For many of us life comes to a standstill during the fasting hours. Schools are out and people with desk jobs while away the time at the office till their shortened day ends and they can make their way home to recharge ahead of iftar and the manic mosalsalat deluge that follows. But what about people who cannot take a break from their regular jobs to rest or relax? We bring you a series of stories from everyday people whose lives don’t stop just because it’s Ramadan, and how they put their work first to serve others.
Mohamed Mohsen, 41, started his work as an Uber driver a year ago; and that’s when he started becoming a storyteller through a job that enriched his experience, listening to different stories every day. Ramadan only means more clients and more stories with the endless family gatherings making his daily rides during the holy month all the more interesting.
“Many people may view driving in Ramadan while fasting, especially in such a hot weather, a mission impossible. Frankly speaking, yes, it is, but what make it a little bit tolerable are the nice clients, especially the first client when he greets you with a dazzling morning smile on his face and say Kol sana we enta tayeb ya Mohamed (Happy Ramadan Mohamed) as they learn my name from the Uber application before they start the ride,” Mohsen says, smiling proudly. “Clients are sometimes edgy and some, not all, of course, may shout and get angry over trivial things, but during Ramadan, the clients are more patient and just say ‘Allahoma eni sa’im’ (God knows I am fasting) to control their anger.”
During Ramadan, Mohsen wakes up at 4am to read a chapter from the Qur’an, then sleeps for two hours before his day starts. “I usually have a bottle of mineral water and candy in my car, even in Ramadan, some of my clients may be foreigners or Christians,” Mohsen says. He recounts that one of his Christian clients refuses to drink, despite being thirsty, because he doesn’t want to hurt Mohsen’s feeling.
Mohsen works two shifts; from 8am to 2pm and then from 9pm to midnight, which means he works more while fasting than he does after iftar. “I prefer to work more while fasting because hard work makes me forget hunger and thirst,” he tells et, adding that he enjoys chatting with clients during the fasting hours. “We mainly talk about Ramadan series, the actors, the high prices of Ramadan products, the food,” Moshen recounts. “I only chat with the clients I feel want to talk, if I felt that the client is exhausted or doesn’t want to talk I remain silent.”
In the middle of the day Mohsen goes home to rest before iftar, which he says helps his wife prepare. “I do so for two reasons, the first to help my wife, the second is that when you see food, your eyes start eating and this significantly reduces your hunger,’’ Mohsen explains. “After eating, I watch some series with my family and then head to taraweeh prayers with my son. After he returns from his second shift Mohsen shares sohour with his family.
“Most of the time we eat sohour with family or friends, either they come to our house or we go to theirs,” he says. “Ramadan is the month of family gatherings.’’
Uber driver by Angy
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