Ramadan Etiquette for Newcomers Who Don't Want to Put a Foot Wrong

Every year a fresh wave of newcomers arrives in the Gulf weeks before Ramadan, panicking quietly about whether they are allowed to drink water at their desk. The good news is that the etiquette is mostly common sense wrapped in courtesy, and locals are vastly more forgiving of honest beginners than nervous expats imagine. Here are the questions people are too shy to ask, answered plainly.

Can I eat and drink during the day?

If you are not fasting, you can still eat, but discretion is the rule, and in some places it is also the law. Do not eat, drink, or smoke openly in the street or in front of fasting colleagues during daylight hours. Many restaurants stay open with screened-off sections, offices have designated rooms, and you can of course eat at home. The principle is simple: enjoy your lunch, just do not wave it in the face of someone twelve hours into a fast. Check local rules too, since enforcement varies by emirate and country.

How should I act and dress?

Dress a little more modestly than usual out of respect, covering shoulders and knees in public, and keep music and noise lower. The whole rhythm of the day shifts: things slow down in the afternoon and the city comes alive after sunset, so be patient with quieter service and shorter working hours. Save loud parties and boisterous public behaviour for after Ramadan. None of this is about walking on eggshells. It is about matching the gentler tempo of the season.

What do I say, and when?

The greeting is Ramadan Kareem or Ramadan Mubarak, and using it warmly will earn you smiles all month; at the end comes Eid Mubarak. If a colleague is fasting, you do not need to apologise for not fasting yourself, and you certainly should not interrogate them about why or how. A simple wish of an easy fast goes a long way. If you want to fast a day in solidarity, you are welcome to, but no one expects it and no one will think less of you for not.

Someone invited me to iftar. Now what?

Say yes. An iftar invitation is one of the warmest gestures you will receive in the region, and it is the heart of the social season. Arrive close to sunset rather than early, bring a small gift such as a box of dates or sweets, and let your hosts break their fast, often on dates and water, before diving into conversation. Eat heartily, because feeding guests is the point, and stay for the coffee afterwards. Accepting an iftar invitation, and reciprocating one if you can, will do more for your integration than a year of small talk.

Here is the thing newcomers eventually realise: Ramadan is not a month of restriction to tiptoe around, it is a month of generosity you are invited into. The fasting is the visible part, but the spirit of it is charity, patience, and shared tables. Be quietly considerate by day, join the celebration by night, learn the greeting, accept the invitation, and your first Ramadan in the Gulf will turn out to be the season you finally felt at home.