Having just moved back from Australia, I am eager to spend this month being close to my family. I believe that nothing beats Ramadan in a Muslim country where you can hear every mosque call out for prayer. That is the one thing that I missed the most during my three-year stay in Australia. Of course, there are mosques available abroad as well, but it isn’t the same.
The most significant part of being in UAE during this holy month is the fact that, despite numerous nationalities and religions being present in this country, at the time for Iftar, everything stops and we all focus on one thing. What I love the most is the fact that if you’re stuck in traffic, you would see people volunteering to distribute iftar kits and that essentially says it all about celebrating Ramadan in UAE.
Closeness is the key word for this month, and it doesn’t matter if it is your family, colleagues or the person next to you on the bus. The fact that people take time out of their lives to put a smile on other peoples faces is amazing. In my family, it is all about gathering and being together and with that in mind, it is compulsory for everyone to attend iftar.
Another important aspect is to give. Now, I know that people will say, isn’t that something that you should always do if you can afford it?
Of course, it is. However, in this holy month, we need to give it an extra thought and help those who are less privileged and it doesn’t have to be something major, as it isn’t the quantity that matters. In my family, we try to give away food, clothes and other necessities simply to spread happiness around us because everyone deserves to be happy.
