Ramadan Kareem!

Ramadan is a time of reflection that brings back old and cherished memories ... and non more so than for the many non-Bahraini Muslims living in the kingdom. Although happy in their new homes their hearts and minds during the Holy Month are often with family and friends they have left behind. Two expat families spoke to reporter Farishta Saeed about their experiences.

Pakistani Farrukh Zareef, 34, head of risk management in an investment bank, has been living in Bahrain since February and has been joined by his new wife Nabila Khatau, also a Pakistani.

"Ramadan is very special to both of us," he said. "I can't remember exactly at what age I have started fasting but usually in Pakistan children fast from the age of nine or 10.

"Before coming to Bahrain I had lived most of my life in Karachi. The city is home to more than 15 million people and therefore you can imagine the kind of hustle and bustle on the streets.

"From the first night of Ramadan there was a rush to buy ingredients which drove prices up. Office timings were reduced but most people still rushed home in the evening which meant having to grapple with massive traffic delays in several parts of the city in order to make it home in time to break the fast."

Once the sun set, said Farrukh, Ramadan became much more of a festive event. "Friends and families came together for lavish Iftars which were multi-course meals, full of fried food and rich desserts," he said.

"Ramadan was also the major source of income for thousands of big and small charitable organisations in Pakistan as the majority of people preferred to pay their Zakat (charity giving) during this month.

"At Iftar the entire house used to smel of fried food such as sambosas, pakoras, dahi wadas, fruit and chola (chick peas) and drinks such as rooh afza were a big hit when we were kids.

"I miss the Ramadan of my youth. I remember that most people typically woke up much before dawn. I give credit to my mother for having to wake up early, prepare food and set the table just in time for all three siblings to wake up and eat. Mind you, waking up three children was no easy task either!" added Farrukh.

"My father would generally go to the mosque for prayers and us siblings would pray at home and with the first opportunity jump right back into bed, so we could sleep extra hours before waking up again for school."

Palestinian Yahya Shunnar, 39, a bank administration director, has been living in Bahrain for almost two years with his wife Nada Ziad Samara and two sons, Jawdat, 10, and Rakan, three.

"Before coming here my family and I lived in different countries including the UAE, Jordan and the US," said Yahya.

He feels that Ramadan in Bahrain is similar to the experience he had growing up in Palestine.

"In both countries people get together for long lasting nights, chatting, having snacks and desserts and watching Ramadan TV programmes," he said.

"I have been fasting since I was in the second grade and now I try to let my older boy fast. He does try but does not last until Iftar time, he breaks his fasting usually before that.

"Our traditional dishes during Ramadan are lintel soup, fattoush, hummos along with a main course and drinks like tamer hindi, sous and kharoub."

Yahya said in his hometown city of Nablus, in the northern West Bank, after Iftar children would gather and set alight fireworks while singing traditional songs.

"I will never forget going to downtown Nablus (the old city of Nablus was built in the Roman times) for a walk in the narrow lanes for almost two hours before Iftar, watching the people buying hot desserts and bread, waiting in lines to get freshly baked bread that smells good, watching the sellers calling out the prices or watching kids selling stacks of plastic bags.

"I also remember watching people walking fast in all directions and listening to them talking about what to get.

"I remember our gathering around the Ramadan Iftar table with my parents hearing the prayers. God bless my father's soul who passed away in 2005 and my mother's soul as she has just passed away. This Ramadan is certainly different without her ... and there will be no such good Ramadan memories like when they were around."