On April 2, nine-year-old Mazen Mohamed woke to the first sunrise of Ramadan with a mission: to observe his first fast.
Despite his young age, Mazen was determined to try his first full fast this holy month after spending years watching older members of his family abstain from food and drink in dedication to their faith.
While he has experienced the odd bought of tiredness during the middle of the day, the South View School pupil said he is enjoying the challenge.
It surprised me because a lot of my friends in school are fasting too, so we get to share the experience together
Mazen,
nine-years-old
“This is my first time doing a full fast for Ramadan. Before, I would fast from sunrise to maybe lunchtime, but now I am doing it all the way until sunset,” he told The National.
“So far it has been good. I do sometimes get a little bit tired, but it’s weird because I actually feel like I have a lot of energy, especially just before Iftar.
“Actually, it surprised me because a lot of my friends in school are fasting too, so we get to share the experience together.”
Ramadan, a religious observance by Muslims, is the most sacred time in the Islamic calendar.
In most households it is spent renewing spirituality in the form of prayers, fasting, good deeds, reflection, charity and community service.
Muslim children typically aren't expected to fast during Ramadan until they reach puberty, but many try to practise it earlier, often encouraged by older siblings or relatives.
Mazen said he fasts because it helps him to understand how people who are underprivileged feel, people who can not afford daily meals.
“It helps me to learn patience and gratitude,” he said.
“I have a younger sister, she is three, so when she is older I can help her out when she comes to do her first fast.
“Waking up for Suhoor can be tiring but I really love to help set the table for Iftar and spend time breaking my fast with my family.”
Similarly, eight-year-old Jannat Khan chose this year to observe her first full fast.
Living in Mira Dubai, she said many of her neighbours and friends were fasting too, so she wanted to try it herself.
"Her grandmother told her that children usually try their first fast when they are a little older but she saw her friends at school fasting so she wanted to try it," said her father, Faraz Khan.
"I think it was a little hard for her experiencing hunger but she gave it a go."
With younger brothers and sisters, Jannat said they kept asking her why she wasn't eating, so she explained to them what she was doing.
"I only did it for one full day but it was in the school holidays so my brother asked why I was not eating," she said.
"I said you have to fast in Ramadan. We do it so we can feel what it is like for poor people who can not afford to eat every day.
"I found it fine. Maybe next year I will try more days."
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
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The specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
More on Yemen's civil war
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday
AC Milan v Sampdoria (2.30pm kick-off UAE)
Atalanta v Udinese (5pm)
Benevento v Parma (5pm)
Cagliari v Hellas Verona (5pm)
Genoa v Fiorentina (5pm)
Lazio v Spezia (5pm)
Napoli v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Roma (5pm)
Torino v Juventus (8pm)
Bologna v Inter Milan (10.45pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
SCORES
Multiply Titans 81-2 in 12.1 overs
(Tony de Zorzi, 34)
bt Auckland Aces 80 all out in 16 overs
(Shawn von Borg 4-15, Alfred Mothoa 2-11, Tshepo Moreki 2-16).
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The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
