Unfortunately perhaps just like prayer and worship are an important part of Ramadan, tents are to some people equally integral. But there are several types of Ramadan tents, and it will be interesting to hear from you the readers which –if any- you prefer! There are of course the community service tents in which food is handed out to the poor, but as is the case with most things havoc prevails in these tents with people trying to grab extra meals.

Then of course there are the coffee shops that ‘mutate’ into Ramadan tents during the Holy month, these will open up in the evening and possibly stay open till suhoor and they will usually offer some sort of entertainment. Last but most definitely not least are the 5 star hotel tents, which have 5 star entertainment and a 5 star iftar buffet!

Ramadan is a month of many things, one of them being social gathering. One of the main occasions for social gatherings in countries like Bahrain and Kuwait is the Ghabga. Now we all know what and when Iftar and Suhoor are, but very few of us will know about the Ghabga. Basically it is a bit like a dinner invitation as it is a meal to which people are invited that takes place after Iftar but before Suhoor!

For us ‘common folk’ Ramadan is a time for worship, spirituality and family. But it begs to question what is Ramadan like for the socialites of the Arab world? Well it appears that they are not much different! Stars like Mena Shalaby and Ahmed Ezz are spending the Holy month with family after a year filled with hard work and commercial success! Mena has said that she is considering spending some time in Lebanon as she has some very fond memories there.

With every Ramadan we get all kinds of new series and all kinds of singers entering the arena of ‘Islamic music’. One of these is Lebanese singer Joanna Mallah who decided that she wants to sing a little poem that is now aired on TV just before Iftar. She says the idea came to he last year when she hear Hussein Jasmy’s ‘Allah Ya Allah’ which she fell in love with so she decided to do her own ‘Allah Ya Rahman’.

A few month ago, there was a whirlwind of troubles surrounding the series Asmahan.
The family of the singing princess didn't find it appropriate for the series to air, for what reasons? They have their own, but I'm not sure why exactly!
None-the-less, it is airing now on Rotana Khalijia and art.
I have seen the first two episodes and found them to be interesting and intriguing!
To see how Asmahan was born on a cargo ship as Amal, to see how she and her mother and brothers slipped miraculously from between the fingers of the French to run away to Egypt is amazing.
She is still a little girl, but when the time comes and she appears through the face and voice of Sulaf Fawakherji, I'm betting she'll be amazing!

Syrian series Ahl Al Raya is one of the many series on TV channels this Ramadan, but according to it's producer, Ahl Al Raya is one of a kind! (You can watch Ahl Al Raya only on Rotana Khalijia!)
Some people went to say that Ahl Al Raya is an imitation of the successful series Bab el Hara, but this series proves to be unique and based on historical facts!
Producer Firas Dabbas, who was behind the series Al Taghriba Al Falastinia a few years back, said that it's not fair to put those two series in the balance, because one is fictitious while the other based on historical events in the year 1890.
The story is that of the ever so old conflict between good and bad!

Today marks the beginning of the Holy month of Ramadan. Another year has passed and this time around some of us would like to make Ramadan worth while!
Ramadan is a month for fasting, not only fasting from food, but from bad language, from rude behavior, from lying and i guess you can envision the rest of the list!

Each Ramadan that passes, is a lost Ramadan! So use these 30 days wisely and do more good than bad! Make a few needy people happy with an extra dime or a warm meal.
As for your health, don't be too harsh on your stomach at sunset! Drink a cup of water and eat slowly until you feel happy. Don't over do it and eat like there's no tomorrow! The food isn't going anywhere and you'll be eating again at sunset the next day!

As for TV, well this year you can take your pick from the many series that will be on numerous satellite TV channels. Here's a glimpse of what you may want to watch!

Happy Ramadan to everyone :)

Ramadan is a day away and with tomorrow we'll get to know what series we'll be watching for the rest of the month! We already know that there are many series that have serious substance and that deal with social issues, but there are a few funny sitcoms to lighten up the small screen!
After the success of shows such as ‘Tamer W Shawkya’ two Ramadans in a row, it seems presenting the viewers with more sitcoms is not a bad thing at all! We all need a good laugh!

This Ramadan you can expect the return of ‘Tamer W Shawkeya’ and ‘Ragel W Set Setat’ but also a whole lot of new sitcoms.

If you're wondering what the biggest TV production in the history of Arab series is, I've got that answer for you!
Under the patronage -if i may say that- of Mohammad Ben Rashed Al Maktoum, the Bedouin series 'Sira3 3ala Rimal' or Struggle on Sand, is the record breaking TV series this Ramadan with a whopping budget of $7 million!
The story, which is the vision of Mohammad Ben Rashed, will be airing exclusively on Dubai TV this Ramadan and is directed by Syrian director Hatem Ali!
Around 40 big names from the business are participating in this series; Muna Wasef, Tayem Hasan, Saba Mubarak and Mohammad Muftah are only some of those names.

Abu Dhabi TV is going to present its viewers with a happy surprise this Ramadan!
If you've enjoyed the two Turkish TV series on MBC, then you'll want to stay tuned for another Turkish series entitled 'Dumou3 Al Ward' or Tears of Roses.
The series revolves around two lovers, Ammar and Nirmeen, who struggle to keep their love alive and get married but cannot due to financial obstacles.
Nirmeen is overcome by a wave of despair and with time drifts away from Ammar.
She meets a rich guy, who managed to persuade her to marry him and she starts a new life with him!
Imagine what will happen to Ammar after he discovers her betrayal!

Does that actress in the middle look like Songul Oden ... you know, Noor?
Could it be that the main actress is Songul Oden in this series too?

When was the last time you watched a really good, educational cartoon, that wasn't totally boring? Well, this Ramadan you'll be tuning in to a very interesting and fun cartoon entitled 'Ben and Izzy' or if you like 'Ben and Issam'!
Don't get the notion that this is just another dubbed cartoon that takes you through a monotonous nerdy journey! No, this is a fun expedition of two boys, Ben from America and Issam from Jordan, who learn to get along as they go on intriguing quests to historical sites like Petra.

If you're a fan of Bedouin series then you'll be happy to know that during Ramadan, there are a couple of them on MBC! (I've already posted an article about Oyoun Alia)
The Bedouin series Finjan Al Dam or Cup of Blood, stars giant Syrian actors Jamal Sulaiman and Ghassan Massoud!

The story is about revenge and how it's woven into the Bedouin way of life.
The story, which puts struggle between tribes under the microscope, happens during the 19th century when the Ottoman Empire had the Arab world in its grip!
The series is interesting and full of action and it's always a pleasure watching Sulaiman doing what he does best!

Photos from Finjan Al Dam TV Series

Related:
- Ghassan Massoud in Pirates of The Caribbean : At World's End
- Salah Eddine, A Syrian Actor in Kingdom of Heaven

Ramadan on LBC is going to be special with a new series about the life of Prophet Mohammad.
The series entitled 'Qamar Bani Hashem' stars actors from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
Throughout 30 episodes, which begin with the death of Hashem Bin Abd Manaf and passing by all important stops in the history of Quraish until the birth of Prophet Mohammad and moving forward to every important event in his life until his passing away.
I guess this work is very appropriate for Ramadan and will be insightful for people who are not familiar with the life of the last prophet.
'Qamar Bani Hashem' is written by Dr. Mahmoud AbdelKarim and directed by Mohammad Sheikh Najib. The project was supervised by famous director Najdat Anzour.

MTV has been a cool music channel since forever and this Ramadan MTV Arabia gets cooler but calmer with a few Reality TV shows and cultural shows.
MTV Arabia, which is the Middle East’s first youth entertainment and lifestyle channel, wont be airing music videos this Ramadan, but will continue with the usual reality shows, pop culture programs, celebrity news and a couple of local programs.

One of the new shows to be on will be Hogan Knows Best, which follows the life of wrestling titan Hulk Hogan at home as a husband and father.