SINGAPORE: On the busy Arab Street in Singapore, stalls are being set up, workers are moving quickly to prepare for the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan to kick off on Friday. Here, in a city with a small Muslim population, Ramadan is a time of coming together, and inclusion, where locals, many non-Muslims take to the area by Sultan Mosque for the delicacies offered up by the Muslim population in the city. “We want, and always have, to make this month a popular one for all Singaporeans, which is why we do the street stalls and have great offerings,” said Omar Makkaram, a Tunisian citizen and Singapore resident who helps run one of the stalls during the holy month. For the businessman, it is a time to give back, he said. “We spend the other 11 months of the year fighting for deals and making money in this city, so why not stop all that and bring each other closer,” he told Bikyamasr.com. “What I like to do is see the Muslims and their non-Muslim friends heading out for the iftar meal that breaks the fast together. It shows that we have a great multi-cultural society here,” he added. Across the city, a number of hotels are getting into the Ramadan spirit as well. They often offer special fast breaking options for Muslims in the island country and for many, it is a great way to be faithful for the fast and enjoy the usual out and about that makes Singapore what it is today. “I will take my friends with me to a nice place, because I know they will enjoy it as well, and they have the full options available, including alcohol,” said UAE marketing analyst Sultan Abdullah, who told Bikyamasr.com this will be his first Ramadan outside a predominantly Islamic country. “I am excited to see what Singapore does during the time. I have heard of the Arab Street and how it really gets going, so we'll see,” he said. For Muslims in Singapore, it is one of the few places, thanks largely to its Islamic neighbor Malaysia, where the Muslim community is able to have a number of options while still maintaining its cultural norm as a modern, developed Singapore.
