Between prayers and passengers: An Omani taxi driver’s Ramadhan journey
Published: 08:03 AM,Mar 27,2025 | EDITED : 12:03 PM,Mar 27,2025
Muscat: Ali Said al Amry is from Wadi Mahram, near Nizwa. He has been retired for more than 10 years, but believes in continuing to work and with ease he took up taxi driving. He is an independent taxi driver who takes his service very seriously and unknowingly provides a service of a tour operator.
His cab is well maintained and makes sure his passengers are comfortable throughout their taxi ride. His strength in providing transportation to tourists is also his fluency in the English language.
Ramadhan is a different experience for his work because the tourists are not in the same strength, but he focuses on shoppers. No matter how late it is, he waits at one of the popular shopping malls, and he is never disappointed, at the same time he drives people to their destination with utmost care.
Ramadhan is special he says, 'Morning time is spent in prayers in the morning hours and immediately we go to the mall to start our job.
Sometimes the tourists want to go to Jabal AL Akhdhar and sometimes they want to go to the desert and so it is a ride to Bidiya, or Sharqiya Sands. And we take them. And at times, they just want a Muscat Tour.'
Has business changed during Ramadhan?
He said, 'Business has not changed much. Yes, there are not many tourists, but we get other passengers.'
When asked if is it challenging to work during fasting, he said, 'Not difficult, you just have to set a time table. From 10 am till Asr prayers and Iftar we are on the road. After Tarawee prayers, I am on the road with passengers until about midnight and that is when I finish my job,' explained Ali.
Shihab al Hussaini said, “The taxi business during Ramadan experiences an increase in demand, especially in the evening before Iftar and after Taraweeh prayers, while demand decreases during the day. Competition with ride-hailing services requires taxi companies to offer special promotions and adjust working hours.“
Fahad also operates his own taxi and is based in Ruwi Muttrah area.
“I work from morning till about 5 pm. Business has been okay during Ramadhan, but not the same as other months. For instance restaurants are closed and so visitors are not going out much. People who fast start the day late or are taking rest in the afternoons. So it has been on the quieter side,” noted Fahad.
Nasser al Battashi said working in a taxi is just like any other month.
“There is no difference from the rest of the months,” he pointed out.
Ahmed said he has more free time at present. When it comes to tourists he said, “When it gets warmer the tourism season changes in any case.”
Mohammed is from Eastern region of Oman but drives in Muscat. He takes it as a part time job.
“I take off during Ramadhan, for the whole month. I prefer to be with my family back home. But I know people who use taxi service regularly,” Mohammed said.
“In my village my family make good food,” and it makes all the difference added Mohammed.
As for Ali, he cherishes the memories of Ramadhan. When a child, he was in Wadi Maharam, and he remembered the hometown with fondness, 'It was a very quiet place and there was emphasis on reading Quran. I remember climbing the mountains. It is a very good place and very quiet also. Now a days I only go there for holidays, to attend weddings or to give condolences. Most of the family members are now settled in Muscat.'
His special memories of Ramadhan are the Tarawee prayers and getting together with families.
Ali was introduced to fasting by his parents when he was 10 years old.
'Our parents taught us how to fast. We had Quran classes in Wadi Maharam. Our father used to make us memorize the Holy Quran. He is no more with us but memories of him teaching us children to read the Quran is a special memory. My mother is with us in Muscat and during Ramadhan she spends a lot of time reading the Quran. I read the Quran after the Asar prayers and sometimes in the morning. My goal during every Ramadhan is to finish reading the whole Quran in this auspicious month.'
Today the youngsters are engrossed with the social media, and they are missing out, he pointed out.
When asked what he would like to convey to the young generation, he advised, 'Read the Quran because there is a lot of knowledge and history in it. There are life lessons and even the future is also mentioned. Everything is mentioned in the Quran - the past, present and the future. So a wise person must read the Quran.'
Ali is in the preparation to celebrate Eid, but until then he is happy to deal with the rush of shoppers.
The drive to Wadi Maharam is about two hours from Muscat. A taxi drive up to there could cost around RO15. A perfect destination for the Eid holidays.
His cab is well maintained and makes sure his passengers are comfortable throughout their taxi ride. His strength in providing transportation to tourists is also his fluency in the English language.
Ramadhan is a different experience for his work because the tourists are not in the same strength, but he focuses on shoppers. No matter how late it is, he waits at one of the popular shopping malls, and he is never disappointed, at the same time he drives people to their destination with utmost care.
Ramadhan is special he says, 'Morning time is spent in prayers in the morning hours and immediately we go to the mall to start our job.
Sometimes the tourists want to go to Jabal AL Akhdhar and sometimes they want to go to the desert and so it is a ride to Bidiya, or Sharqiya Sands. And we take them. And at times, they just want a Muscat Tour.'
Has business changed during Ramadhan?
He said, 'Business has not changed much. Yes, there are not many tourists, but we get other passengers.'
When asked if is it challenging to work during fasting, he said, 'Not difficult, you just have to set a time table. From 10 am till Asr prayers and Iftar we are on the road. After Tarawee prayers, I am on the road with passengers until about midnight and that is when I finish my job,' explained Ali.
Shihab al Hussaini said, “The taxi business during Ramadan experiences an increase in demand, especially in the evening before Iftar and after Taraweeh prayers, while demand decreases during the day. Competition with ride-hailing services requires taxi companies to offer special promotions and adjust working hours.“
Fahad also operates his own taxi and is based in Ruwi Muttrah area.
“I work from morning till about 5 pm. Business has been okay during Ramadhan, but not the same as other months. For instance restaurants are closed and so visitors are not going out much. People who fast start the day late or are taking rest in the afternoons. So it has been on the quieter side,” noted Fahad.
Nasser al Battashi said working in a taxi is just like any other month.
“There is no difference from the rest of the months,” he pointed out.
Ahmed said he has more free time at present. When it comes to tourists he said, “When it gets warmer the tourism season changes in any case.”
Mohammed is from Eastern region of Oman but drives in Muscat. He takes it as a part time job.
“I take off during Ramadhan, for the whole month. I prefer to be with my family back home. But I know people who use taxi service regularly,” Mohammed said.
“In my village my family make good food,” and it makes all the difference added Mohammed.
As for Ali, he cherishes the memories of Ramadhan. When a child, he was in Wadi Maharam, and he remembered the hometown with fondness, 'It was a very quiet place and there was emphasis on reading Quran. I remember climbing the mountains. It is a very good place and very quiet also. Now a days I only go there for holidays, to attend weddings or to give condolences. Most of the family members are now settled in Muscat.'
His special memories of Ramadhan are the Tarawee prayers and getting together with families.
Ali was introduced to fasting by his parents when he was 10 years old.
'Our parents taught us how to fast. We had Quran classes in Wadi Maharam. Our father used to make us memorize the Holy Quran. He is no more with us but memories of him teaching us children to read the Quran is a special memory. My mother is with us in Muscat and during Ramadhan she spends a lot of time reading the Quran. I read the Quran after the Asar prayers and sometimes in the morning. My goal during every Ramadhan is to finish reading the whole Quran in this auspicious month.'
Today the youngsters are engrossed with the social media, and they are missing out, he pointed out.
When asked what he would like to convey to the young generation, he advised, 'Read the Quran because there is a lot of knowledge and history in it. There are life lessons and even the future is also mentioned. Everything is mentioned in the Quran - the past, present and the future. So a wise person must read the Quran.'
Ali is in the preparation to celebrate Eid, but until then he is happy to deal with the rush of shoppers.
The drive to Wadi Maharam is about two hours from Muscat. A taxi drive up to there could cost around RO15. A perfect destination for the Eid holidays.