• Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Ramadan decorations on the Corniche at sunset in Abu Dhabi. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Ramadan 2021: holy month to begin in UAE on Tuesday


  • English
  • Arabic

Ramadan will begin in the UAE on Tuesday, authorities announced.

The declaration came after the UAE's moon-sighting committee spotted the new crescent moon after sunset prayers on Monday.

The UAE's leaders wished all citizens, residents and Muslims across the globe peace and prosperity.

President Sheikh Khalifa wished leaders and their people good health and well-being, and further progress and prosperity for Arab and Islamic nations.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, shared his best wishes for the month ahead.

“We wish the people of the Emirates and in the Arab and Muslim world a blessed month of Ramadan filled with mercy, goodness and blessings,” he tweeted.

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, said the occasion was a time for compassion and kindness.

"The Holy Month of Ramadan is now upon us and we welcome it with great joy. This is a time for patience, contemplation and compassion and we pray for God’s mercy and kindness," he wrote on Twitter.

Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, and the Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, delivered greetings to the President, Sheikh Khalifa, to mark the start of Ramadan.

They also sent warm wishes to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, and to all the Rulers of the UAE.

Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, and Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, sent similar messages to the UAE Rulers on the occasion.

Saudi Arabia's religious authority confirmed that Ramadan would also begin on Tuesday in the kingdom.

The start of Ramadan is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon, which is typically spotted using a telescope and then confirmed with the naked eye.

Spotting a new moon indicates that Sha'ban, the month proceeding Ramadan, has ended and the holy month has begun.

For the moon-sighting in the UAE, the International Astronomical Centre sets up telescopes on Jebel Hafeet in Al Ain, one of the country's highest mountains.

The committee deliberates over the data at the Ministry of Justice and, once confirmed, announces the start of the holy month.

This year, mosques will be open for prayer in the UAE during Ramadan, having been closed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Special measures are in place to protect worshippers and prevent the spread of the virus, including capacity limits and mandatory face mask use. Muslims are also asked to bring their own prayer mats and copies of the Quran.

Setting up iftar tables and distributing food in mosques is prohibited.

The elderly and people with chronic health problems have also been advised to pray at home.

Ramadan 2020 - in pictures

  • A cannon is fired to signal the end of the fast on the first day of Ramadan at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Victor Besa / The National
    A cannon is fired to signal the end of the fast on the first day of Ramadan at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Victor Besa / The National
  • A boy looks through a window near decorations for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Sidon, Lebanon. Reuters
    A boy looks through a window near decorations for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Sidon, Lebanon. Reuters
  • Palestinian Musharatis call for Muslims to wake up to have the predawn meal before they start their long-day fast in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
    Palestinian Musharatis call for Muslims to wake up to have the predawn meal before they start their long-day fast in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
  • A Muslim man reads the Quran inside a mosque in Mamuju, West Sulawesi province, Indonesia. Reuters
    A Muslim man reads the Quran inside a mosque in Mamuju, West Sulawesi province, Indonesia. Reuters
  • A Muslim prays on a roof inside Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters
    A Muslim prays on a roof inside Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters
  • People eat their Iftar meals at Jama Masjid in the old quarters of Delhi, India. Reuters
    People eat their Iftar meals at Jama Masjid in the old quarters of Delhi, India. Reuters
  • Migrant workers pray in their dormitory in Singapore. Reuters
    Migrant workers pray in their dormitory in Singapore. Reuters
  • Muslims attend a Friday prayer at Mahabat Khan mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan. Reuters
    Muslims attend a Friday prayer at Mahabat Khan mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan. Reuters
  • A small group of worshippers pray at Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
    A small group of worshippers pray at Kaaba in the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Reuters
  • People buy traditional bread at a bakery before the time for iftar in the rebel-held Idlib city, Syria. Reuters
    People buy traditional bread at a bakery before the time for iftar in the rebel-held Idlib city, Syria. Reuters
  • Sheikh Junayd Ahmad leads livestreamed Taraweeh evening prayers at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound in Redmond, Washington, USA. Reuters
    Sheikh Junayd Ahmad leads livestreamed Taraweeh evening prayers at the Muslim Association of Puget Sound in Redmond, Washington, USA. Reuters
  • A Muslim family breaks their fast with the Iftar meal in the historic Bo-Kaap district in Cape Town, South Africa. Reuters
    A Muslim family breaks their fast with the Iftar meal in the historic Bo-Kaap district in Cape Town, South Africa. Reuters
  • A muezzin of the shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani prays in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters
    A muezzin of the shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani prays in Baghdad, Iraq. Reuters
  • A man prays insider the Great Mosque of Brussels in Belgium. Reuters
    A man prays insider the Great Mosque of Brussels in Belgium. Reuters
  • Muslims pray before breaking their fast at Independence Square, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Reuters
    Muslims pray before breaking their fast at Independence Square, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Reuters
  • A boy looks up while waiting to break his fast in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Reuters
    A boy looks up while waiting to break his fast in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Reuters
  • A man reads the Quran by the window of his house in Ahmedabad, India. Reuters
    A man reads the Quran by the window of his house in Ahmedabad, India. Reuters
  • A girl lies down as women pray at a mosque in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Reuters
    A girl lies down as women pray at a mosque in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Reuters
  • Imam Ahmad Al-Harasis reads the Quran at Abdullah Ben Sallam mosque in Amman, Jordan. reuters
    Imam Ahmad Al-Harasis reads the Quran at Abdullah Ben Sallam mosque in Amman, Jordan. reuters
  • Nepalese Muslim men are seen reflected in a mirror as they pray next to sacks of food to distribute to needy families in Kathmandu, Nepal. Reuters
    Nepalese Muslim men are seen reflected in a mirror as they pray next to sacks of food to distribute to needy families in Kathmandu, Nepal. Reuters

Ramadan 2021 and Covid-19 restrictions: All you need to know by country

Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

How green is the expo nursery?

Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery

An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo

Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery

Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape

The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides

All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality

Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country

Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow

Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site

Green waste is recycled as compost

Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs

Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers

About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer

Main themes of expo is  ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months

SECRET%20INVASION
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ali%20Selim%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Samuel%20L%20Jackson%2C%20Olivia%20Coleman%2C%20Kingsley%20Ben-Adir%2C%20Emilia%20Clarke%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Downton Abbey: A New Era'

Director: Simon Curtis

 

Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan

 

Rating: 4/5

 

Profile of MoneyFellows

Founder: Ahmed Wadi

Launched: 2016

Employees: 76

Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)

Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

Jewel of the Expo 2020

252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome

13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas

550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome

724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses

Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa

Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site

The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants

Al Wasl means connection in Arabic

World’s largest 360-degree projection surface

Studying addiction

This month, Dubai Medical College launched the Middle East’s first master's programme in addiction science.

Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.

The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2014
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A06.1%22%20Super%20Retina%20XDR%20OLED%2C%202532%20x%201170%2C%20460ppi%2C%20HDR%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20P3%2C%201200%20nits%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0A15%20Bionic%2C%206-core%20CPU%2C%205-core%20GPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A06GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECapacity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0128%2F256%2F512GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPlatform%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0iOS%2016%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Dual%2012MP%20main%20(f%2F1.5)%20%2B%2012MP%20ultra-wide%20(f%2F2.4)%3B%202x%20optical%2C%205x%20digital%3B%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%2C%20Portrait%20Lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMain%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A04K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F3060fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20HD%20%40%2030fps%3B%20HD%20slo-mo%20%40%20120%2F240fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A012MP%20TrueDepth%20(f%2F1.9)%2C%20Photonic%20Engine%2C%20Deep%20Fusion%2C%20Smart%20HDR%204%3B%20Animoji%2C%20Memoji%3B%20Portrait%20Lighting%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFront%20camera%20video%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204K%20%40%2024%2F25%2F3060fps%2C%20full-HD%20%40%2025%2F30%2F60fps%2C%20HD%20slo-mo%20%40%20120fps%3B%20night%2C%20time%20lapse%2C%20cinematic%2C%20action%20modes%3B%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%204K%20HDR%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A03279%20mAh%2C%C2%A0up%20to%2020h%20video%2C%2016h%20streaming%20video%2C%2080h%20audio%3B%20fast%20charge%20to%2050%25%20in%2030m%3B%20MagSafe%2C%20Qi%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Wi-Fi%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBiometrics%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Face%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Lightning%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECards%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Dual%20eSIM%20%2F%20eSIM%20%2B%20SIM%20(US%20models%20use%20eSIMs%20only)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Blue%2C%20midnight%2C%20purple%2C%20starlight%2C%20Product%20Red%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0iPhone%2014%2C%20USB-C-to-Lightning%20cable%2C%20one%20Apple%20sticker%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Dh3%2C399%20%2F%20Dh3%2C799%20%2F%20Dh4%2C649%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO:

Sabri Razouk, 74

Athlete and fitness trainer 

Married, father of six

Favourite exercise: Bench press

Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn

Power drink: A glass of yoghurt

Role model: Any good man

Favourite book: ‘The Art of Learning’ by Josh Waitzkin

Favourite film: Marvel movies

Favourite parkour spot in Dubai: Residence towers in Jumeirah Beach Residence

ESSENTIALS

The flights 
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes. 
Where to stay 
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.

The burning issue

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. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet

Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder

Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

Madrid Open schedule

Men's semi-finals

Novak Djokovic (1) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 6pm

Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11pm

Women's final

Simona Halep (3) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 8.30pm