Ramadan, the holiest month of the year for Muslims, will begin next week. In the UAE, the official start date will be determined by the country's moon-sighting committee.
If you are spending your first Ramadan in the Emirates or need a refresher on what to expect, here is everything you need to know about the holy month:
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic – or Hijri – lunar calendar because it is believed to be the month in which the Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed.
Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day of the month, which typically lasts 29 or 30 days depending on the moon phase.
As well as abstaining from food and drink, Ramadan is also a time when Muslims strengthen their faith through prayer and increased recitation of the Quran.
Piety increases further during the final 10 days when Laylat Al Qadr is thought to fall. That night is believed to be when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. It is traditionally celebrated on the 27th night of Ramadan but its exact date is unknown. The rewards for acts of faith carried out on this night are said to be more than those for 1,000 months of worship.
When does Ramadan begin and why is the start date not known in advance?
Ramadan is expected to begin on March 11 or 12 this year. The official date will be determined by the country's moon-sighting committee on Sunday night.
The start of Ramadan depends on the length of the previous month of Shaban, which is determined by the moon phase. The length of Ramadan is similarly determined following another moon-sighting process towards the end of the holy month.
The Moon-sighting process is repeated to mark the end of the holy month and the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month. Searching for the new crescent can be difficult because it is usually faint and is only seen for about 20 minutes. The committee relies on telescopes to find the crescent moon and then confirms it with the naked eye.
What are a Muslim's obligations during Ramadan?
Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for all Muslims who are in good health. Children, and anyone who is sick, pregnant, nursing or menstruating are exempt from fasting, along with people travelling long distances.
During Ramadan, many Muslims increase their charitable work, spend more time with loved ones and strengthen their faith. Some may abstain from listening to music and quit bad habits such as smoking or drinking too much coffee.
Some Muslims will also perform Umrah – an optional pilgrimage to Makkah, the birthplace of Prophet Mohammed in Saudi Arabia, that can be done at any time of the year, unlike Hajj, which has specific dates.
Prayer is another one of the five pillars of Islam and is required of all able Muslims five times a day. During Ramadan, an additional optional night prayer is performed after isha called taraweeh. Muslims typically try to pray these at a mosque as it is thought there is a greater reward in communal prayer. During the final 10 nights of Ramadan, when Muslims increase their piety, some may choose to perform tahajjud prayers – also known as qiyam al layl – which are carried out after taraweeh throughout the evening.
What is iftar and what time will it be?
Iftar, the meal to break the fast, is had at sunset once the call to maghrib prayers is heard. Typically, Muslims will have iftar with friends or family, beginning the meal with some water, dates and soup.
The Prophet is said to have broken his fast with a date and a glass of water before performing maghrib prayers and then eating a light meal. Those observing Ramadan are advised to follow a similar routine by eating something light, taking a break and then eating again. This stops people from overeating and avoids overwhelming the stomach.
Some people may choose to visit iftar tents at hotels or restaurants, where buffets are typically served.
At the beginning of Ramadan, this year, iftar in the UAE will be at around 6.30pm but as the days lengthen, maghrib will be at 6.45pm. Muslims will fast around 15 hours a day in the Emirates this year.
What is suhoor?
Suhoor is when Muslims eat again before dawn. Many hotels offer suhoor, which involves staying up late and eating in to the early morning. All eating and drinking must stop at imsak, 10 minutes before dawn (fajr).
Some Muslims will stay up until suhoor, spending that time praying or reading the Quran and then sleeping just before dawn.
What can people expect to see during Ramadan this year?
Long-time residents of the UAE will remember life being noticeably different during Ramadan. Previously, almost all restaurants would close during the daylight hours and those that remained open would only serve food behind barriers to avoid being seen by fasting Muslims.
As the population has grown and become increasingly multicultural, these rules have been relaxed. Restaurants and bars now remain open and serve food publicly, though live music is less popular during the holy month.
Throughout the month, the streets are decorated with Ramadan-themed lights and canons are set up in specific areas to mark the setting of the sun each day, signalling to Muslims that they may break their fast.
Families typically gather together for iftar and it is common to invite friends to join – even if they are not fasting.
Charity increases during the holy month. Mosques and wealthy families in the UAE sometimes erect tents or set up outdoor areas to distribute free iftar meals to low-income workers. People are also encouraged to donate money to charities so food can be distributed to people in need.
What are the rules – cultural and official – in the UAE?
Respect and sensitivity for the religious customs associated with Ramadan are expected throughout the month.
In most emirates, eating and drinking in public places – including cars – during Ramadan is banned. This does not apply to children.
Employees working in offices must refrain from eating or drinking in front of their fasting colleagues. Typically, workplaces provide a cordoned off area where non-fasting staff can eat.
In 2021, Dubai's Department of Economic Development said food outlets were no longer required to serve food out of public view during fasting hours.
Screens and curtains that were previously used, particularly in malls, are no longer needed. Despite this, people are expected to refrain from eating or drinking publicly, unless in dedicated dining areas. This is now also common practice in Abu Dhabi.
Will restaurants be open throughout Ramadan? Will they still deliver?
Supermarkets, pharmacies, restaurants and businesses will remain open throughout the day during Ramadan. Restaurants are open for dine-in guests and can deliver food all day.
Malls will also remain open, so people can have access to supermarkets, shops, restaurants and cafes.
Licensed premises and bars will remain open but must ensure patrons are respectful. There is typically no live music and entertainment is kept to a minimum.
Can people kiss or hug their partner or friends in public during Ramadan?
Overt public displays of affection are generally frowned upon across most of the UAE throughout the year, especially during Ramadan. This can be an offence.
What should I wear during Ramadan?
Men and women are expected to dress more modestly during Ramadan. Revealing and tight clothing should be avoided in public.
Can I make jokes or swear during Ramadan?
Non-Muslims should reconsider using strong language or making jokes that could be deemed inappropriate to Muslims who are fasting around them.
What happens if I accidentally eat or drink in public?
It is best to avoid eating or drinking publicly out of respect for those who are fasting. However, mistakes do happen and Ramadan is also a time for forgiveness.
What are the working hours during Ramadan?
According to the UAE Labour Law, working hours should be reduced by two hours per day during Ramadan. The law does not differentiate between fasting and non-fasting employees. But exact working hours will differ depending on whether you work in the private or public sector.
This year, working hours for ministries and federal agencies during the holy month will begin at 9am and end at 2.30pm, from Monday to Thursday. Working hours on Fridays will be 9am to 12pm.
What are school hours during Ramadan?
Private schools in Abu Dhabi and Dubai typically reduce school hours during the month of Ramadan.
This year, in Dubai, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority have said school should not exceed five hours of instruction time.
In Abu Dhabi, private schools announced four-hour school days beginning at 9.30am and ending at 1.30pm between Monday and Thursday. Fridays begin at the same time, ending two hours later at 11.30am.
When is Eid Al Fitr?
Ramadan will last either 29 or 30 days depending on the moon phases. This means Eid will fall between April 9-11. The date will be confirmed by the moon-sighting committee in the final days of Ramadan.
This year, Eid Al Fitr is expected to fall towards the middle of the week, giving workers up to five days off.
T20 World Cup Qualifier
Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets
Qualified teams
1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman
T20 World Cup 2020, Australia
Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Engine: 80 kWh four-wheel-drive
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 760Nm
Price: From Dh280,000
Key changes
Commission caps
For life insurance products with a savings component, Peter Hodgins of Clyde & Co said different caps apply to the saving and protection elements:
• For the saving component, a cap of 4.5 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 90 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• On the protection component, there is a cap of 10 per cent of the annualised premium per year (which may not exceed 160 per cent of the annualised premium over the policy term).
• Indemnity commission, the amount of commission that can be advanced to a product salesperson, can be 50 per cent of the annualised premium for the first year or 50 per cent of the total commissions on the policy calculated.
• The remaining commission after deduction of the indemnity commission is paid equally over the premium payment term.
• For pure protection products, which only offer a life insurance component, the maximum commission will be 10 per cent of the annualised premium multiplied by the length of the policy in years.
Disclosure
Customers must now be provided with a full illustration of the product they are buying to ensure they understand the potential returns on savings products as well as the effects of any charges. There is also a “free-look” period of 30 days, where insurers must provide a full refund if the buyer wishes to cancel the policy.
“The illustration should provide for at least two scenarios to illustrate the performance of the product,” said Mr Hodgins. “All illustrations are required to be signed by the customer.”
Another illustration must outline surrender charges to ensure they understand the costs of exiting a fixed-term product early.
Illustrations must also be kept updatedand insurers must provide information on the top five investment funds available annually, including at least five years' performance data.
“This may be segregated based on the risk appetite of the customer (in which case, the top five funds for each segment must be provided),” said Mr Hodgins.
Product providers must also disclose the ratio of protection benefit to savings benefits. If a protection benefit ratio is less than 10 per cent "the product must carry a warning stating that it has limited or no protection benefit" Mr Hodgins added.
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
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
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
WITHIN%20SAND
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
How Beautiful this world is!
FULL%20RESULTS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQureos%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E33%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESoftware%20and%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
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Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
