ABU DHABI // Rulers and Crown Princes of several emirates participated yesterday in a prayer for rain, or Salaat al Istisqaa, called for last week by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, the President of the UAE.
The prayer is a religious service originally performed by the Prophet Mohammed when rain was scarce. Now the prayer is also offered during rain season in the hope that more rain will fall.
In Sharjah, Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed, the Ruler of the emirate, offered prayers with congregates at the Al Badee prayer grounds, reported WAM, the state news agency.
Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid, Crown Prince of Ajman, and Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed, Ruler of Fujairah, attended the prayers in their emirates.
Rain is viewed with great respect in Arab culture. Arabic has numerous words for rain, with one of the more common words also meaning relief.
The prayer, led by an imam, comprises two parts: praying for rain and a short sermon. In Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Ali al Hashmi, religious adviser to Sheikh Khalifa, said he was not happy with number of people who turned out to join in the prayer.
Sheikh al Hashmi led the prayer at Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque, where only 30 men attended. The mosque is one of the largest in the world and can accommodate nearly 41,000 people.
"If the nation's leader has called for Istisqaa prayer, the religious affairs authorities should inform people about it," Sheikh al Hashmi said.
He said officials from the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments should have made a more organised call for the prayer and ambassadors representing major Muslim communities should have been invited.
Sheikh al Hashmi added that non-Muslims could also be invited to the prayer as it concerned every member of the community.
"It had been a long-standing tradition where non-Muslims attend the Istisqaa prayers," he said. "The tradition had been dropped only in recent decades.
"We pray for rain because it is a mercy from God upon slaves. In the early days of Islam men and women and children used to attend the prayer with their cattle."
mhabboush@thenational.ae
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
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'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
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."
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La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
