It’s that special time of year again and whether you’re Muslim or not, Ramadan is likely to affect you – Abu Dhabi Week finds out everything you need to know to have a happy Holy month

According to our friends at the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), the Holy month of Ramadan is a religious period when Muslims of all nationalities fast between dawn and dusk. One of the five pillars of Islam, fasting is meant to provide the opportunity to purify the soul, refocus attention on God and practice self-sacrifice. During this time, Muslims will also say extra prayers at night called taraweeh.

“You fast with your whole body,” says Abu Dhabi Week’s own Sawaiba Khan, an American Muslim of Pakistani descent. “Your mouth abstains not just from food and water, but also from backbiting, gossip and bad speech in general. Your eyes avoid looking at inappropriate things which goes along with dressing more appropriately. Your hands don’t commit sins and your feet don’t go anywhere that you shouldn’t.

“When you fast properly, you’re abstaining from a lot of things aside from food and water. If you don’t, you just spend the day hungry without really getting the true reward.”

Ramadan starts with the sighting of a crescent shaped moon and ends with a similar sighting of the new moon. Moon sighting committees determine when the month starts and ends – this year, Ramadan began on 1st August and will last for either 29 or 30 days. It will end with the three-day holiday to commemorate the festival known as Eid Al Fitr.

Get into the spirit of Ramadan

What you need to know about FASTING:

If you’re fasting, you’ll want to get up before sunrise for the suhour (or breakfast) meal, and you’ll break your fast with the evening iftar meal that happens at sunset

In the spirit of unity, it is illegal for any healthy person over the age of 12 to publically break the fast until iftar. This means you cannot eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, suck sweets or otherwise put anything into your mouth in public (even in your car) during daylight hours
Children under the age of 12 are exempt from fasting as are the elderly, people who are ill, pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding or menstruating. You’re also exempt from fasting if you’re travelling, but Muslims believe those days must be made up at a later time

While non-Muslims are free to eat in privacy, be aware that the smell of food, drinks and cigarettes can travel a lot farther than you might ever imagine. Be sensitive to those who are fasting – don’t offer them food or drinks, and eat where they can’t see or smell your food

Some restaurants will be open during the day, but they may have limited seating or takeaway only

WHAT TO WEAR:

Because Muslims are also fasting with their eyes, Ramadan is a time to dress even more conservatively than usual. Both men and women should dress to cover their shoulders and their knees – ladies especially should avoid wearing tight, low cut or otherwise
revealing clothes

GETTING AROUND:

Because so many people will be fasting, shops are often open fewer hours during the day than usual – many shops will close in the afternoon and reopen after iftar

Be patient with your fellow motorists, especially in the hot hours of the late afternoon – this part of the day can be very difficult for people who are fasting, so be extra aware and show some compassion

The vast majority of taxi drivers in Abu Dhabi are Muslim so it will be nearly impossible to get a taxi immediately prior to, during or just after iftar

Iftar etiquette

If someone invites you to an iftar meal – especially if they are Muslim – then you should move mountains to be there. Here’s how to make the most of this special gathering:

It’s of paramount importance that you arrive in plenty of time for the breaking of the fast, so plan accordingly, especially if you’re taking a taxi or anticipate trouble parking

An invitation to iftar is not a typical dinner invitation – your hosts are asking you to share their food and they really don’t expect you to bring anything. If you’d really like to, though, appropriate gifts include dates and Arabic sweets. Bateel is great for dates while local bakeries will make certain sweets that are specific to Ramadan such as halawat el jibn, mafrouka, ward al charm and hail w zaafaran which stands for ‘cardamom and saffron’, so just ask – we’ve heard that Tripoli Bakery in Khalidiya (02 634 3117) is one of the best in town

If someone invites you to iftar, it would be nice for you to return the favour and extend a similar invitation – unless you are very close to the person, however, you may want to wait until after Ramadan before asking them to your house for a meal

Laura Fulton

The right way to fast

This year’s fast is going to be a challenging one, lasting at its longest 14 hours and 50 minutes a day. We found out the right way and the wrong way to fast from Dr Maha Taysir Barakat, medical and research director and consultant endocrinologist with the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre.

Check with your doctor: Especially if you’re taking any medication, talk to your doctor to create the proper approach to fasting
Pace your meals: Though it’s tempting, don’t eat continuously from iftar to suhour. Instead, break your fast with a light snack such as dates or soup, follow with a full meal an hour later and then have suhour just before Al Fajr

Drink lots of water: With the summer heat, dehydration is a concern. Drink plenty of water through the night and avoid breaking your fast with sugary food

Don’t skip suhour: Be sure to have a balanced meal just before Al Fajr, especially if you’re taking medication

Eat the right carbohydrates: Slow-release carbs such as wholegrain bread and basmati rice will stick with you longer than sugary foods and fast-release starches such as white bread and potatoes

Still not sure? Call 02 404 0888 for information or visit www.icldc.ae or www.diabetesuae.ae

Traditional iftar at home

A typical traditional iftar meal will most likely include several courses including the initial breaking of the fast with dates and water followed by a soup that is most often lentil but could be anything. Fattoush is a must, plus a protein course of chicken or lamb served with rice – harees and thareed are also typical Emirati favourites. Also, before iftar rituals, many Muslims typically read more Quran on their own and with their children.

Want a truly unique Ramadan experience? ADTA continues its complimentary guided tours of the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque during Ramadan – tours have been adapted to include insights into the practices of the Holy Month to give visitors a greater understanding of it.