Every day there are five prayer times observed beginning very early in the morning (before sunrise) and ending after the sun has set. Basically this translates to a pre-dawn prayer time, a mid-day prayer time (around lunch time), a mid-afternoon prayer time and two evening prayer times (somewhat close together). Businesses are required to close for prayer times so that employees and clients can pray. Most businesses will begin closing 15-20 minutes before the prayer time and many will take their time opening again afterwards. Prayer times often last around 25-30 minutes. If you care to do the math, this amounts to a significant amount of time during normal working hours that shops are closed for business.
If one plans appropriately, many businesses (grocery stores and restaurants) will allow one to remain inside during prayer times. Dinner outings become a strategic plan around the prayer times. If evening prayers are at 5:30 and 7 p.m., for example, we might plan to arrive at 6 p.m., entering just after the doors reopen, order appetizers and dinner before the last prayer time begins, hope to be served appetizers and perhaps even dinner before the last prayer, and finish the meal and pay when things open up again. Sound complicated? It can be...and exasperating if you flub up the schedule at some point (perhaps being delayed at the very beginning of the experience, merely trying to find your restaurant).
Hopefully, I haven't bored you with this description! And, I hope I don't come across as complaining. It is certainly an adjustment, but after awhile, even without the prayer card in your pocket, you get a sense of how to work the system.
As with all cultural differences, flexibility and a good sense of humor are hugely important! Earlier this week, I had the privilege of spending the afternoon with a good friend who lives in the city. Our plan was to shop at Jarir, (think: Office Depot, A.C. Moore, and Books a Million all rolled into one, but on smaller scale) after lunch. When we arrived at the store, we realized that we had hit a prayer time.
Ok. No problem. Let's hit the mall down the way where we can shop the January sale at Pottery Barn. Then'll we'll come back.
Thirty minutes later (and a $1.25 PB sugar bowl richer) we returned to Jarir to realize that the bookstore would be closed until after the mid-afternoon prayer time. Oh, did I forget to mention that many businesses close between the noon and mid-afternoon prayer times. Not all, just some. Don't ask me how to keep track who!
Ok. No problem. Let's walk through the rest of the shopping center and see if we can find a coffee and a pastry.
Thirty minutes later we were sitting at Paul's with danish and coffee (Starbucks) in hand. It was a really lovely chat and we had the perfect excuse not to rush.
Two hours later we returned to Jarir again. Time to reopen, but the doors are still closed. People are gathering and lingering outside the door. Apparently, the moment of reopening is just around the corner. A well-dressed employee slowly starts to unlock the doors; he stops to tie his shoe; he lingers as he checks his phone. People are impatiently fidgeting outside, checking their wrist-watches, shifting their weight from foot to foot. Finally, our moment comes, the doors open and the crowd breaks through and dissipates throughout the store like a wave crashing on the beach.
It truly was a good afternoon, but long and not what we expected. Of course, I don't often have such a good outlook on the situation, but I'm thankful for this one that I can laugh at and tell you about to illustrate a little better what life is like here.
