Women do not fast during menstruation, although they should make up the time by fasting at some other time during the year. For those living in Muslim nations the normal activities of the day are turned upside down. Normally crowded streets become strangely quiet. Shops will all be closed and the few pedestrians seem to be in a hurry to get home. Men abstain from working at this time and are generally more free to chat.
Conversations center on fasting.
During Ramadan it is clear how deeply rooted Islam is in society. People who may not normally be devout suddenly become very religious. Every Muslim wants to be seen to observe the fast. The pressure on all Muslims to remain faithful to Islam is never more obvious than at this time. It should be noted that Islam in general is not an ascetic religion.