Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, so it is an
essential step in the spiritual life of every Muslim.
Basically, Ramadan is a time of challenges and fasting
during which Muslims should be more turned to Allah, their spiritual life and
others. Being free from eating and from the worries and tasks of every day life
during the day, they have to use that time to pray and thus be closer to Allah.
RAMADAN FOR MUSLIMS IN UAE
Specifically, during the month of Ramadan, Muslims:
- are prohibited from eating, drinking, smoking, or have sex between sunrise and sunset,
- should be oriented more towards others, especially the poor and the needy,
- need to be more turned to God, and are encouraged to read the Koran.
Some people are exempt from Ramadan, such as young children,
pregnant women, the elderly or the persons for which the fast of Ramadan
(or Sawm) would be dangerous to their health.
It is possible for some people that can temporarily not fast
to "catch up" Ramadan by doing it later. This is the case for some
athletes, when Ramadan is at the same period as important events.
In the evening, after the call to prayer of the muezzin, at
sunset, is the Iftar, or time to break the fast. This meal is a nice
moment that Muslims often share with family or friends, or even with
non-Muslims. In the UAE, large tents in the streets or near mosques distribute
free meals to those in need.
Originally frugal and lightweight, the Iftar meal is now
often very rich, fat and sweet. Since they are more meals at night, many
Muslims significantly gain weight during Ramadan.
RAMADAN FOR NON-MUSLIMS IN UAE
These changes have important implications for expatriates in the UAE.
Work schedules are arranged during Ramadan, which impacts
everyone in the UAE. In general, theworking day is 2 hours shorter than
usual during the Ramadan month. Muslims take advantage of free time in the
afternoon for a nap. Indeed, they stay up really late into the night to avoid
getting too hungry during the day, so they are often very tired during the day.
This fatigue also leads to behavioral change. Some Muslims
are more irritable during Ramadan, many are less productive at work, causing a
considerable slowdown of economic activity.
They are also less vigilant on the roads and drive
less carefully, especially near the Iftar. Number of road accidents increases
significantly during the month of Ramadan
RULES FOR RAMADAN
For everybody in the UAE, during Ramadan, it is strictly
forbidden:
- eating in public places between sunset and sunrise, even chewing gum (subject to one month in prison)
- to drink (even water) or smoking in public places between sunset and sunrise
- to drink alcohol during the day, even in a hotel bar (this rule tends to change in some areas of Dubai)
- listening to loud music other than religious in a public place.
At home, you remain free to do what you want, as long as it
does not interfere with religious practices of Muslims.
Because of the prohibition of eating in public places during
the day, almost all restaurants are closed for lunch.
The ban on playing music other than religious (some
exceptions are infrequent and tolerated after sunset) in public places often
leads to the closure of bars and nightclubs throughout the month of Ramadan.
However, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, it is possible to find bars open (generally
without music, though).
END OF RAMADAN
Ramadan ends with Eid el Fitr, a great religious festival,
where each company normally give between 1 and 4 public holidays to
their employees. This family celebration for Muslims is usually an opportunity
to leave the country for non-Muslims, resulting in a large influx of passengers
at airports and borders. Among the preferred destinations, the Sultanate of
Oman generally sees all hotels booked months in advance for the Eid.
Source: {Google}
Here are some TIPS FOR A BLESSED & SUCCESSFUL RAMADAN
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