Men leave the wet grounds of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi after a prayer for rain on December 6, 2008. Ryan Carter / The National
Men leave the wet grounds of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi after a prayer for rain on December 6, 2008. Ryan Carter / The National
Men leave the wet grounds of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi after a prayer for rain on December 6, 2008. Ryan Carter / The National
Men leave the wet grounds of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi after a prayer for rain on December 6, 2008. Ryan Carter / The National

President Sheikh Khalifa calls for UAE-wide prayers for rain


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President Sheikh Khalifa has called for all Muslims in the country to take part in prayers for rain this week.

He directed that the prayers, known as Salaat Al Istisqaa, be performed in all mosques and musallahs across the country on Friday, December 18.

Sheikh Khalifa called on worshippers to pray to Allah to bless the land with rain and mercy, in accordance with the Prophet Mohammed’s sunnah, 10 minutes before Friday prayers.

Worshippers were told to supplicate to God to send rain, mercy and abundance upon the country and its people.

Salaat Al Istisqaa is typically called for across the UAE once every few years and is not an uncommon practice across Gulf countries.

In January, King Salman of Saudi Arabia called for a rain-seeking prayer to be performed to encourage a wetter winter over the Kingdom.

According to the sunnah of the Prophet, whenever there is a delay in rain, the leader of a state must issue an order for the prayer to be performed.

The official prayer is attended by the president, or one of his officials if he is absent.

Previously, rulers, members of the Supreme Council and Crown Princes of several emirates have taken part in the prayers.

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Saudi worshippers pray for rain at the Grand Mosque in Makkah

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Keep it fun and engaging

Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.

“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.

His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.

He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.

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Copa del Rey

Barcelona v Real Madrid
Semi-final, first leg
Wednesday (midnight UAE)

ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY

Starting at 10am:

Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang

Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)

Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)

Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera 

Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas

MATCH DETAILS

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Wijnaldum (14), Oxlade-Chamberlain (52)

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Company profile

Name: Tratok Portal

Founded: 2017

Based: UAE

Sector: Travel & tourism

Size: 36 employees

Funding: Privately funded

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

The advice provided in our columns does not constitute legal advice and is provided for information only. Readers are encouraged to seek independent legal advice. 

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The specs: 2019 Haval H6

Price, base: Dh69,900

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

The biog

Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.

Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books

Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella

Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"

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
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  • 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