Abu Dhabi: Making the most out of what they describe as the Ramadan vibe, residents in Abu Dhabi say the holy month is a good time of the year to catch up with friends and family during the evenings after a long day of fasting.
“There’s a special feeling and atmosphere in the month of Ramadan that you don’t find during the rest of the year, and part of that experience is going out with your friends in the evenings after you have finished your iftar,” said Basma Abu El Azm, an Egyptian resident.
“I mainly visit suhour tents on most nights, I stay there for a couple of hours just socialising and relaxing with a good group of friends. In Ramadan the timings are also different when it comes to work and so you get to stay out later than usual, we all normally meet at around 10pm, which never really happens during a weekday because that’s already too late, but in Ramadan it’s normal,” she added.
“I always start looking forward to these type of get-togethers right before Ramadan because for most of the year we are so busy with our work and don’t get to go out with each other as friends, so Ramadan affords us the perfect opportunity to do just that,” she said.
Rafeeq Hydros, an Indian resident said that he too also spends his Ramadan evenings with friends, mainly visiting outdoor locations.
“After iftar and the Taraweeh prayers we have a small gathering of friends and find a spot in the city to relax and spend time together. We like to go somewhere outdoors because the weather is still good and so usually it would be somewhere on the Corniche and away from all the crowded places.
“We do this every night during Ramadan, it’s like a special routine for all of us, and one that we all really enjoy and look forward to. It’s only in Ramadan that we are really able to do this, sharing the joy of the month together. During the rest of the year we don’t have the same gatherings because everyone is busy with work and too tired to do anything afterwards. In Ramadan it’s the opposite, where we find ourselves filled with extra energy and excitement about the evening meet ups,” he added.
For Palestinian resident Raghad Elassi, Ramadan evenings are mostly spent with the family.
“It’s a family affair for us during Ramadan. We have our iftar together and then go do all of our prayers together as well. After the Taraweeh we go back home and set the table for Arabian dessert and sweets. That’s our typical family day during the entire month.
“Ramadan is the perfect opportunity for family bonding time, and so we always look to make the best out of it, creating special family moments throughout the month,” she added.