This is the second time in my life that I have witnessed Ramadhan during the summer times. While the Islamic calendar is around 10 to 14 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, it loses about a year every 30 years. This means that the next time we will witness Ramadhan starting mid July will probably be after 30 years.
Ramadhan is best during the winter, where the day is much cooler and much shorter, which makes fasting much easier. Also, in the winter, Ramadhan nights are much longer. Ramadhan really comes to life during the night, where everything happens. It is truly unimaginable and unexplainable and the best way to understand the night life of Ramadhan is to actually experience it yourself.
Really, there is no single person who does not feel the excitement of the Ramadhan nights. There is always something for everyone to do. The young, the athletes, the drama lovers, the mothers, the businessmen, the consumers, the producers, the religious, the aristocrats, and even the politicians. Kids get together and roam around searching for candy, and illegal firecrackers. Athletes enjoy the best and most organized local sport events. Those who are addicted to TV know very well that the best shows and TV series are aired during Ramadhan. Businesses absolutely flourish during Ramadhan where top sales and deals are laid in this month out as well.
Let’s not forget, Ramadhan is a holy month and a blessing to us all. Muslims enjoy getting together to pray more, and increase their spiritual level of piety. After prayers, Muslims of different levels of faiths get together to discuss any matter of concern. This amazing and unique scene is one that is unmatched in the West. The way I see it, it is more than two-folds better than any parliamentary or presidential system.
The place where anyone and everyone can discuss any concerned matter such as what hinders their business or what threatens their long term survival is known as Majlis or Diwaniya. Frustrations are met with listening ears and ideas are challenged with reality checks. Businessmen find potential partners for growth and consumers are introduced to new and better deals and opportunities. The Majlis is a unique place for critical and subjective trade.
While I recently wrote about how Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum is a people’s man and the need for only one of him, we have a potential one of our own, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Bahrain. In case you haven’t been following Ramadhan news here, HRH the CP of Bahrain has been visiting a minimum of three Majlisis per day! This means that he is attempting to visit 90 Majlisis during Ramadhan!
Discussing matters of political, economic and social concerns without the influence over the highest authority always meets multiple barriers. This is why it is surely commendable for His Royal Highness’s effort in maximizing the benefits of Ramadhan to hear directly from the people and what needs they call for in order to push Bahrain few more steps forward. With the limited number of night hours during the Summer Ramadhans, I start thinking and asking myself this question: What if Ramadhan was 12 months of the year?
If Ramadhan is good for the economy, good for our society, and great for progressive policies, why do we not formalize the daily informalities instead of adopting a troubling Western system that is yet to be successful in Bahrain and anywhere in Middle Eastern Islamic states?
Dr. @saqeralkhalifa 
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