Imagine you are a teenager who loves football. It is Ramadan and playing during the day while you fast is tough. So you join the Midnight Ramadan League, a community initiative, which organises matches after iftar, when the day's fast has ended and before the next early morning meal of suhoor. But playing football after ending a fast and late at night is a struggle because of the fatigue.
Qaiser's younger sister Aaminah kicks a ball at him because he’s dozed off before iftar. “Stop being lazy,” she scolds him. After the family ends their fast together, Qaiser heads off to the league at night. He’s exhausted when he plays, and gets knocked over by a tackle. Hamza Choudhury, a Fifa ambassador and midfielder from Leicester City appears, gives him a hand and says: “If I can do this, so can you”.
A screengrab of FIFA 21's Inspiring the Next Generation of Footballers: Midnight Ramadan League. EA Sports FIFA / Youtube
I will be honest. I am no football fan. But I don't need to be one to appreciate the ad's depiction of a person's motivation and his struggle to resolve competing tensions in life. The sense of being part of something bigger, and the feeling of being given a hand in that endeavour – or being the one to lend a hand – are worthy sentiments. The experience of trying to navigate life while holding on to your goals is universally refreshing.
In fact, the director Bassam Tariq commented: “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever direct such an unapologetically Muslim commercial with my fellow sisters and brothers in faith.”
Unfortunately, as studies show, too often in popular culture in non-Muslim majority countries, Muslims are not typically depicted as being equal to everyone else: people with aspirations, goals and struggles – just like everyone else. Troublingly, Motivations of the Muslim community, espeically in some cultures, are too often seen as suspect.
A study published in the UK in 2019 by the Muslim Council of Britain found that media reports on Muslims contribute to a rise in Islamophobia. The "negative and misleading" coverage of the Muslim community is not new.
More than 100,000 news articles and broadcasts in the UK in 2018 were analysed and "serious problems" were identified in the way Islam and Muslims are written about. In some print media, the study found 59 per cent of articles associated Muslims with negative behaviour, while more than a third misrepresented or made generalisations.
Nadiya Hussain, a national treasure in the UK, 2015 winner of The Great British Bake Off. Getty Images
Citing statistics to keep underscoring the constant negativity surrounding Muslims is tiring. But no matter how many statistics you quote, these facts rarely change some minds or perceptions.
Being treated equally as a consumer or audience is not a given
That is why personal, humanising stories that portray Muslims being, again, just like everyone else – and this should hardly be a surprise – are so important. And it is also why it warms the heart when Muslims are easily and without a fuss established into a general mainstream narrative.
Take for example, the actor Riz Ahmed being nominated for an Oscar. Or Nadiya Hussain winning the TV show TheGreat British Bake Off and becoming a national treasure in the UK. There are many such heartening examples and it is always nice to see more.
Riz Ahmed was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance in "Sound of Metal". AFP
Honest, normal portrayals of Muslims in popular culture and in the mainstream are a relief. They are not yet the norm but such portrayals are a reminder of an obvious but often forgotten fact: that it is just fine to be who you are, without explanations, justifications or caveats.
So when you see an ad like this one, is a joy as well as a shock to the system – to watch TV without being on edge that a portrayal of who you represent could undermine your humanity. It means being able to relax and be your full self.
The aim of the ad was to raise representation of British Asians in professional football. In 2020, only 0.25 per cent of the UK’s professional footballers were British Asians, compared with 7 per cent of the population and 9.7 per cent of recreational footballers. About two thirds of UK Muslims are of Asian heritage.
I love the ad also because the narrative is so natural, normal and celebratory. It does not explain or announce itself as an ad about being Muslim or Asian.
Anyone who watches it can tell that the ad also harbours a feeling of inclusivity. Any young Muslim football player – or any Muslim viewer, for that matter – comes away feeling as important and significant as anybody else – any other footballer, viewer, shopper or consumer.
When a brand or an organisation or a business really sees you, regardless of faith and belief, with no discrimination or preconceived notions, it fosters well-being, as it would have for the thousands of viewers of this ad.
Being treated equally as a consumer or audience is not a given. In our culture it is significant and noteworthy. And during Ramadan it feels particularly special.
Shelina Janmohamed is an author and a culture columnist for The National
11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Amir Khan v Billy Dib - WBC International title
Hughie Fury v Samuel Peter - Heavyweight co-main event
Dave Penalosa v Lerato Dlamini - WBC Silver title
Prince Patel v Michell Banquiz - IBO World title
Six undercard bouts:
Michael Hennessy Jr v Abdul Julaidan Fatah
Amandeep Singh v Shakhobidin Zoirov
Zuhayr Al Qahtani v Farhad Hazratzada
Lolito Sonsona v Isack Junior
Rodrigo Caraballo v Sajid Abid
Ali Kiydin v Hemi Ahio
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
