Fasting during Ramadan means practising self-restraint while trying to be a kinder and more patient person.
But that can be a tall order when you are working and parenting in a country with little understanding of the holy month.
For parents in the US, things can be especially challenging. The "always open for business" work ethic that dominates professional life here can make things especially difficult during Ramadan.
Many mums and dads already struggle to keep up with the stresses of America's gruelling work ethic, where family time is often interrupted by the ping of a boss's email and labour laws in many states mean workers have no right to a holiday.
Add fasting to the mix and things can get intense.
Mubeen Khumawala, a vice president at an educational non-profit group from Texas — and a father of two — says he tries to set boundaries in his work so colleagues understand he needs to "slow it down a little".
At home, Mr Khumawala tries to include his kids as much as possible in any Ramadan activity, including reading and sharing food with family and friends, and attending the masjid for iftar so they can get a sense of the larger Muslim community and make friends.
"Raising children in the best manner possible is also an act of worship," he says.
“Beyond that, focus on the essentials and don’t over exert yourself in a manner that burns you out and also prevents you from enjoying your kids."
Ammar Khan, a YouTube programme manager from California with two children, says his company is open-minded and inclusive.
While it helps him to balance fasting, working and parenting, being the only Muslim on his team means juggling cultural priorities. During Ramadan, he has to head home early, about 4pm.
“I do log back on after taraweeh and reply to messages, but I don’t prefer meetings after that time,” Mr Khan tells The National.
“I am very up front about Ramadan at work," he says, noting that not everyone understands the spiritual and physical rigours of the holy month.
"I have calendar blocks telling people when Ramadan starts and ends, invite them to company iftars, provide links to where they can learn more."
Despite the challenges involved in working, fasting and parenting, many Muslims find the spiritual benefits, such as increased mindfulness and self-discipline, outweigh any negatives.
Faizan Ahmed, head of a Californian startiup, rearranged his schedule so that he can set up iftar and suhoor meals every day for his two children and family.
“I try my best to prioritise worship over my work," Mr Ahmed says.
"That does not mean I totally cut off, but it mostly means I don’t spend as much time as I would otherwise at work."
Muslim parents in America face the same challenges as other parents when it comes to balancing work and family responsibilities.
But they may face more challenges in the workplace, particularly during Ramadan, where colleagues might not understand how hard it can be to maintain focus and energy while fasting.
Shahbaaz Hasan, a technical support engineer at Datassential from Illinois, has twin babies. He has a different struggle as he works remotely while helping his wife.
His day includes regular feedings, naps, and "many, many diaper changes", he says.
“It’s tough, especially while managing babies, which means no more naps during lunch," Mr Hasan says.
"But it’s a great opportunity to reset from our regular day to day and start a new and better routine."
Parental actions speak louder than words, Mr Khan says. So during Ramadan, he makes an effort to read the Quran and pray in front of his children.
But he misses out at bedtime.
"I cannot put them to bed due to the taraweeh schedule, but I do help them memorise Quran, duas, how to be extra gentle and caring,” Mr Khan says.
For Mr Ahmed, one of Islam's most important value systems is the focus on intentions.
“Even though one may not be able to put in many hours in worship due to other obligations they may have, yet if they had the intention to do so they get rewarded accordingly,” he says.
With this concept in mind, Mr Ahmed believes he is engaged in worship while taking care of his fatherly duties, as long as his intentions are sincere.
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
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
EXPATS
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The 15 players selected
Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
MATCH DETAILS
Chelsea 4
Jorginho (4 pen, 71 pen), Azpilicueta (63), James (74)
Ajax 4
Abraham (2 og), Promes (20). Kepa (35 og), van de Beek (55)
UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series
Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
21 Lessons for the 21st Century
Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):
Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Match will be shown on BeIN Sports
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Abu Dhabi GP Saturday schedule
12.30pm GP3 race (18 laps)
2pm Formula One final practice
5pm Formula One qualifying
6.40pm Formula 2 race (31 laps)
MIDWAY
Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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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
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- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
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- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The specs
Price: From Dh529,000
Engine: 5-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 520hp
Torque: 625Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.8L/100km
Sui Dhaaga: Made in India
Director: Sharat Katariya
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Anushka Sharma, Raghubir Yadav
3.5/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
