Muslims in Abu Dhabi gathered at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque shortly after the start of Ramadan 2025 was confirmed on Friday.
They performed taraweeh prayers, the nightly prayer performed by Muslims in the holy month that follows the obligatory isha prayer. One such worshipper was Mohammed Mohi Udden, from Bangladesh. "Ramadan is a month of good and blessings," he told The National.
"Tomorrow will be the first day of fasting and we prayed taraweeh today. The dua we say in taraweeh makes me feel good, I love saying dua in Ramadan. I look forward to it every year.“
“We are blessed to be able to pray here every year," Saad Mahfoud, from Egypt, added. “Ramadan to me embodies goodness, tolerance, and goodwill. I like to practise these virtues in this month to the best of my ability."
Taraweeh prayers amount to a voluntary act of worship, unlike the five daily prayers, and can be performed in an intimate setting at home or in the communal atmosphere of the mosque. The taraweeh prayer consists of a minimum of eight rakats – the set of movements carried out by worshippers when prayers are performed – and is similar to normal prayers.
Ramadan begins
It comes after it was confirmed that Ramadan will begin in the UAE on Saturday. The Moon-sighting committee met in Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi, after maghrib (sunset) prayers on Friday and announced that they had sighted the new crescent moon.
"As the holy month of Ramadan begins, I wish all those observing in the UAE and around the world a blessed month," President Sheikh Mohamed wrote on X. "Together, we pray for God to bestow His mercy on us and grant peace, harmony, and unity to all."
The reason worshippers gathered on Friday evening for taraweeh prayers is because, unlike the Gregorian calendar, the Islamic calendar operates on the lunar cycle. As with each day in the Islamic calendar, the next day begins after maghrib prayer (just after sunset) of the same day. So, as per the Islamic calendar, maghrib on Friday marked the end of Shaban and beginning of the month of Ramadan.
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0-200kph in 5.8 seconds
0-300kph in 12.1 seconds
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Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto
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Torque: 1,600Nm
0-100kph in 2.3 seconds
0-200kph in 5.5 seconds
0-300kph in 11.8 seconds
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Price: Dh13,600,000
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Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
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Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
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Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
JERSEY INFO
Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.
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Price, base / as tested: Dh269,000 / Dh369,000
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 355hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 4,500rpm
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● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
