Sale of religious items rises in Ramazan

Islamabad : The sale of religious items including prayer mats, prayer beads, rosaries, prayer caps and Islamic books has gone up all across the country during the holy month of Ramazan.

Markets near the mosques during the holy month of Ramazan become a hub for sales of prayer related accessories.

According to customers, they travel to the market from nearby towns to buy prayer mats and prayer beads in bulk.

A vendor Waqas Khan selling religious items outside a mosque said that Ramadan brings profit for them. “We are here all twelve months of the year. However, during Ramazan, we have bumper sales as people buy more and use more,” he added. “We have a lot of new stock, he said, adding, there is a huge demand for prayer beads and Islamic books. Amir Ikram a customer, was there to purchase prayer mats says, “It is customary for us to come to purchase prayer mats and holy books. “Like him there are many who come from nearby towns. A number of people also buy prayer mats. We have a wide variety stocked this month,” shopkeeper claimed.

Another Vendor Shoaib Raza said prayer mats come in different sizes and colors for fasting Muslims. There is a tradition of buying them praying mats or rugs and gift it to mosques, he added.

Another Vendor Zia Yousaf said, during this Ramazan the sales of prayer related items go up by 30 to 50 per cent. “The religious fervor among people peaks during the holy month and people usually buying variety of goods in just one lane,” said a customer. Rosaries called Miswak, a root used for cleaning teeth, has been sold outside mosques and on sidewalks for ages, said a vendor.