A new survey offered some fascinating insights into the way people in the Mena region live during Ramadan. As The National reported on Friday, a third of the respondents of the market research agency YouGov's survey said their lifestyles change completely during the holy month.
As one would expect, the survey showed that home and family become very important at this time of year, with 69 per cent saying they prefer to stay in their country of residence and more than two-thirds saying they spend more time with their families. People like to spend these blessed days at home with their families, to share meals and do other activities. The spirit of Ramadan unites family members and allows them to reconnect and bond.
The survey also showed some significant lifestyle changes, from spirituality and exercising, to shopping and work ethics. Since the rewards of worship become greater in Ramadan, over three-quarters of those fasting said they pray more. One visit to a UAE mosque confirms this; sometimes people have to pray outside due to the lack of space. But people also shop more, surprisingly, with the majority saying they spent more money at this time of year.
Ramadan is a special time for all of us. It is the time when many of us re-evaluate our lives and priorities and a time when we feel most strongly connected to friends, family and home, a fact that the YouGov survey appears to support.
