A recent article in the Lebanese daily An-Nahar has sparked a debate about the possibility of the eventual presence of mutawa in Lebanon. Mutawa is the singular of mutaween (Arabic for "volunteers"), which are government-authorized religious police, commonly seen in conservative Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia. Their job is to enforce proper Islamic behavior.
Lebanon, a country built on its religious and ethnic diversity, has largely steered clear of government-imposed morality, and as such, has gained a reputation for being a bastion of tolerance in the Arab world, with Muslims and Christians living side by side. So when the author of the An-Nahar article, who is a Lebanese Christian, went to a high-end hotel in downtown Beirut, she was surprised to find that the waiter did not want to serve her wine, due to the fact that it is the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. When she insisted, saying that she was Christian and that the restaurant should respect her beliefs too, the waiter offered to disguise the wine by putting it in an opaque glass. In the end, she left the restaurant, but to her and to many other Lebanese, the incident was just one indication of how the country is becoming less tolerant, or at least appearing to be so, in order to cater to business interests.
For restaurant and hotel managers and owners, making a decision about serving alcohol during Ramadan based on financial concerns is a tricky one. Alcohol sales bring in a lot of cash, but if many customers are Muslim (Lebanese or tourists from Gulf countries), they won't be drinking it anyway, and owners may turn off potential diners.
An unscientific survey of the hotels and restaurants in Beirut revealed mixed policies when it comes to serving alcohol during Ramadan. Many of the top-tier hotels, such as The Four Seasons, the Mövenpick, Le Gray and the Phoenicia have at least one restaurant that is dry during the Iftar dinner period, from 7 to 9 p.m. Other hotels, such as the Hotel Bristol, the Riviera and the Bay View Hotel, have some areas where they serve alcohol, some without. The Monroe in Ain Mreisseh and the Crown Plaza in Hamra serve alcohol at all hours.
The Sheraton Four Points in Verdun serves no alcohol at all during the month of Ramadan, despite the fact that it is an international chain. In many "dry" hotels and restaurants, it is often the owner who makes the call.
"The owner decided. It is his will. He is Muslim," said Sheraton manager Fahed Dayeth, who claims the policy started in 2006, when the hotel opened. "It doesn't affect our customer levels," he said, although many customers may not know the policy until after they have booked, and those desperately seeking a drink can still order one from their rooms.
Along the Beirut waterfront, which is full of touristy restaurants, one would have no problem finding an Iftar dinner special, but a hard time finding a beer. Popular tourist spots such as the Petit Cafe and the Grand Cafe in Raouche do not serve any alcohol during Ramadan, not even at the customers' insistence. Grand Cafe Manager Abou Hassan says it's been that way for 10 years, since they opened.
However, just down the waterfront at Cafe Rawda, the no-alcohol policy is relatively new.
“All the customers are Muslim, and when they see the alcohol, they don't like it," said manager Mohammad Chatilla, who noted that the establishment is alcohol free year round. "Some people see that we have no alcohol and they leave, but it’s ok; business is good. We don’t like the alcohol."
He says the policy changed because "the big boss is hajj.”
A group of Lebanese Christians drinking coffee outside Dunkin' Donuts in downtown Beirut told NOW Lebanon they think local restaurants are getting stricter.
"It wasn't like this before. We always lived together, and there were not these kinds of problems. This is the first year they've really cracked down," said Michel H, who chose to keep his last name anonymous.
"It bothers me because, when we are fasting for 40 days during our holy time, we don't mind if others drink and eat. If I'm fasting, I'm doing it for myself and for God. Part of fasting is controlling yourself. Besides, this is a Christian country, and we never bother anyone from the Arab countries when they come to visit," he said.
"We're a mixed country, so they have to respect us," added Dali Geagea. "We drink alcohol during this period of time, so why do the restaurants stop serving? They should respect that we're not fasting. They are ignoring us."
Meters away at the Place d'Etoile clock tower, Fatima Al-Agha says she respects Christians, but does not want to be around anyone who drinks...ever.
"I don't go to a restaurant where there is alcohol. If somebody was drinking alcohol, I would leave immediately," she said.
At Lebanese restaurant Karamna, across the street from Dunkin' Donuts in downtown, manager Jad Bandakji says they stopped serving alcohol during Ramadan just last year, after 10 years. "The owner made the policy. He's a hajj," he said. Besides, he added, "nobody asks for it during Ramadan," as they serve mostly Lebanese Muslims and customers from the Gulf.
While some may argue that Karamna's change in policy is symbolic of the Islamification of Lebanon, others say it's just plain economics.
"The economic revenue of the country is because of the Arabs, not like before when there were English, American and Italian tourists,” said Michel H. "And so the Lebanese have to cater to them, and pretend they care, so they can get business."
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