Latest: Eid Al Adha holidays for public sector announced
Eid Al Adha, the next religious holiday in the Islamic calendar, is now only a few days' away.
It is the most important festival for Muslims and begins on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijjah, the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar.
But when is it? And what does it celebrate?
When is Eid Al Adha?
The Eid Al Adha holiday is likely to start on July 20.
The International Astronomical Centre said that the month of Dhu Al Hijjah, 1442 AH, is likely to begin on Saturday, July 10 at 5.17am UAE time.
An announcement by Muhammad Shawkat Odeh, the centre's director, was reported by UAE news agency Wam.
Mr Odeh said it would be possible to see the crescent moon on that day using a telescope from Arab countries, and with the naked eye from most countries in Africa and Europe.
Residents can expect a long public holiday around the religious festival, as Arafat Day is expected to fall on Monday, July 19.
This will be followed by a three-day break for Eid, taking the holiday up to Thursday, July 22, adding up to six days off for those lucky enough not to work the weekend.
The festival of the sacrifice
Eid Al Adha is known as the festival of the sacrifice, and coincides with the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah, which all Muslims are required to make at least once in their lives if they are able.
The sacrifice that the holiday commemorates is explained in the Quran, which tells of how the Prophet Ibrahim was asked by God in his dream to sacrifice his son, Ismail, as a test of his faith.
Ibrahim dismissed the dream at first, but it recurred several nights in a row.
He grappled with the decision but ultimately decided to fulfil God’s command, even though the devil tried to dissuade him.
Ibrahim threw rocks at the devil in response, pilgrims at Hajj reenact this by throwing rocks at symbolic pillars.
The worshippers pelt stones at three walls in one of a series of rituals that must be performed by those who make the journey.
But just before Ibrahim was about to carry out the command, God replaced his son with a goat and told him to sacrifice the animal instead.
Muslims now celebrate the holiday by eating the meat of a sacrificed animal.
How it will be different this year
Eid is usually celebrated with family and friends over a meal.
The day begins with early Eid prayers at a mosque and it is customary for a family to have a goat or sheep butchered at an abattoir.
The meat is typically shared between themselves, their relatives and the underprivileged.
Families and friends visit each other and wear new clothes. Eidieh, a monetary gift during Eid, is given to children and sweets are served.
But the occasion is expected to be quieter this year because of the pandemic.
Authorities urged people to avoid family visits and gatherings during Eid Al Fitr, and this celebration will likely be no different.
This year's Hajj will go ahead
Authorities in Saudi Arabia confirmed the Hajj will take place this year, but with precautions in place to stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Only 60,000 citizens and residents will be allowed to perform the pilgrimage.
Anyone taking part must have received at least one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior, be aged between 18 and 65, and be free of chronic diseases.
“Those over the age of 65 are being prevented from performing Hajj this year in order to preserve their health during the ongoing pandemic,” the Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia said.
A look back at last year's Hajj
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
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Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
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What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
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Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
