Is it allowed in your country? Do you think it should be? Why is it banned? What are the punishments in your country? In Jordan alcohol is banned during Ramadan but this law is not always enforced. When you try to take someone's vices you make him or her more determined to have them. If you care to read an article on acquiring alcohol during Ramadan in Amman: http://freaksofarabia.com/2011/08/09/spirits-in-ramadan/ I'd love to hear some opinions on this somewhat controversial topic I'd also like to learn how the laws on morality differ from one country in the middle east to another. This is my first post btw my name is jahama and im the head editor at freaks of arabia.
Ramadan Kareem Jahama. I hope you have a crash helmet to join here as a Muslim. You will be insulted daily and need lots of energy In Egypt there are Alcohol shops but very few and run by the Copts. The ex pats buy from these. I dont drink alcohol and I dont know anyone who does except the Christian friends I have. I dont know any Egyptian Muslims who drink. I dont know any Copts who drink either. I have never seen a drunk in my life here. I know some Egyptians drink but those are the ones who hang around with ex pats in their clubs. My ex pat friends tell me this. I only saw one alcohol shop, which was tiny and had very few variety in the big area I live. A new city with a big population outside Inner Cairo. I guess not much alcohol gets drunk in that large community even though there are a lot of universities in my area with many many Gulf and regional students. At night it is more like downtown Jeddah with all the Saudi students driving their fast cars and roaming the streets and cafes They dont seem to drink however from what I see. They smoke a lot though. I never saw a drunk. Even outside Ramadan it would be rare to see alcohol or drunks except if they were ex pats or tourists. Hurghada and Luxor have quite a large ex pat community who live there who are quite famous for drinking and having Egyptian village boys drinking with them but in Cairo it's not something I ever really seen to be honest. It's not against the law here. It's just that we are quite religious so drinking is not seen really here. I would think that during Ramadan the alcohol shops would be shut and only open at sunset. But there are so few I never really noticed if they do or not. I only know of 3 in Cairo and where I live in total. There must be more but I dont know of them if there are.
Here in Turkey, there is not any law to bann the Alchol. Also considering Turkey is a secular country it can't be according to our laws. Here there is not any double standart for Muslims and Nonmuslims. Only bann for alchol is during the elections... I am a muslim and i am mostly not fasting during the Ramadan which is my choice i rarely be drunk even Ramadan or another time however i drink my beer every weekend with friends and i don't change my routine at the Ramadan. If i ll join a religion event, ceremony i am careful not to smell alchol this is due to respect to others, nothing else. I have many friends they do what the religion forbids at the 11 monthes only 1 month they do what the religion orders, this is even more ridicilous for me. Who i ll trick? On the other hand there are ''good'' muslims in Turkey who don't drink alchol and fasting every Ramadan but also they don't miss the opportunity to trick people at this month that all prices at Ramadan in Turkey become double without any reason. IMO this must be a bigger sin. As conculation in Turkey big part of the Pubs Bars are open and there is not any bann only for some regions it is not possible to find alchol easly because they stop to sell alcholl but only some villages and deep Anatolian cities. Recently Erdogan trying to press the alchol enterteintment places very softly who doesn't like for this situation.
Ramadan Mübarek As my brother Haydar informed we dont have alcohol ban in Turkey.Neither in Ramadan or else.It is just ridiculous to ban it.If One bans it people will be even more eager to get it. I dont drink alcohol and I have always fasted.I think muslim practicers or believers should limit themselves not to drink it and must respect others choice.Cos someone else may want to drink during Ramadan.....
I like that rule only banned during elections Maybe after our elections in Egypt all Egyptians go to Coptic alcohol shops and buy whiskey and get drunk to celebrate first time in history for us to have a real election
Hi guys, I'm not muslim, but find this subject interesting. When I became of age, its quite normal to join friends at our local pub. Years later when I went to saudi , I discovered Alcohol free beer , - Yugh ! was my first reaction - but with nothing better I just had to make do. Of course, illegal booze is available , but , I didnt need alcohol that much to break laws besides I wasnt prepared to risk my contract for a drink.. (this is an oldie - if you've heard it before , then ..ehem ) ------ While in Khobar , , I heard a story of a Bahraini businessman , who was a regular drinker at a Manama Hotel Bar and very popular amongst ex-pats. He then decided to go on Haj - on his last evening at the Hotel bar , bought a farewell drink for all customers. After returning from Haj, parched + longing for a beer , he quickly changed his thobe , dressed smartly in his suit , rush to the hotel bar , where everyone was pleased to see him, the barman promptly handed him , his usual can of ice cold beer - as he grabbed the can , it exploded - BOOM - beer all over his new suit - Shocked + dismayed , he truned to the barman , sadly saying " That's a sign - Allah dont want me to drink anymore beer . - no more beer " again moaning - "NO MORE BEER " ....... "Barman -give me a double whisky . please ------- mind how you go ...
LOL - I've heard the main reason Arabs are forbidden to drink alcohol is, coz they crazy enough when sober . (dont shoot - its a joke)
There was a time in the late 1940s when the King allowed Americans liquor for their own consumption. The story goes that a Saudi minor prince got loaded and there was a physical altercation when an American worker was killed. That changed everything.
nice joke There are a few adverts here on TV I think either Saudi or UAE channel. It advertises no alcohol beers in little brown bottles. It goes a bit like. These beers make you a real man. Tough real guys drink this beer.!!!!! it is so funny like this little bottle of no alcohol makes you feel like a man and be tough hahaha so funny One is really funny where his wife is moaning and moaning and he is trying to watch TV and then he drinks this little bottle of no alcohol beer and suddenly he can't hear her moaning If you saw our driving you would know that we would all be dead if we drank alcohol and drove cars so Allah knew this in advance and told us not to drink
Thx margot , I didnt know abt that tragic incident . According to some, the the Saudi authorities, including the religious police , turn a blind eye to foreigners /ex pats , brewing their own , except when it starts attracting some locals. However , on one or two occasions , I declined/avoided invitations from some contacts , when told , alcohol was available. I also warned my Filipino staff on their arrival , not to get involved in anything contary to Saudi laws. Thk gawd , we all completed our contracts without such problems. I get great deal of satisfaction + pleasure , whenever I get a greetings email from the Philippines and learn of their progress.
All your responses were very educational, I used to think Egypt had more alcohol consumption or at least thats what ive heard. personally I prefer Turkey's laws I don't think we should be legislating morality in Jordan. And sadly it seems that the poor are the ones who get caught. Liquor stores which sell cheap booze are closed down and buying from the ones that secretly stay open is a risky proposition involving jailtime and hefty fines. Whereas the fancy bars most of which only the rich can afford to even enter, blatantly serve alcohol and it seems the authorities could care less. hypocrisy just like in saudi arabia if you're rich or well-connected enough the morality laws don't apply to you. I really enjoyed that wikileak article, thank you for sharing it, i like it when theres truth in what im reading.
So are you saying only hotels are allowed to serve it? or they are breaking the law? I can't see many foreigners making Jordan a holiday destination if there is no drinking. For many they start to drink in the departure airport as they start their holiday It's all part of the holiday experience I think LOL
Religion-based prohibitions, be it on drinking alcohol or other behaviours, were and are not unique to the ME. As a young man in Scotland, I recall Sunday visits to hotels (as "a bona fide traveler") to get a beer on a Sunday. Many islands on the West coast and even some medium-sized towns remained "dry" until the late 1960's. Australia had a bizarre law preventing alcohol sales after 6pm for most of the last century, though I'm not sure it was entirely religiously motivated. A drinker would rush out of work at 5, rush to the bar, and sink as many beers as possible in the time left. A last order of several beers, to be consumed within the set "drinking up time"after closing was not unusual. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_o'clock_swill The USA had its share of "blue laws" leaving aside the Prohibition era. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law I don't know if it's a comfort to know you are not alone.
---- Apart from Petra + one or two other sights Jordan has nothing much to offer . I dont see the point in becoming intoxicated while on holiday' But if a tourist like a drink in the evenings , I found Tunisia fairly tolerant. That was a few years ago , I've no idea what the situation is like today.. . Above all - Beirut - shall forever remain in my heart. Here - the other Arabs - not a burgha in sight . [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFGFOx5ePRI&feature=related"]Haifa Wehbe "Ana Haifa" (I'm Haifa) beautiful~! ÙÙÙاء ÙÙب٠- اÙا ÙÙÙاء - YouTube[/ame] cheers. ...
My mother and I bought a bottle of wine in Jordan once.. It was VERY cold and rainy... That was before the 1967 war.
Abu Sina I've been searching my files and finally found the song which reminds me of the best time of my life : [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HlxqursgjU"]Fairouz Li Beirut - YouTube[/ame]
It's a beautiful emotional song Marlowe and famous here. This song is used though as a background in documentatries and TV programs in our region and always is very sad to me with not good memories. We hear it in a sad context not happy. It is beautiful. Another version [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er5gHFsw_Qo&NR=1"]lebanon لبيروت لبنان - YouTube[/ame]
Abusina , , I cant find words to describe the lump in my throat + how that second version made me feel. It hurts more coz I remember the good times and my good friends , who often simultaneously translated songs for me. They're now spread all over the world , Brazil - US - France - Australia , etc. Thkx to modern tech . most of us have been able to re-establish contact. With Google's aid - which didnt exist . at that time , I've located an English translation , which ofcourse you dont need, its for my memories.. - accepting the fact that the song's passion is totally lost in translation. http://lyricstranslate.com/en/Li-Beirut-Li-Beirut.html cheers.
It's not a song that can really translate into English. Most Arabic songs don't translate well. Arabs are very emotional and romantic. We love love. We love romance and we love romantic songs. From very young children we learn to love very romantic songs and sayings. We love poetry and beauty. It's something you feel rather than can put into words. ( I'm saying this but even this can't explain what I mean to say. ) I have been going crazy all day with it playing in my head. I curse you for that! English translation makes no sense at all to you. Just sing it in Arabic to get the feeling rather than the words. I hope I can get it out of my head by tomorrow!
Abu Sina , ma'a'lish , it and many others , have been in my head , for years. I'm of a different generation + consider myself extremely fortunate to have heard , the classics from the cream of arabic singers, i.e. Farid Al Atrash, Umm Khulthoom. Abdel Wahad + Abdel Hafiz.etc. inspite of not knowing ,understanding Arabic , I really had a great time in Beirut ,(nearly 2 yrs ) thanks to the good people I was fortunate enough to meet. A morning - Snow Skiing in the mountains and afternoon water skiing off St.George Hotel near the Corniche, night time , in Zeitouni - hot spots - (no longer exists ) , absolutely fabulous time. cheers.
''Tolerance'' i don't beleive we have go on this word. The correct word has to be ''freedom''. In a democratic country everybody has right to drink and to be drunk if he/she doesn't broke, disturb others. Anyway if somebody getting drunk and disturbing people often, this is not alchol problem this is her personal problem. He/she will do it by smoking hush or without smoking, drinking anything too. Me and most of my friends getting drunk and don't disturb people. if people are disturbed from the idea that we drink alchol, this is also their problem. If we have to talk professionally, we have to talk about freedom not tolerance, so we have to see a law protecting the freedoms. But if the name of the country is ''Islam Republic'' or ''Christian Rebublic'' etc, you have to start as beginer, you have more serious issues than free alchol. Another issue if i couldn't drink alchol in my country even if i want, its better that tourists couldn't drink too, at least i would beleive that they are wrong antidemocratic, but at least they are not torturing only their people, they are equal in this case i found Iran more fair tham many Arab countries because at least they have an explanation. On the other hand when you banned something you can't change the people, Istanbul full of Iranian and also i know many egyptian, arap drinking alchol and other thinks no need to tell here. When i was student i had many friends from ME and we were going to Pub together.
Are you actually from Sina? I'm originally from the Tarabeen tribe which I'm sure u know of if you live there right now, I hear there's some crazy stuff going on over there. Also I was wondering if I could ask another question. My website freaksofarabia.com is supposed to be an uncensored platform for opinions, articles and writing related to the Middle East. I'm having a lot of trouble finding contributors who can write English well, I translate quite a few of the articles on there myself. Point being where can I find such contributors, I think this thread would be a good place, the vast majority of the dialogue I found here is both intelligent and interesting. How would I go about finding if anyone is interested? I'm worried if i just create a thread about it, it will be seen as pure shameless self-advertisement.
legally anyone involved in the consumption or sale of alcohol in Ramadan is breaking the law in Jordan
I used the word "Tolerance " for very good reasons. While as you say " In a democratic country everybody has right to drink and to be drunk " perhaps so, however most DRUNKS " particular the immature ones , more often as not, do not know when they've had enough and loose all sense of decent behaviour. I agree drug addicts are also often involved in anti-social behaviour. I do not enjoy spirits , brandy/whisky/vodka etc., its not to my taste , but regularly have a couple of glasses good wine at dinner. I y remember at the age of abt 17-19 , not knowing any better , I drank too much and had o be dragged home. Next mornig , predictable, had a gynormous hangover - as sick as a dog. I learnt my lesson and never repeated it. I cant understand anyone getting any pleasure out of getting DRUNK. Belive me, Most times , drunks dont know a *uck what they're doing . Meanwhile, avoid ending up like this guy : . But if that's the way you want to go , then good luck and hang on to the floor .....http://genesismeranda.wordpress.com...stions-when-you-do-not-want-an-honest-answer/
