DEARBORN — Each year, Ramadan brings both traditional and new festivities that unites the Muslim people in communities all over the world. Ramadan has often been called “Christmas time for Muslims.” 

During the past four years, Ramadan has become more difficult for those who are fasting due to the holy month falling during the summer.

Fasting from sunrise to sunset not only affects those who are observing the holy month, but also businesses that operate throughout the daytime. It has become a common practice for many shop owners, workers, etc. to adjust their schedule and/or store hours of operation to accommodate the ease of their fasting and cater to customers who may be fasting.  Many businesses, mainly restaurants and cafes, have made an adjustment. However, both Habib’s restaurant and Al Ajami will not adjust their schedules for Ramadan and will be maintaining their standard hours throughout the week.

Cafes and bakeries in Dearborn have also made adjustments to their schedule for the month of Ramadan.  Yasmeen Bakery will be open 24 hours every day to be able to serve both iftar (dinner) and sahoor (late breakfast). 

Of the three commonly visited coffee shops, Starbucks, Tim Hortons and Biggby, the latter is the only one to make adjustments to its schedule, by extending its closing time from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Khilloud Dabaja, the owner of Biggby coffee in Dearborn, described how the staff will adjust to their new schedule.

“We meet and discussed as a team what time would be best time for us to close and we decided at the end that at midnight would be most fair,” Dabaja said.

Fasting begins about 4 a.m. and ends when the sun sets after 9 p.m., making it a 17 hour day before iftar for the whole month.

“Half our employees are Muslim and will be fasting, so most of our non-Muslim employees very kindly took the early morning shifts,” Dabaja said “And every employee is required to work at least one night shift during the week, to make it fair for everyone during our new schedule.