Adam Abd Al Rahman has iftar in his shop in Deira near the gold souq with co-workers. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
Adam Abd Al Rahman has iftar in his shop in Deira near the gold souq with co-workers. All photos: Antonie Robertson / The National
Street vendors prepare and sell food for iftar in Deira.
Street vendors prepare and sell food for iftar in Deira.
Stalls selling fresh fruit such as watermelon are popular.
Stalls selling fresh fruit such as watermelon are popular.
Tourists walk the streets during sunset in Ramadan in Deira.
Tourists walk the streets during sunset in Ramadan in Deira.
Abdulla Jan, from Afghanistan, sells freshly baked bread from his bakery.
Abdulla Jan, from Afghanistan, sells freshly baked bread from his bakery.
People buy samosas before iftar in Deira.
People buy samosas before iftar in Deira.
Many shops close during iftar or have reduced staff so workers can break their fast.
Many shops close during iftar or have reduced staff so workers can break their fast.
Another day of Ramadan draws to a close over Dubai Creek.
Another day of Ramadan draws to a close over Dubai Creek.

UAE

How iftar brings a quiet pause to old Dubai during Ramadan

Peace descends on the busy streets of Deira as workers break their fast on shop floors

John Dennehy
John Dennehy

March 19, 2024

  • English
  • Arabic

People bargain for gold at the souq, tourists walk through the historic markets and porters haul goods on handcarts through the labyrinthine alleyways.

It seems like any other day in one of Dubai’s oldest and most densely populated districts.

But once the sun begins to set over Deira during Ramadan, the neighbourhood starts to change.

People purchase freshly cut watermelon and samosas from street stalls and small tandoor bakeries are thronged.

Workers start to unfurl carpets or plastic lining on many shop floors, places are set and food laid out. It is the same in scores of shops across the old town.

Adam Abd Al Rahman has iftar in his Deira shop with co-workers. Antonie Robertson / The National
Adam Abd Al Rahman has iftar in his Deira shop with co-workers. Antonie Robertson / The National

“At iftar, all of us are together,” said Adam Abd Al Rahman, an Egyptian, who was preparing to break his fast by sitting on the floor of the shop he works in selling tourist items. “It is extra special.”

Mr Al Rahman and his colleagues, whose shop is close to the gold souq, will have a simple meal together, typically consisting of dates, rice, bread, curried meat or vegetables, a piece of fruit and juice.

“There is not a manager, not a worker, not a salesman or not a cleaner – all of us are the same – the same food, the same chairs, the same everything,” he said.

'Like a family'

Taj Muhammad has worked in Deira for about seven years and also was about to break his fast on the shop floor.

“We will sit together and eat together,” said Mr Muhammad, who was born in Pakistan but grew up in Afghanistan.

“It is not like he is a senior or he is a junior. We are living like brothers, like a family.”

Mr Al Rahman, who has been in Dubai since 2011, said people changed during Ramadan, were more forgiving and there was no shouting like in normal times.

Gaza was also on people’s minds, he said. “People have a bad feeling about the situation in Palestine.”

After iftar, the sounds of quiet prayer drift out over Dubai Creek. Antonie Robertson / The National
After iftar, the sounds of quiet prayer drift out over Dubai Creek. Antonie Robertson / The National

Deira is a place where it is possible to purchase anything from gold bracelets and mobile phones to ornate Turkish-made lanterns.

But Mr Al Rahman said business takes a back seat during the holy month and work is not a priority.

“People do not care 100 per cent about business at this time,” he said.

“If someone would like to catch a customer, he is welcome. If not, we do not care.

“What is most important is praying, reading the Quran and reading some Hadiths,” he said. “Our mind is clearer. All of us try to do better.”

Curiosity from visitors

Ramadan now takes place during the traditional tourist season.

Guides were leading groups from China to America through the souq as the sun was about to set.

Mr Muhammad said tourists did ask them about Ramadan and why they were eating together in their shops.

“Sometimes they will try some food,” he said. “They haven't tried these kinds of things in their country, like the spices. They see us and we are all sitting together, like friends and family, so that's why they are surprised.”

Sher Khan, an Afghan resident who has been working in Deira about six years in an adjacent shop, agrees.

“Tourists some to the shop and say, 'very nice',” he said. “They take a little taste with us.”

Read more

Fasting is the pause button for our 21st century lives

Before sunset, charities distribute boxes of food to those who need it the most. Mosques also organise free iftars on the streets outside. And in the minutes before the maghrib prayer that marks the end of the fast sounds out across the old town, quiet descends.

The bright lights of shops selling everything from spices to carpets then start to dim. Sunset falls, people break their fast and the busy world outside can wait.

After iftar, many people walk to the neighbourhood mosques. The sounds of quiet prayer filter out across the old town, through the small side streets, into the souqs and drift out over Dubai Creek.

And when workers return to their jobs, life goes on, but at a slower pace.

“We will not fight for business,” said Mr Al Rahman.

“We trust that business comes from Allah.”

The first week of Ramadan around the Middle East and North Africa region – in pictures

Worshippers at Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul. AP Photo
Worshippers at Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul. AP Photo
Stores in the Khan Al Khalili bazaar in Cairo, Egypt, during the first week of Ramadan. Bloomberg
Stores in the Khan Al Khalili bazaar in Cairo, Egypt, during the first week of Ramadan. Bloomberg
A drummer sounds the wake-up call for residents of the Old City of Mosul, in northern Iraq, before the start of the day's fast. Reuters
A drummer sounds the wake-up call for residents of the Old City of Mosul, in northern Iraq, before the start of the day's fast. Reuters
Volunteers prepare food for displaced people to break their fast in Al Qadarif, eastern Sudan. The country is experiencing its second consecutive Ramadan in the grip of conflict. AFP
Volunteers prepare food for displaced people to break their fast in Al Qadarif, eastern Sudan. The country is experiencing its second consecutive Ramadan in the grip of conflict. AFP
A woman offers first Friday noon prayers of Ramadan near the Dome of the Rock shrine, at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem. AFP
A woman offers first Friday noon prayers of Ramadan near the Dome of the Rock shrine, at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound, in the Old City of occupied East Jerusalem. AFP
First Friday prayers of Ramadan at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab mosque in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
First Friday prayers of Ramadan at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab mosque in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
Restaurant staff sell Subcontinent street food to patrons on the streets of Bur Dubai as Iftar approaches. Antonie Robertson/The National
Restaurant staff sell Subcontinent street food to patrons on the streets of Bur Dubai as Iftar approaches. Antonie Robertson/The National
A cleric guides Iraqi devotees as they perform an evening prayer known as 'Tarawih' at the Mohammed Amin mosque near Mosul. AFP
A cleric guides Iraqi devotees as they perform an evening prayer known as 'Tarawih' at the Mohammed Amin mosque near Mosul. AFP
Decorations adorn the streets of the Iraqi southern city of Basra ahead of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. AFP
Decorations adorn the streets of the Iraqi southern city of Basra ahead of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. AFP
Saudi men look to spot the first crescent of the moon marking the start of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in the southern Saudi city of Hautat Sudair. AFP
Saudi men look to spot the first crescent of the moon marking the start of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, in the southern Saudi city of Hautat Sudair. AFP
First Ramadan Iftar at the The Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The mosque is named after Umar bin Al Khattab, a companion of The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who became the second Caliph after Abu Bakr and was given the title Al Farooq, meaning someone who distinguished truth from falsehood. Antonie Robertson/The National
First Ramadan Iftar at the The Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The mosque is named after Umar bin Al Khattab, a companion of The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who became the second Caliph after Abu Bakr and was given the title Al Farooq, meaning someone who distinguished truth from falsehood. Antonie Robertson/The National
Palestinians break their fast amid the rubble of their destroyed home during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
Palestinians break their fast amid the rubble of their destroyed home during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
Volunteers cook together portions of the traditional Libyan dish "Bazin", which consists of a dough made with barley, water, and salt in the coastal city of Tajura east of Tripoli, to be distributed to needy families during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. AFP
Volunteers cook together portions of the traditional Libyan dish "Bazin", which consists of a dough made with barley, water, and salt in the coastal city of Tajura east of Tripoli, to be distributed to needy families during the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan. AFP
Volunteers prepare to distribute Iftar meals to internally displaced people who fled from their border villages due to ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, at a school turned into shelter, during the holy month of Ramadan, in Tyre, southern Lebanon. Reuters
Volunteers prepare to distribute Iftar meals to internally displaced people who fled from their border villages due to ongoing cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, at a school turned into shelter, during the holy month of Ramadan, in Tyre, southern Lebanon. Reuters
People shop for decorations for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at a shop in Beirut, Lebanon. AP
People shop for decorations for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at a shop in Beirut, Lebanon. AP
Palestinians share an iftar meal, the breaking of fast, on the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, at a camp for displaced people in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Palestinians share an iftar meal, the breaking of fast, on the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, at a camp for displaced people in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Residents queue outside the iftar tent set up by Emirates Red Crescent and Oxy beside the Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. Victor Besa / The National
Residents queue outside the iftar tent set up by Emirates Red Crescent and Oxy beside the Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. Victor Besa / The National
Mohammed El-Dahshan, a 39-year-old "Mesaharati," or dawn caller, rides his camel wrapped with colored led lights to wake Muslims up for a meal before sunrise, during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, in the Delta city of Dikernis, Egypt, about 93 miles (150 kilometers) north of Cairo. AP
Mohammed El-Dahshan, a 39-year-old "Mesaharati," or dawn caller, rides his camel wrapped with colored led lights to wake Muslims up for a meal before sunrise, during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, in the Delta city of Dikernis, Egypt, about 93 miles (150 kilometers) north of Cairo. AP
Egyptians perform an evening prayer known as 'Tarawih' on the eve of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan at Cairo's historic mosque of Amr Ibn al-Aas. AFP
Egyptians perform an evening prayer known as 'Tarawih' on the eve of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan at Cairo's historic mosque of Amr Ibn al-Aas. AFP
Iftar at Imam Hussein Mosque also known as Iranian Mosque in Al Satwa, Dubai. Leslie Pableo for The National
Iftar at Imam Hussein Mosque also known as Iranian Mosque in Al Satwa, Dubai. Leslie Pableo for The National
First Ramadan Morning Prayer at the The Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The mosque is named after Umar bin Al Khattab, a companion of The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who became the second Caliph after Abu Bakr and was given the title Al Farooq, meaning someone who distinguished truth from falsehood. Antonie Robertson/The National
First Ramadan Morning Prayer at the The Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The mosque is named after Umar bin Al Khattab, a companion of The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who became the second Caliph after Abu Bakr and was given the title Al Farooq, meaning someone who distinguished truth from falsehood. Antonie Robertson/The National
A boy plays with his toys outside the iftar tent set up by Emirates Red Crescent and Oxy beside the Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. Victor Besa / The National
A boy plays with his toys outside the iftar tent set up by Emirates Red Crescent and Oxy beside the Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station. Victor Besa / The National
Palestinian man Ismail Al-Khlout reads the Koran as he waits to break his fast while sitting on the rubble of his house, which was destroyed during Israel's military offensive as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, during the holy month of Ramadan, in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
Palestinian man Ismail Al-Khlout reads the Koran as he waits to break his fast while sitting on the rubble of his house, which was destroyed during Israel's military offensive as the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues, during the holy month of Ramadan, in Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Reuters
Muslims offering taraweeh prayers at Al Noor mosque in Sharjah. 11th March 2024 Photo Credit:Ahmed Ramzan for The National
Muslims offering taraweeh prayers at Al Noor mosque in Sharjah. 11th March 2024 Photo Credit:Ahmed Ramzan for The National
A sells cotton candy for iftar (breaking of the fast) on the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in the northern Syrian city of Al-Bab. AFP
A sells cotton candy for iftar (breaking of the fast) on the first day of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan in the northern Syrian city of Al-Bab. AFP
A cannon at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is fired to mark the end of the day's fasting. Victor Besa / The National
A cannon at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi is fired to mark the end of the day's fasting. Victor Besa / The National
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4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,705
5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 5,025
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,000 ( 1)
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Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What's in the deal?

Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024

India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.

India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.

Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments

India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

Europe’s rearming plan
  • Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
  • Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
  • Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
  • Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
  • Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
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Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

Series result

1st ODI Zimbabwe won by 6 wickets

2nd ODI Sri Lanka won by 7 wickets

3rd ODI Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets

4th ODI Zimbabwe won by 4 wickets

5th ODI Zimbabwe won by 3 wickets

Defence review at a glance

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

On Women's Day
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Updated: March 19, 2024, 12:54 PM`
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