RIYADH: Madafas, or guesthouses, in the northern Saudi city of Hail begin to welcome visitors of all ages and walks of life after Isha prayer during Ramadan.
Many of them may not even be invited, yet they attend knowing that the host’s doors are open to everyone.
There are many madafas in Hail, which is the home of Hatem Al-Tai, the historical ruler of the area whose name has become a byword in Arabic for generosity.
Among the most prominent of them are the madafas of Al-Na’am and Al-Ebedah.
The gate of the madafa is typically large and remains open most hours of the day, except during Ramadan when it opens just before the Maghrib afternoon prayer and remains open until the Fajr prayer in the early hours of the morning.
