The UAE is a diverse and multicultural society, a salad bowl with people from countries all over the world and all walks of life. How do Muslims from different countries observe Ramadan? What are their favourite traditions?
We spoke to several UAE residents to find out.
Although people of different nationalities have different Ramadan traditions, there are elements that unite them all, such as spending time with their families, giving charity and striving to become better people.
Almurr Al Merri, 23, Emirati
“I think Ramadan is an opportunity for change, an opportunity be a better person, because a lot of people get distracted by a lot of things in our society these days -- you have work, you have peer pressure, you have a lot of negative aspects in life, so you tend to forget things to do for yourself, for your family, for the community and to be closer in your spiritual connection to Islam. Ramadan allows an individual to open his eyes and realise the opportunities he has to become a better person and to better the people around him and the community as a whole. So Ramadan to me is an opportunity for a good cause.
“It is a wonderful opportunity to come together as a family, especially when family values are forgotten throughout the year. Ramadan acts as a reminder for a lot of people that you should be closer to your family. You tend to end your fast with your family. You visit your family relatives, on your father’s and mother’s sides. So Ramadan brings me closer to my family.”
Farah Heiba, 21, Egyptian
“Ramadan to me means getting closer to God, closer to your religion, feeling peaceful and so forth. It's the gathering of families and it is the true meaning of spirituality.
“My favourite Ramadan tradition is definitely iftar and eating dates to end my fast. Also I like the idea of Tarawih where all Muslims gather in mosques to pray to God.
“My habits outside Ramadan are very different. In Ramadan there is more time for family, to recite Quran and to say extra prayers.”
Abbas Jaffer Ali, 23, Tanzanian
“Ramadan is a time to reflect on our character and spiritual selves and to disconnect from our physical being. It's a time for us to build up on the things that really matter in this world, to be a good human being, to help people when we can, to make people smile! More than anything else, it is a time to connect with our creator and return to his shelter. It really is an extremely peaceful place to be!”
Mohammad Hanif, 35, Bangladeshi
“Ramadan to me means remembering Allah more and reciting the Quran.
“I miss the iftar in Bangladesh. It’s very different from the food you get here in Dubai. I miss my family too and I remember them often. But I need to work. “I don’t find it difficult to fast and work at the same time.
“I don’t find myself changing my everyday habits in Ramadan, except reciting more Quran.”
Zainab Damji, 16, Pakistani-Tanzanian
“Ramadan to me is a chance for us to do better and to be better. Better towards our Lord, better towards our families and better towards ourselves. It is a month of self-reflection and improvement. To me, Ramadan is the month of unity; it is a month in which houses are open to masses for iftar, the prayer line extends past the pavement of the mosque and people wholeheartedly find joy in giving to one another.
“My favourite thing about Ramadan is seeing people running back and forth between cars at traffic lights and handing them bags of food for iftar! It truly shows the generosity and the giving spirit of Ramadan!”
Sally Abdul Rauof, 21, Iraqi-American
“Ramadan is a month when we not only deprive ourselves of food and water but also become more connected to our religion, God and the poor. We feel what they feel and we are not as distracted by other things as we are during the rest of the year. It makes you feel closer to people all around the world, and it’s not just in your community or neighbourhood or your family. It brings out the human in you.
“After we eat, one of my favourite traditions is to sit around the table drinking tea and talking about the past, our childhood, how my parents used to celebrate Ramadan when they were kids, our great grandparents’Ramadan as children, and how it has changed over time. We do this almost daily. If we have guests they discuss their stories too.”
