FUJAIRAH // Listening to old stories about how her parents and grandparents would spend their days fasting and observing the traditions of the holy month many years ago is what makes Ramadan such a special time for Qadreyyah Al Kaabi.
“The best thing about the holy month for me is the time when my father sits down at the majlis after al isha prayers and starts telling us stories about how they used to spend Ramadan during the old days.
“Two generations would sit down around him and listen to his stories,” said Ms Al Kaabi.
Her 63-year-old father would start his stories by describing the differences between the olden days and today and how he used to help his parents by picking and weaving palm fronds.
“The story would normally start with a comment about the past and how it was much harder then – telling us what the boys and girls would do during fasting time then compared to us today.
“The boys used to help their father in collecting palm fronds and preparing it to be used in weaving roof tops, food baskets and trays, floor mats and much more.
“The girls used to assist in weaving and cooking until iftar time when they would all gather around a huge mat of palm leaves and eat traditional Emirati food like adasseiah, khabees and balalet.”
Nowadays most people spend their fasting time asleep until iftar, said Ms Al Kaabi.
The 27-year-old Emirati has a lot of respect for the old traditions and the life her parents and grandparents experienced in Fujairah, something she feels today’s generation could learn from.
“They used to work so hard in order to live and exist and I really respect that.”
Besides the stories and other Ramadan rituals, such as prayers and family visits, Ms Al Kaabi, along with her siblings, have come up with a way to encourage the children to finish reading the Quran during the holy month.
“Each year during Ramadan we arrange a contest for all family members aged between 7 and 15 to read and memorise the Quran. The idea started five years ago and everyone loved it,” she said. “It’s the family get-together month, we do everything together, prepare food, read the Quran and pray.”
rhaza@thenational.ae
