The fact that working hours are less during the holy month should inspire entrepreneurs to give back to their business even more. Getty
The fact that working hours are less during the holy month should inspire entrepreneurs to give back to their business even more. Getty
The fact that working hours are less during the holy month should inspire entrepreneurs to give back to their business even more. Getty
The fact that working hours are less during the holy month should inspire entrepreneurs to give back to their business even more. Getty

Why we should give back to our businesses during Ramadan


  • English
  • Arabic

If there is one word that would be best associated with Ramadan, it would be “giving”.

Millions of Muslims around the world give more to the less fortunate, give more time to spend with family members and give more time to prayers and worship during the holy month.

Ramadan encourages us to test our limits and put our best selves forward.

While many of us focus on giving back to the community, the needy and to give more time to our families and loved ones, it is also important to give back to our businesses and our work.

But how do we do that?

I was inspired to indulge in this exercise a few years ago.

Every year, weeks before the holy month commences, I would draft a plan detailing my targets for the month.

Just like how I plan my work day, I would plan my Ramadan days to ensure I make the most of it spiritually.

I would ensure that certain hours are dedicated to reading the Quran, while others, such as the late hours of the night, are dedicated to prayers.

This spiritual planning made me think about my business.

If every aspect of my life is supposed to be positively inspired by the spirit of the holy month, then my work and business shouldn’t be spared either.

The fact that working hours are less during the month should inspire us to give back to our work even more.

As Muslims, we believe that every good deed multiplies during the month. Therefore, giving back to my business should yield the same result in the long run.

I gave back to my business by investing in non-monetary ways.

I would spend the month doing a mid-year check to assess what was serving my business growth and what wasn’t.

We often dwell too much on day-to-day operations that we miss out on matters that could be negatively impacting our work’s progress.

That’s why Ramadan is the best time to focus on what is working well and shed the extra weight of what is not working.

Just as I would dedicate time to nurture my spirit during Ramadan, I would allocate some time to my business learning.

The shorter working hours and lighter work schedule mean that I have an extra hour or two during the day, which I could dedicate to learning.

Ramadan Wonders at Global Village — in pictures

  • Dubai entertainment destination Global Village has introduced Ramadan Wonders, featuring a range of special activities and entertainment for the holy month. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Dubai entertainment destination Global Village has introduced Ramadan Wonders, featuring a range of special activities and entertainment for the holy month. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • The Arabian Orchestra perform twice daily during Ramadan
    The Arabian Orchestra perform twice daily during Ramadan
  • Visitors enjoy iftar after a day of fasting
    Visitors enjoy iftar after a day of fasting
  • A clarinetist performs as part of the Arabian Orchestra
    A clarinetist performs as part of the Arabian Orchestra
  • The main stage at Global Village
    The main stage at Global Village
  • Guests are entertained by a tanoura dancer
    Guests are entertained by a tanoura dancer
  • An oud player performs at Majlis of the World
    An oud player performs at Majlis of the World
  • The Majlis of the World
    The Majlis of the World
  • Ramadan lights and decorations
    Ramadan lights and decorations
  • Baljit serves masala chai to visitors
    Baljit serves masala chai to visitors
  • Guests are entertained by a tanoura dancer
    Guests are entertained by a tanoura dancer
  • There are several performances throughout the evening
    There are several performances throughout the evening
  • The cannon fires to signal the end of fasting
    The cannon fires to signal the end of fasting
  • Members of the Arabian Orchestra perform
    Members of the Arabian Orchestra perform
  • Lights and decorations at the Majlis of the World
    Lights and decorations at the Majlis of the World
  • People enjoy iftar after a day of fasting
    People enjoy iftar after a day of fasting
  • Traditional drinks are served across the venue
    Traditional drinks are served across the venue
  • People enjoy iftar after a day of fasting
    People enjoy iftar after a day of fasting
  • Turkish ice-cream is served
    Turkish ice-cream is served
  • The Arabian Orchestra play for the crowd
    The Arabian Orchestra play for the crowd
  • The big wheel displays a Ramadan message
    The big wheel displays a Ramadan message
  • Asian street food is cooked for iftar
    Asian street food is cooked for iftar
  • Visitors buy Rainbow candy
    Visitors buy Rainbow candy
  • Fresh pomegranate juice is made in the Iran pavilion
    Fresh pomegranate juice is made in the Iran pavilion

I prefer the early morning hours, especially after sunrise, to read and nurture my brain.

I would focus on industry-related material and a course that I could sign up for during the holy month that would help my business in the long run.

The right network could make your business soar. Ramadan encourages us to strengthen our connections and our businesses should also be included.

We should make it a habit to check in on our business partners, our support groups, people who help us grow, people we want to learn from and our clients.

If you haven’t found enough time to do that during the year, then Ramadan can be a great start.

Since I ventured into entrepreneurship more than a decade ago, I had high expectations for my business.

Through my journey, I learned, grew, built a life that I love and met amazing people.

My business and work gave me so much, and for any relationship to work in the long run, giving should be mutual.

Manar Al Hinai is an award-winning Emirati writer and communications consultant based in Abu Dhabi.

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%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

Profile of Tarabut Gateway

Founder: Abdulla Almoayed

Based: UAE

Founded: 2017

Number of employees: 35

Sector: FinTech

Raised: $13 million

Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Generation Start-up: Awok company profile

Started: 2013

Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev

Sector: e-commerce

Size: 600 plus

Stage: still in talks with VCs

Principal Investors: self-financed by founder

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
List of alleged parties
  • May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
  • 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
  • Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson 
  • Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
  • Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters 
  • Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
  • Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party 

Turkish Ladies

Various artists, Sony Music Turkey 

RESULTS

5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB) Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA) Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA) Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Messi, Pat Dobbs, Timo Keersmaekers
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA) Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Engine: 3.5-litre V6

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 290hp

Torque: 340Nm

Price: Dh155,800

On sale: now

The five types of long-term residential visas

Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket, an online home services marketplace, outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:

Investors:

A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5 million or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not loaned, and retained for at least three years.

Entrepreneurs:

A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh0.5m or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.  

Specialists

Expats with specialised talents, including doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, and creative individuals working in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.

Outstanding students:

A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university. 

Retirees:

Expats who are at least 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of at least Dh20,000.

Company profile

Name: Thndr

Started: October 2020

Founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: FinTech

Initial investment: pre-seed of $800,000

Funding stage: series A; $20 million

Investors: Tiger Global, Beco Capital, Prosus Ventures, Y Combinator, Global Ventures, Abdul Latif Jameel, Endure Capital, 4DX Ventures, Plus VC,  Rabacap and MSA Capital

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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Updated: April 03, 2023, 4:15 AM