Here’s the thing about Ramadan television – you have to settle into its rhythm or it can feel overwhelming.
As the holy month approaches, expected to begin around March 1, hundreds of productions, from premium dramas and variety shows to culinary exhibitions and religious programming, will flood our screens. This creates the kind of fierce competition across dozens of major Arab broadcasters that would be broadly unthinkable for western counterparts. And I just love it. If variety is the spice of life, the sheer abundance of eclectic shows aired during Ramadan is akin to the most lavish iftar buffet you can experience in many of the UAE's leading hotels.
But there is a method to the madness. Expect stations and streaming platforms to begin teasing their key titles before unveiling the full slate only days before Ramadan begins. As for the timings, we may have to wait, in some cases, until just hours before the first day of Ramadan. This approach is all designed to maximise the chances that rival programmes don’t air at competing times.
And once all that strategising is done, which increasingly feels futile, as many titles are also available on demand and through daytime repeats, it’s up to us viewers to find the time and tenacity to catch some of the best content the region has to offer.
As an avid viewer of the season, I find the late nights in front of the TV worthwhile. A high-profile Lebanese drama about a town enforcer’s search for his missing son may be vastly different from a heart-warming Emirati documentary series about the joys of charitable deeds. Yet, what connects them is the shared creative drive to entertain the whole family through emotive storytelling with an ethical heart at its core.
In Ramadan dramas, the good character almost always prevails – or falls on their sword for the greater good.
This is best illustrated in the works of Egyptian actor Mohamed Ramadan, who has released a stream of successful dramas throughout the holy month over the past 10 years, capturing all the notes demanded by viewers – action, comedy, melodrama and reflection. In 2022's Meshwar, he plays a man on the run from a ruthless cabal of businessmen, an experience that forces him to re-examine his questionable priorities in life. Meanwhile, in the 2019 hit Zelzal, he portrays Khalil, who miraculously survives an earthquake that devastates his neighbourhood and becomes a guiding light to his community, emphasising the importance of family and elders. Meanwhile, in the 2016 crime drama Al Ostora, Ramadan portrays the titular character, a man striving for redemption, yet ultimately surrendering to his fate after a life steeped in crime. I wish I could tell you what he’ll return with this year, but like everyone else, I’ll have to wait for the big reveal.
These powerful emotions are also reflected in the many socially conscious documentaries and lifestyle series created to highlight and inspire the values of Ramadan. Al Dunya B’Khair – Awnak, a local hit in 2022, was a heartfelt daily program that took viewers inside the UAE Red Crescent, showcasing their humanitarian work across the Arab world. It served as a reminder to embrace the spirit of giving, encouraging us to make a difference in our own small ways. While the annual series Al Sadma remains a candid camera show with a purpose, it places members of the public across the Arab world in socially fraught situations to observe their reactions, offering insight into the current state of societal norms.
With Ramadan offering a rare opportunity for families to come together to break the fast, comedy also plays a significant role. The holy month has long been home to ground-breaking comedies, from Saudi Arabia's Tash Ma Tash to Syria's Maraya, both of which used sharp and, at times, fierce satire to highlight key issues in Arab society and the human condition. Their morally driven storylines often explored the family and societal dangers of anger and greed, delivering poignant messages through humour.
The Arabic prank show, epitomised by the ratings juggernaut of Egyptian comedian Ramez Galal's annual series, has been a television institution for about 50 years, with celebrities and public figures getting pranked on screen.
Once again, there are deeper motives at play in broadcasting many of these shows just after sunset. "They are a mood booster during the month," Mazen Hayek, a media consultant in Dubai and former official representative for MBC, told me in an interview last year. "At the end of the fasting day, people are a little tired, and after they eat and complete their prayers, they often want to unwind together as a family. This is why prank shows and comedies are firmly established in that post-prayer, post-iftar slot, followed by more hard-hitting dramas. That has always been the case for decades because viewers need that dose of fun after a long day."
At its core, this is what Ramadan television offers. More than just melodrama, it serves a greater purpose – bringing us together and offering fleeting moments of insight or much-needed relief from an increasingly uncertain world. It’s an annual chance to tune out from the chaos outside and lose ourselves in stories that resonate, entertain and remind us of the emotions we all need to feel.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
More from Aya Iskandarani
MATCH INFO
Burnley 1 (Brady 89')
Manchester City 4 (Jesus 24', 50', Rodri 68', Mahrez 87')
Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
SHAITTAN
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Company%20profile
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Mica
Director: Ismael Ferroukhi
Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
3 stars
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
