RIYADH: For many expatriates, Saudi Arabia has become a second home. Ramadan in the Kingdom offers a spiritual experience that they say is difficult to match elsewhere.
“Staying here during Ramadan means you can visit the holy cities, perform Umrah and practice Ramadan rituals in an unmatched spiritual atmosphere. The Ramadan vibes here are amazing,” said Ayman Hassan, an Egyptian national working in Riyadh for several decades.
Reduced working hours, bustling night markets and community iftars add to the appeal, he said, making it preferable to remain in what he calls the “homeland of Islam” rather than travel back during the holy month.
Rumana Shahid, an Indian homemaker in Riyadh, echoed that sentiment.
“I can say from my experiences of over a decade here that there is no other place better than Saudi Arabia to spend time in Ramadan and celebrate its purity,” she said. “You can sense the Ramadan spirit here everywhere. The streets at night are packed and everything that is dull during the day comes to life in the night.”
