occasion that brought out the best in everyone and reinforced good feelings despite the delicate tension surrounding the Gulf and the region.

“I had a great feeling of elation when I received a message on my mobile from a non-Muslim friend congratulating me on the new month on the first day of Ramadan,” Khalid said. “It was very thoughtful of her and I really appreciated her penchant to look well beyond religious difference as she cements friendships and consolidates relations in a highly positive and constructive way,” the media specialist said.

Jalil said that he had a truly good feeling whenever he watched on television how officials in Bahrain made it a point to visit majlises and interact directly and openly with the people.

“Bahrain boasts of deep-rooted traditions that celebrate togetherness and motivate unity among the people from across the world, and Ramadan this year was another occasion to honour such positive features that characterise our nation,” he said. “Throughout the evenings of the month, people moved from one majlis to the other to meet friends, interact with friends and guests and celebrate together the true spirit of the month. Ramadan is not just about fasting and abstaining from food and drink from sunrise till sunset. It is about sharing values and showing them that people do care.”

Several companies and institutions organised ghabgas and offered stakeholders, friends and the media a chance to interact and talk about the past, the present and the future within a relaxed atmosphere.

Some of the carefree gatherings included games, quizzes and fun activities to make the evening more enjoyable and the relations more relaxed.

“Media figures in the kingdom had ample opportunities to live the Ramadan spirit and the camaraderie feeling in ghabgas they attended,” Amer, a sub editor with a local daily, said. “Both men and women were duly feted and gratefully applauded for their endeavours, contributions and dedication.”

Amal, an instructor, said that the clement weather this year made fasting easier and going out in the evening “more fun.”

“We dreaded high humidity and soaring temperatures, but we were fortunate to have great weather that made it much easier for us to fast and to go out to visit family and friends in the evening,” she said.

By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief

Gulf News 2017. All rights reserved.