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With Muslims dedicating their time during the fasting month to become
closer to Allah, the Noble Qur'an is becoming a best-seller in France during
Ramadan.
"We sell between 10 to 15 copies of the Noble Qur'an every day," Ali Al-Maghori,
a Paris bookshop owner, told IslamOnline.net.
"Pocket-sized copies of the Qur'an top our sales before and during Ramadan."
According to Livre Hebdo magazine, which specializes in books sales, Qur'an
ranks 8th among the best-selling books during Ramadan, which began on Monday,
September1.
Vendors are seen selling copies of the Noble Qur'an across the streets of the
capital Paris, particularly Muslim-populated neighborhoods such as Belleville
and Paribas.
Also on sale are books on how to perform prayers and the benefits of fasting
Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar.
Sales of prayer beads and prayer rags are also booming.
During Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain during
daylight hours from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
They dedicate their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through
prayer, self-restraint and good deeds.
It is customary for Muslims to spend part of the days during Ramadan studying
the Noble Qur'an.
Yummy
The fasting month is also marked with a high demand on traditional North African
deserts.
"Zalabiya is a main item on our table in Ramadan," Mokhtar told IOL while lining
outside a shop selling Tunisian sweets in Kablat street.
Zalabiya is a kind of doughnut cooked in oil and sprinkled with sugar.
It is a favorite choice, especially for those with North African backgrounds.
Among the most favorite choices for Muslims is also the Algerian Bouzgene Berber
bread.
Across the La Chapelle street, shops are selling other sweats such as baqlawa, a
kind of Turkish delight, pastry made of puff paste with honey and almonds or
pistachios.
To meet the high demand for traditional sweets, many supermarket chains,
including Carrefour, are now dedicating special sections for Ramadan items in
their local branches.
France is home to nearly seven million Muslims, the biggest Muslim minority in
Europe.
They mostly come from North African countries and Turkey.
