Before I start, I’d like to wish all my friends in UAE and across the world Ramadan Kareem. After much preparation, we have finally just come into the beautiful month of Ramadan. My thoughts always go back to my first Ramadan in Dubai, when I was so nervous and mindful of not making any mistakes. But as I interacted with people and made more friends with who were fasting, I began to understand the tradition and started respect it even more.
Ramadan is the ninth month of the lunar calendar and an important time for Muslims as they maintain an abstinence from food and drink from dawn to dusk. It is a time when they contemplate life in general and spend more time in prayer, practicing forgiveness and helping those in need. If this is your first Ramadan in Dubai, let me share a few of my experiences and findings and hope that it will help you enjoy this special and unique experience.
Firstly, eating or drinking in public is absolutely prohibited and we must respect this. Most restaurants open only after sunset.
Traffic peak hours change drastically this month, as do paid parking timings. Roads are serenely empty almost through the day and get manically busy towards sunset.
Shops have different timings too, so it’s a good idea to check online or over the phone before you venture out.
Anyone who is fasting, especially in the intense summer heat, would know how challenging it can get. Energy levels can indeed drop and we who are not fasting, must offer understanding and patience to those who are.
Iftar is the Arabic word for the meal served at sunset when we break the fast. Although there is no specific type of meal designated for iftar, it is tradition to break the fast with a sweet and refreshing date before moving to a full-on dinner. I make it a point to attend almost every iftar that I am invited to as it gives me an opportunity to partake in Ramadan festivities.
Ramadan is also a time for community service and charity. Muslims give charity in abundance during this month and make an extra effort to partake in community service. It is a reflection of the gratitude for all that they receive and an opportunity to share the blessings with those who have been given much less.
What is beautiful about Ramadan is that it gives all of us — not just Muslims — a chance to renew our spiritual intentions, increase our knowledge, and detox our bodies and our minds. The whole city is aligned towards one goal of simply being a better person. And my advice is: learn more about it, understand it and completely enjoy it.
