With Ramadan upon us, a family in the UAE has shared their journey through the generations to reveal how the holy month has evolved yet remained a cornerstone of faith, family, and tradition.
This three-generation narrative not only expresses the essence of Ramadan but also the cultural shifts and enduring values that have traversed time.
Nahla Abu Dheis, 74, said the warmth of home-cooked meals and lack of modern appliances defined the preparation for iftar.
“Back in my day, there were no microwaves or blenders. Every dish, every sweet prepared for Ramadan was a labour of love, a testament to a woman's dedication to her family,” Ms Abu Dheis told The National.
Ramadan decorations, suhoor tents, and special clothes add a different dimension to our celebrations
Judy Afanna
She spoke of how Ramadan was a time of togetherness, and of shared efforts in the kitchen leading to the unforgettable aroma of Eid cookies filling the neighbourhood, a tradition she dearly misses in today's fast-paced world.
Originally from Palestine and a grandmother to 14 children, she also reflected on the simplicity of Ramadan in her youth.
“We didn't have the luxury of restaurants or festive decorations to mark the holy month. Our homes were simple, our tables were modest, but our hearts were full of joy and gratitude,” Ms Abu Dheis said.
She spoke about the change in Ramadan's portrayal on television, contrasting it sharply with the programming of her youth.
“Ramadan TV shows used to be special, carrying messages of virtue, patience, and the essence of Islam,” Ms Abu Dheis added.
“Now, it saddens me to see how commercialised and distant from the holy month's true meaning some shows have become.”
Her husband, Saeed Nouri Al Tareefi, 76, brings to life a different aspect of Ramadan, focusing on the communal and spiritual facets.
He moved to Abu Dhabi in 1969, after his family was displaced from Palestine. The couple met here in the UAE, with their children and grandchildren all being born here.
'Prepared our food, homes and souls for Ramadan'
“The sound of the cannon at sunset, the drum of the Mesaharati, these were the sounds of joy and of unity,” Mr Al Tareefi said.
“It saddens me deeply that such traditions are fading.”
For him, these memories are bittersweet reminders of a bygone era when the anticipation of Ramadan was comparable to waiting for a cherished guest and when families stored essentials weeks in advance, reflecting the depth of their preparation for the holy month.
“Weeks before Ramadan, families would get busy planning and storing all sorts of essentials,” he said.
"We didn't just store food; we prepared our souls and homes for a month of giving, praying, and being together.
“Back then, it was a time for deeper faith, stronger family ties, and for visiting relatives, a practice that nurtured our bonds and our spirits.
“It troubles me that the essence of fasting, the discipline, the compassion, and the community spirit are aspects that seem weaker now.”
Their 49-year-old daughter, Dalia, bridges the gap between tradition and modernity.
Growing up in the UAE, she witnessed the evolution of Ramadan celebrations and the emergence of suhoor tents but chose to adhere to the core values instilled by her parents.
“Ramadan was, and should remain, a time dedicated to Allah and to family,” she said.
“Suhoor tents and breaking fast in restaurants may appeal to some but, for me, the essence of Ramadan lies in simplicity and devotion.”
She believes these customs indicate a commercialisation of the holy month, representing a deviation from its true spirit.
Judy Afanna, her 20-year-old daughter, represents the younger generation's approach to Ramadan, one that balances tradition with contemporary customs.
“Ramadan decorations, suhoor tents, and special clothes add a different dimension to our celebrations," Ms Afanna said.
“[But] the essence of Ramadan, as taught by our grandparents and mother, remains intact in my heart.”
Reflecting on the differences between her generation and her mother’s and grandmother's in terms of iftar preparation, she said: "My grandmother's generation had to prepare meals from scratch, investing hours of work in the kitchen.
“I know how to cook, my grandmother taught me, but I don’t unless I have to.”
Her 23-year-old brother, Fahd, highlighted the importance of family gatherings, prayer, fasting, and charity.
“My grandparents instilled in us the values of Ramadan from a young age,” he said.
“While the ways we celebrate the month may have evolved, the core principles remain unchanged.”
This multi-generational narrative of Ramadan in the UAE weaves a tapestry of change and continuity.
Preparations around the world ahead of Ramadan 2024 – in pictures
Company profile
Name: Thndr
Started: October 2020
Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000
Funding stage: series A; $20 million
Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC, Rabacap and MSA Capital
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE squad
Rohan Mustafa (captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
The five pillars of Islam
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Results:
Men’s wheelchair 200m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 27.14; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 27.81; 3. Rheed McCracken (AUS) 27.81.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Teaching in coronavirus times
BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
RESULTS
6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Superior, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap Dh 185,000 2,000m
Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Roy Orbison, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.15pm
Handicap Dh 190,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.50pm
Handicap Dh 175,000 1,600m
Winner: Welford, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
9.25pm: Handicap Dh 175,000 1,200m
Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Sandeep Jadhav
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Union Berlin (5.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Borussia Dortmund (5.30pm)
Hertha Berlin v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Paderborn v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Freiburg (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Monchengladbach (8.30pm)
Sunday
Mainz v Augsburg (5.30pm)
Schalke v Bayer Leverkusen (8pm)
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
Engine: 6.4-litre V8
Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
The Saudi Cup race card
1 The Jockey Club Local Handicap (TB) 1,800m (Dirt) $500,000
2 The Riyadh Dirt Sprint (TB) 1,200m (D) $1.500,000
3 The 1351 Turf Sprint 1,351m (Turf) $1,000,000
4 The Saudi Derby (TB) 1600m (D) $800,000
5 The Neom Turf Cup (TB) 2,100m (T) $1,000,000
6 The Obaiya Arabian Classic (PB) 2,000m (D) $1,900,000
7 The Red Sea Turf Handicap (TB) 3,000m (T) $2,500,000
8 The Saudi Cup (TB) 1,800m (D) $20,000,000
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
