Shopkeepers selling dates do brisk business during Ramadan

Shopkeepers selling dates in Aurangabad District of Maharashtra are doing brisk business during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

The dates, preferred by Muslims to break their day-long fast, were available in many varieties at the markets, ranging from 40 rupees (USD 0.67) per kilogram to 2,000 rupees (USD 33.32) per kilogram.

The dates are being exported from various nations and have started coming in different flavours such as chocolate, costing more than the plain dates.

"Muslims consume dates during the holy month of Ramadan because their body sugar levels remain balanced and gives them energy and also increases blood circulation in the body," said a shopkeeper, Khalid Ansari.

Traders said Irani dates, which come in three kilogram packages, were more in demand this year. Dates are mostly imported from Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq.

"At this moment, our sales are touching nearly 100,000 rupees (approximately USD 1666) in a day," said another shopkeeper, Haji Ali Ibrahim.

Muslims scan the sky at night in search of the new moon to determine the start of Ramadan, the holiest month for the world's more than one billion Muslims, during which observant believers fast from dawn to dusk.

In the Islamic observance month, which takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, where Muslims pray six times a day - a more prayer than the usual.

During Ramadan, Muslims wake up before dawn to eat Sahur (an early meal), and will then stop eating and drinking until called for the fourth prayer of the day, Maghrib, at sunset. Believers are then allowed to eat until the next morning's prayer, called Fajr.

According to belief, the Holy Koran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad on 'Laylat Al Qadr', one of the last ten days of Ramadan. The holy month ends with the holiday of Eid Al fitr, when Muslims stop fasting.