After reading Ayesha Almazroui's column in The National about leave during the holy month – Why we don't need the last 10 days of Ramadan off – it struck me what a luxury time is for some of us.
Sadly, some people never have the chance to even think about a day off, let alone 10.
When I look down from my apartment at the construction site in front of my building and see the men who work for 11 hours a day, I think that for them even offering two days off for itikaf (seclusion in the mosque for the purpose of worship) could have an incredibly positive effect on their lives.
A few years ago, my husband met a group of street cleaners during Ramadan. The men were eating in the middle of the day.
“We work in the sun and heat and we can’t survive if we don’t eat,” they told him, sheepishly.
If these men were given a few days off, it would boost their productivity and reduce stress, because if one breaks one’s fast without a medical reason, the religious penalties are very high. These same workers could also have time to worship and fast properly.
Ramadan is the month to purify the soul and itikaf is the process by which one accomplishes this. It is an opportunity for detachment from the world and for deep reflection and thought.
For myself, coming from the US, where itikaf is a rare option, I have to admit that I disagree with the argument about productivity being compromised by an extended break over Ramadan.
The UAE is one of the most productive countries in the region and a 10-day break to cleanse and nourish the soul could only be a good thing.
I am sure that the FNC can find a compromise, in which all of us can benefit
Perhaps Muslims can be offered this time off as an option, or in exchange for a little extra work for their non-Muslim colleagues when their own special days come.
This gift of time could go a long way to enhancing the country’s reputation.
In his book Purification of the Soul, the Islamic scholar Jamaal Al Din Zarabozo writes: “The prosperity and well-being of a society is going to be the result of the purification of the individuals within it.
“When they work constantly to purify their souls and those around them, the benefits and fruits of that society was been seen as a whole.”
Hidden within the last 10 days of Ramadan is Laylatul Qadr. This is the night that the Quran was revealed. Muslims believe that by praying during this night, they can change their destiny.
Two Ramadans ago, I met a woman who, in the last 10 nights of Ramadan, prayed for two sessions of qiyaam al layl, the prayer that begins at midnight and can go on until around 3am.
She spent her time running from one mosque to another seeking rewards from Allah. These prayers could have been what helped keep her daughter safe from harm while she was at university in Syria, as this period coincided with the beginning of the attacks on Homs.
I truly believe that holding on to its ties to Islam is what keeps this country safe.
It may seem extreme, but given the wars and chaos threatening the region, every Muslim in the country should get some time off during the last 10 days of Ramadan to pray for Allah’s mercy and protection.
Maryam Ismail is a sociologist and teacher who divides her time between the US and the UAE
