Being in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or any of the other Emirates during Ramadan is a great experience. But how much do we actually know about Ramadan? We know people don’t eat during day time, the working hours are shorter and our Window Cleaners cannot work during the day if they’re fasting! But there’s obviously much more to it than that.
Ramadan is a month in the Islamic calendar, actually the ninth month. It is a time of fasting for Muslim people. Fasting is not just about not having any food. Each day during the holy month, Muslims all over the world abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, as well as participating in anything that is ill-natured or excessive; from sun rise until the sun sets.
By fasting, the aim is to have Muslims reminded of the requirements towards spirituality, humility and patience. It is a time to cleanse the soul, focus attention on God, and put into practice everything that Islam teaches with respect to how you should lead your daily lives.
As one of the Five Pillars of the Islam, fasting is considered one of the main types of Islamic worship. Restraint from everyday excesses and enjoyment and curbing wicked intentions and cravings is said to bring discipline to individuals and pleasure to Allah. Ramadan is also sometimes referred to as Ramazan.
During Ramadan or Ramazan, the Muslim people request forgiveness from Allah for sins they may have committed in the past, pray for direction and assistance in abstaining from everyday troubles in the future, and endeavor to cleanse themselves through self-control and great acts of faith. They also make these same prayers for their family members and pray for those that are no longer in this world.
In comparison to the solar calendar which is most commonly used globally, the Ramadan dates differ, moving forward approximately ten days every year due to the fact that it is a moving holiday which is dependent on the moon. Ramadan was the month in which the initial verses of the Qur’an were said to be shown to Muhammad, the last and final Prophet of Islam.
The lunar calendar is used by Muslims for the purposes of their religion, therefore the month of Ramadan, which is the ninth month commences with a mixture of the sighting of the new moon as well as astronomical calculations. The precise time of Ramadan will at times vary from place to place because some depend a great deal on moon sightings.
As we have seen in the UAE, Ramadan conveys an extraordinary sense of emotional enthusiasm and religious eagerness among Muslims of all ages. I find it great that non-Muslims are also able to enjoy this month to a certain extent. People of all religions sitting together for Iftar, the opening of the fast, is a great show of how we can all come together and not only respect, but enjoy other cultures and religions.
The end of Ramadan will be marked by the Muslim celebration, Eid.
At The Clean Team we have taken great care to ensure our Window Cleaners that fast are able to do so properly. We do not make fasting staff clean windows during the day time and instead allow them to work other shifts or do jobs other than window cleaning in the Dubai or Abu Dhabi sun.
To all our customers, Ramadan Kareem and Eid Mubarak.