One Daily Positive - Week 19. Ramadan Kareem

Week 19 sees the start of Ramadan. As a non muslim it only affects me by limiting where I can eat, drink or smoke when I'm out in public during daylight hours.

Ramadan this year in Dubai will be much easier to manage as it is occurring earlier in the year and therefore much cooler than our first year here when it took place in the middle of June 2015. Apparently it won't occur in the middle of summer again until around 2042.

The laws in Dubai have also relaxed quite a bit since we first came her. The first year no alcohol was served and during the day time food outlets only did takeaways. In 2016 they relaxed the alcohol laws and you could drink in a bar/restaurant/hotel after Iftar which is the breaking of the fast. Some outlets were open during the day so you could eat/drink in, but it was hit and miss. In 2017 I was in Dubai most of Ramadan and only half of 2018. By 2018 I could pretty much guarantee to go most places and get a drink or something to eat during the daytime. I find it strange when I go to the UK and Ramadan is on to be able to eat and drink in public and tend to abstain from doing so when walking around unless I'm indoors.

This year, I have 12 days out from the 11th till the 23rd of May. Ramadan starts on the 6th May and ends on the 3rd of June. School and work days are reduced from 8am till 2pm and the roads get very busy at the end of the day as people race to get home to break fast, mosque, followed by Iftar. We will avoid the roads between 2pm and 6.30pm, as it's hectic out there.

Being British I find it very strange still to see signs stating 'No Muslims allowed' it's because it's the food halls in the mall, they can of course take their children in their to be fed and the elderly, people who are ill and pregnant or breast feeding women are exempt from fasting.

It's a fun place to be despite the restrictions on me, lots of sales, invites for Iftars and dates galore.

125 Sunday Having got up at 5am to walk the dog, do some gardening and wash the entrance hall, I was back in bed by 9am as I was tired and very hot. Took myself out for a coffee and to do some blogging around 11am and did a food shop. The afternoon was spent catching up with bills, paperwork and some letter writing.  Went for a swim early evening and a dog walk.

126 Monday Plans to dog walk and garden went out the window when I woke up late, so a short walk only for Bob. Popped out for coffee and came home frustrated due to Ramadan opening hours not being consistent and available online, watched TV in bed, ate junk food, paid bills and booked my next UK flight with a return via Sydney/Melbourne to visit child 3 in late July early August for a 3 week road trip. Ramadan Mubarak.

127 Tuesday Off to the dog park for the morning. One of the few places I can get a drink out before midday. Joined in with the yoga group. Left at midday and the car was 50c inside. Tidied up in the garden after pruning the trees and spent the rest of the afternoon watching TV and writing letters. Took Bob for a long walk.

The worlds largest indoor dog park

128 Wednesday Back to the dog park for the morning. Peter left his phone at home so I met him at the bank with it, as we had some papers to sign. Did some washing and ironing while watching youtube, went for a swim and dinner out and pub quiz in the evening. We won.

The new road system and apartments being built. Work started after we moved in December 2017

129 Thursday Up early, dog walk, garden watered, bed changed and 4 loads of washing done. Off to the nail bar, found a Starbucks open for dine in. Caught up with some blog comments and posts, home by 12pm and started cleaning up stairs. Swim in the late afternoon, dinner and an early night.

Too many children in the pool to take a photo

130 Friday Out for lunch with friends followed by a BBQ with another set in the evening. It's all or nothing with us on weekends here, we're either super busy with friends or just the two of us at home.

View of Dubai Marina from the roof top

131 Saturday Popped out for coffee and a food shop for Peter while I'm away. I finished packing, had a swim and a sleep mid afternoon. I'm catching an over night flight to Johannesburg at midnight.

Bob doesn't want me to go

On the blog this week:

We're super excited to announce We're going to be Grandparents in September.

Ramadan in Dubai
2015 Our first Ramadan Very different from how it is 4 years on
2016 Iftars and breaking fast with dates and milk
         Living and working in Dubai during Ramadan
2017 Visiting Dubai in Ramadan
2018 Where is Ramadan in the UK?
         Ramadan for a non muslim

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Where is Ramadan in the UK?

I'm over from Dubai for the summer. I leave around this time every year because it just gets too hot and besides I get to spend time with my family and friends.

We've been living in Dubai for 3 and a half years and have been experiencing our 4th Ramadan. We're not muslims and we don't fast, but we do observe Ramadan and alter our behaviour to accommodate those fasting which is more than 60% of the population.

I arrived in the UK at the end of the 2nd full week of Ramadan this year and to be honest I forgot it was Ramadan, we had our sons wedding on Saturday and a funeral on Monday. Today is the first day I've had some time to switch off. I went out for a coffee and it struck me that the windows weren't covered or that I was only able to purchase a take away.

Ramadan ends on Thursday this week and I'm pretty sure there are a lot of people in the UK who have no idea that Ramadan is actually taking place and exactly what it involves. I did hear a comment from a school volunteer who said they had wondered why year 6 has been making lanterns and why there were Arabic words on the classroom wall.

I've written about what Ramadan is like living in Dubai many times, which you can read more about here.

I'm actually missing Ramadan, even though I don't fast, it reminds me think about other people's needs and to have some discipline in my own life.

Are you observing Ramadan in the UK? How is the experience for you? Either as a Muslim or an observor?

Eid Mubarak 

May you have a blessed Eid Al-Fitr. 

My Sunday Photo - Week 127. G is for Giving

It's Ramadan and the lovely people of Dubai are getting into the spirit of giving with the installation and filling up of street fridges.

You don't have to be a Muslim to participate in Ramadan, it's not just about fasting, it's also about giving.

Last year an initiative was set up to provide food and drinks for labourers and low-income workers with the Sharing Fridge. Anyone can set one up, there are approximately 70 in the city and you can find out more about how to get involved on their Facebook page.

The fridges are filled by the community and are available 24 hours a day. Each fridge is expected to be used by around 100 people per day. There are around 70 fridges across the city.

You are encouraged to fill the fridges with juice, water, fruit, vegetables, dates, biscuits, nuts and crisps. They do not encourage prepared food and ask that you check the expiry dates before filling the fridges. They are not designed for left over food, but for food and drink that can be consumed on the go so chop your carrots, slice the water melon etc.

People who use the fridges are asked in 7 languages to only take what they need, in the spirit of sharing with their brothers and sisters.

There is one in our street and another on the Al Wasl Road near the bus stop. It's an excellent initiative and I will be donating to the fridge on a weekly basis.

Visiting Dubai during Ramadan

Ramadan will be here this week around the the 26th May until the 24th June. Dates vary around the world and are dependant on the sighting of the moon. As the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar it's date comes 11 days earlier each year. Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar.

During ramadan, Muslims do not eat, drink, smoke or have sex during sunrise to sunset. It is called fasting and is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, along with the declaration of faith, prayer, charity and Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Fasting varies around the world between 10 and 21 hours each day.

The fasting is broken daily with Iftar, traditionally with dates and milk.

At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr - festival of breaking the fast.

So what does this mean for Non Muslims, those who live here or visit during Ramadan?

• Life is much slower and quieter, with reduced working hours and restrictions on working outdoors. It is also a cheaper time to visit the UAE with discounted hotel rates, especially when Ramadan falls in the summer, to encourage tourists to visit at this time of year. Many Non Muslims will actually leave Dubai during the summer as the heat can become unbearable.
  

• All the malls are open during Ramadan, but you will find it difficult to get a taxi between 2pm and sunset as working hours are reduced, people are heading home to be with their families before breaking their fast. Restaurants will be very busy around sunset with people queuing for an hour or so for a table, so it's best to wait till around 8pm to eat out in the evenings.

• Eating, drinking, chewing gum and smoking in public is forbidden during Ramadan. That includes in your car. But you can do all the above in the privacy of your own home and if you are a guest in a hotel, you will be able to eat and drink in the restaurants. Until last year, alcohol was banned from sale until 7pm, after Iftar, but now you can purchase it in hotel bars during the day.

• There are many restaurants also open during the day, but check ahead. The majority of coffee shops are open, but only available for take outs, as a result queuing times to use public toilets will be longer as many non muslims will drink their coffee in a toilet cubicle.
  
  
  

• The food halls in the malls will open from 12pm to serve food as usual, but they are screened off from public view, you can enter before 12pm but you will not be allowed to purchase or consume food before that time, including take aways.
  

• Music is banned from public places, but that doesn't stop you from taking part in ladies nights and other events, although time tables and availability are limited from place to place, check with your hotel.

• It is expected that you dress appropriately during Ramadan and many places will deny you access if you have bare shoulders or clothing above the knees. Carry a pashmina when you go out to avoid unwelcome looks.

Fasting during day light hours really does mean 'not even a sip of water' if you are ill, pregnant or elderly, you are exempt from fasting as are children. So if your child requires feeding, a drink, carry on as normal. All the supermarkets are open during the day to purchase food and drink from, you just can't consume it in public unless you fall into one of the categories mentioned above.

People in Dubai are very helpful and polite, so if you are unsure, just ask at your hotel and with security when you go out.

I will be in Dubai most of Ramadan this year, I won't be going out much due to the heat, but at least this year I have a car and I'm not working.

The terms Ramadan Mubarak or Ramadan Kareem mean generosity, giving and blessings. you will find the malls and shops highly decorated during this period and Eid is usually marked with fireworks and other celebrations.