Sulaymaniyah to ban public alcohol consumption, shutter liquor stores for one month

SULAYMANIYAH — Sulaymaniyah authorities have decided to prohibit alcohol consumption in public venues and shut down all liquor stores during Ramadan, which is expected to begin Saturday, March 1. Committees from the district administration will conduct regular market inspections to enforce the decision.

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is observed by Muslims worldwide as a time of fasting from dawn to sunset, during which they refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and marital relations in daylight.

On Wednesday, the Sulaymaniyah District Administrator met with officials from various government departments and joint committees to discuss plans and preparations for the holy month.

Goran Qadir, head of the district’s joint committees, told 964media, “To preserve the sanctity of Ramadan, a special committee has been formed to monitor and shut down places where alcoholic beverages are consumed. All liquor stores will be closed and will not reopen until the end of Ramadan.”

Qadir added that monitoring teams will oversee market activities from early morning until late at night. “During the last ten nights of Ramadan, our teams will also patrol the markets overnight to ensure compliance,” he said.

The final ten days of Ramadan are considered the most sacred part of the month for Muslims, with one of the nights—Laylat Al-Qadr—believed to be when the Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammad.

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