Latest: Ramadan 2022 starts in UAE on Saturday
This year will mark the third Ramadan since the coronavirus pandemic began back in 2020.
UAE authorities announced that Ramadan working hours for federal government employees will be from 9am until 2.30pm from Monday to Thursday and from 9am until 12pm on Friday across holy month, while private sector employees will be allowed to reduce their working day by two hours.
But when will Ramadan 2022 be celebrated in the UAE?
The National explains.
When is Ramadan 2022?
UAE authorities have confirmed Ramadan will begin on Saturday.
The country's moon-sighting committee met at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department and confirmed the presence of the crescent moon, state news agency Wam reported on Friday.
The Emirates Astronomical Society earlier announced the same date for the beginning of the holy month.
It also said that Eid Al Fitr and the first of Shawwal — the 10th month in the Islamic calendar — should fall on Monday, May 2, meaning Ramadan would last 30 days.
Each year, the exact date for the beginning of Ramadan is only known once the new crescent is seen, as the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle. The new moon heralds the start of the ninth month of the calendar, called Ramadan.
The task of spotting it falls to the moon sighting committee — a group of astronomers, court officials and advisers from the country's Islamic authority — which typically convenes after maghrib, or sunset, prayers on the 29th day of Sha’ban, the eighth month, to look for the new crescent moon. If they see it, Ramadan begins the following day. If not, it will start the day after.
The process is repeated around the time of the next new moon. When that is spotted Ramadan ends, and Shawwal, the 10th month, begins.
Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days, depending on when the sighting is made.
The first week of Ramadan this year coincides with the second week of the spring school holidays, between the second and third terms. Once schools reopen, they will operate reduced hours — probably of no more than six hours a day during the remainder of the month.
Ramadan will occur during the tourist season again. Restaurants will likely be able to serve diners without curtains or dividers. Many bars continue to serve liquor, as long as patrons are respectful and entertainment is kept to a minimum.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, which is believed to be when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, abstaining from both food and drink during the period.
Ramadan is a very religious time, when Muslims strengthen their faith through prayer and increased recitation of the Quran.
The last 10 days of the holy month are the most special, coinciding with Laylat Al Qadr, the night the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed.
It is not known when it occurred, but the event is celebrated on the 27th night. The rewards for acts of worship carried out on this night are said to be more than the rewards of 1,000 months of worship.
What obligations do Muslims have during the holy month?
Fasting is mandatory for all Muslims in good health.
Muslims usually perform more charitable acts during the month, and spend more time with loved ones and strengthen their faith. Some may quit habits like drinking coffee and smoking.
Some Muslims will also perform Umrah, an optional pilgrimage to Makkah, the birthplace of the Prophet Mohammed in Saudi Arabia, which can be done at any time of the year, unlike Hajj that has specific dates.
Authorities in Saudi Arabia have confirmed that foreign pilgrims will be allowed to perform Umrah this year. But they must obtain a vaccination certificate issued by the authorities in their country. And that must be attached along with their application.
A 10-day waiting period between two separate Umrah visits has been imposed as part of restrictions to stem the spread of the omicron variant.
Will mosques be open?
Almost certainly. They were closed during Ramadan in 2020, but that was because it fell in the first few months of the pandemic and immunity to the virus was low. Now almost all adults are vaccinated and boosted.
Mosques were open during Ramadan in 2021, but had to be disinfected before and after prayers.
Taraweeh prayers, which are held after isha and count among key optional prayers (sunnah) for Muslims during Ramadan, were conducted under protocols, including capacity limits and mandatory masks.
Worshippers had to also take their own prayer mats and copies of the Quran, and follow social-distancing protocols.
What about iftars?
Families were encouraged not to celebrate in large groups last year due to the risk posed by the spread of Covid.
And there were no tents placed outside mosques to distribute free iftar meals to people in need across all seven emirates. Meals were distributed to workers' accommodation instead.
Authorities will announce any protocols closer to the time, based on the Covid situation in the country.
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Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
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Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
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Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
