Food sales in Tamale slow down
It is the time of the year when most food sellers in the Tamale metropolis go on ‘vacation’. Almost all the well-patronised eating places that sell ‘‘Tuo Zaafi’’ and ‘‘Waatche’’, local delicasies, are on “leave.”
Advertisement
Any visitor to the city at this time of the year would notice the absence of food vendors and shutdown of drinking pubs during the mornings and afternoons.
Even though the sellers are not on strike, they are compelled to not cook or drink because of the Ramadan, which is the month of fasting.
Tamale, being a predominantly Muslim community, sees low patronage of business and this affects vendors, who suffer financially as a result.
Under the circumstances, the vendors use the fasting period, which lasts for 30 days, to rest and take stock.
Fortunately for some, fasting ends at 6 pm each day and so they take advantage to do brisk business.
It is as if the day in the metropolis actually begins in the evening. During the period, food vendors, including dealers in fruits, porridge and local delicacies such as ‘‘Massa’’ and ‘‘Kose’’, all display their items on tables by the roadside.
The aroma that comes with frying of the foods is so inviting. It is not surprising therefore to find many people trooping to buy food after fast has ended in the evening as they would have become hungry and thirsty.
The Ramadan fasting period begins at 5 a.m. and ends at about 6:30. pm. Before the faithful proceed to fast, it is recommended to take a meal at dawn. The meal could be either solid or liquid food or a combination of both.
Before the break of daylight, there are volunteers who go round the homes of Muslim faithful to wake them up by beating drums, sounding other instruments or singing and delivering sermons.
Even though fasting is supposed to be observed by only adult men and women, many children, including young ones and teenagers, join their parents and guardians for the religious obligation.
Those who are not able to fast for one reason or another, particularly children, cook at home, buy from restaurants or eat leftover foods from meals eaten at dawn.
Because of health benefits derived from fasting, some Christians have become motivated to join their Muslim friends and neighbours to fast.
“Even though we are Christians, this is the third year running that my sister and I are fasting alongside our Muslim compatriots,” Kweku Obeng told the Daily Graphic in an interview.
According to an Islamic scholar, Alhaji Moomin Haroon, fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam and it enjoins every mature, able and sane Muslim to observe it. It falls on the ninth of the Lunar month in which the Holy Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (SAW).
On a particular night in 610 AD, towards the close of the month, Angel Gabriel was said to have appeared and ordered Mohammed to read the gift of his Prophethood. Since that night, the Quran was revealed to him over a period of about 23 year beginning from 610 AD to 632 AD.
The Ramadan period is a time to detach oneself from the material things of the world and devote one’s time for Allah. Apart from abstaining from food and drink from dawn to dusk, it behoves all Muslims to also desist from acts of gossip, robbery, backbiting, lying and sex, among other things.
The Muslim must also be tolerant and sensitive to the plight of the poor and the underprivileged.