Of Prophets And Profits

For the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims have long indulged in nights of earthly pleasures after daylong fasts. But as the 2008 holiday draws to a close in Europe, participants and experts there say those pleasures are becoming decidedly more commercial. Many families have replaced traditional at-home dinners with fast-food feasts and decadent restaurant affairs. Some Muslims even spruced up the revelry with Christmas-like touches: decorative garlands, bottles of Cham'alal Ramadan sparkling wine (nonalcoholic) and holiday catalogs offering Holy Qur'an Digital Books and the Islamic iPod Qur'an.

Big corporations are increasingly turning to Ramadan as a way to promote consumerism in the Muslim world: Coca-Cola decorated cans with the Islamic crescent, which was also used by Volkswagen, Toyota and Burger King in ads for cars and hamburgers. Cell-phone companies offered Ramadan calling deals, while Nestlé sold Ramadan candy boxes. The French supermarket chain Casino even launched a Web site that allowed customers to verify the halal origins of its meat.

Of course, Europe's Christians have mixed holy days and commerce for years—but until now, over-the-top merchandising hadn't successfully crossed religious lines. Still, if this holiday was any indication, Ramadan Coke cans may be here to stay.

© 2008