Performing Eid prayers at mosques is a ritual long-etched in the minds of millions of Muslims around the world.
But with the onset of coronavirus, and the closure of all places of worship in the UAE, followers of Islam are having to adapt to a new reality.
This year, those wanting to perform Eid Al Fitr prayers will have to do so from the safety of their homes.
Other traditions, too, have become a challenge. Large gatherings of family and friends for meals, for example, are no longer possible.
“Going to Musalla Al Eid to perform Eid prayers is a tradition we all grow up doing and it’s heartbreaking to let go of it now,” said Jasim Al Shahhi, 46, a father-of-six living in Ras Al Khaimah.
The children will definitely miss visiting their grandparents and getting together with their cousins and nieces this year.
“Meeting up with friends and other family members after the prayers and greeting each other for the beginning of Eid while the children run around wearing their new clothes is an essential part of Eid.
“The children will definitely miss visiting their grandparents and getting together with their cousins and nieces this year.
“And we as grown-ups will also miss the Eid gatherings with our brothers and sisters and the rest of the family.
“But we respect our leadership’s decisions to protect us from the virus.”
This week, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al Shamsi, spokesman for the UAE’s General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, urged all Muslim worshippers to celebrate Eid at home.
Highlighting the unprecedented circumstances created by Covid-19, he stressed the need for families to focus on keeping themselves and others safe.
Eidiyah, the tradition of giving money to family members during Eid, is also prohibited this year to avoid infections spreading via banknotes and coins.
“This year is exceptional and Eid prayers will be performed at home," said Sheikh Al Shamsi.
“Mosques will be closed and the takbeer will be broadcast 10 minutes before the Eid prayer.
“After the takbeer, prayers should be performed at home. Celebrate with family members and keep loved-ones safe.”
Marowa Al Shahhi, 39, the wife of Mr Al Shahhi, agreed that this year’s Eid was going to feel very different, especially for her children.
But she acknowledged it was important to recognise the changes were only temporary and that fun family time could still be had from home.
“We will put on our new Eid outfits, perform the prayers all together at home, eat breakfast and then exchange Eid gifts instead of eidiyah,” she said.
“We are also planning to play some board games and make a barbecue dinner in the garden after sunset.
“It is going to be different for all of us, and it is hard to let go of traditions that we grew up doing, but this is a temporary situation.
“We will keep looking for new ideas to entertain the children and make them celebrate Eid in a new way that guarantees everyone's safety.”
Emirati Mohammed Ibraheem, 39, said he had almost never missed an Eid prayer at a mosque since he was a child.
The customer care manager from Dubai said he had been looking forward to introducing his son, 6, to the tradition.
“When I was a child, I used to go with my father to the mosque to perform either Friday or Eid prayers,” he said.
“For us men, we only get to feel its Eid only after we have performed the prayers and repeated the takbeer – saying Allahu akbar – after the imam.
“Without the prayer in the mosque and without repeating the takbeer, something will be missing because the prayer serves many goals, one of which is bonding people.
“I was planning to take my son to perform Eid prayer in the mosque just like my father, may his soul rest in peace, had done with me.
“But the health and safety of the people is now a priority and we have to follow the instructions of our government. Let's help our government in this fight against the disease."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
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Company%20profile%20
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Napoleon
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Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
RESULT
Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')
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
- 600-seat auditorium
- 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
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
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Miguel Cotto world titles:
WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
MEYDAN RESULTS
6.30pm Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh125,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer).
7.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Galaxy Road, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
7.40pm Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Al Modayar, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh170,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Gundogdu, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.50pm Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner George Villiers, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 (D)1,200m
Winner Lady Parma, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Zaajer, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
