With the start of my third Ramadan in the UAE, I’m reflecting on what I have learnt from spending time with Emirati friends at this special month of the year.
My sense is that fasting provides an opportunity to move away from the daily routine to allow time for reflection on the lives they enjoy. The way Emirati friends explain it to me is that the intent of fasting is first and foremost for spirituality but then for all the other benefits that result such as self-restraint, strengthening of the family unit, sharing the feelings of the less fortunate, and health (so long as the iftars and suhurs don’t undo the good work!).
I have shared the celebration and emotions around the time of breaking fast and I can see how it strengthens ties with family and friends in a really special way.
This Ramadan, I’m delighted that my country – Great Britain – will be host to the greatest gathering of nations with the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It doesn’t often happen that the Games and Ramadan coincide and I believe this makes it an extra special occasion – for Londoners, for Muslims and for everyone visiting the UK over the next month. British Muslim and Emirati athletes will compete side by side – as will the over 3,000 Muslim Olympians taking part in the Games that start in just a few days time.
Whilst many will not be fasting for very understandable reasons I understand that they will find ways to match the significance of the most professional opportunity of their lives against the most significant spiritual time in their religious calendar – for example I have heard that Moe Shibi, the leading British Olympic rower will provide 1,800 meals for poor people in Morocco where his father was born. I was also touched to read about the inspiration Darren Cheesman from the Team GB Hockey has given to many young British Muslims aspiring for a life in professional sports. And it’s impressive to hear about the arrangements the International Olympic Committee are putting in place for those who are fasting – predawn meals and venues preparing first meals after sunset. Good examples of how Islam and competitive sports go hand in hand in the 21st century.
Those from the Emirates travelling to the UK over the next month will sample the welcome and warmth of British hospitality. They will also be able to share in the atmosphere of faith and celebration across all of the UK’s main cities with many iftars and family gatherings. I will be in the UK myself for some of the month and look forward to seeing as many Emirati friends there as possible – it’s nice to be able to return the hospitality that I receive in the UAE. While I aim to experience fasting at least once to train my will (!) I look forward to enjoying exciting evenings of sports from the Games – particularly the most important event of all – the football match between the UAE and UK on 29 July. Being a diplomat of course I will say ‘may the best team win’.
As a Londoner and having grown up on a very diverse society with many Muslim friends, I came to the UAE with a fair amount of knowledge about Islam. However, the time I have spent with Emirati friends has encouraged me to ask many more questions. Their openness and eagerness to share insights with me into Islamic culture has been very rewarding.
The virtues of patience and tolerance – central to the Muslim faith and enhanced further during the month of Ramadan are virtues that every human being should cultivate. These values were at the heart of the vision of the founders of the UAE and are carried forward today by the leadership today; that is why this Ramadan and throughout the year, over 100,000 Britons choose to call the Emirates their home.
Excellent blog Ambassador and I couldnt agree more on your thoughts.
As a person born and brought up in the Middle East, the holy month of Ramadhan has become as important to my life and many lives as mine as Christmas would.
It is a month of self reflection and an ideal way of counting your blessings if not the best.
To all my colleagues around the world working for the FCO, Muslim and non-Muslim, Ramadhan Kareem.
And yes, may the best team win on the 29th.
Dear Dominic, to me, there is one “K-Sentence” in your interesting report:”…an opportunity (the Ramadan) to move away from the daily routine…”. Which affect us all more or less.In my way of thinking it ‘s the only REAL possibility to do reflecting your own life at all.And do better to other ones…but it ‘s also always surprising to me of how your Emirati friends explained the true, the real meaning of this fasting-time/period.I do agree that fastening-whether you do it like me as an Angelican “around” Easter-or your Arabian friends in July ’12, is foremost FOR SPIRITUALITY. It ‘s like-in my head/brain a cleaning but heavy storm-but after 4 to 5 days (and nights!)-I ‘m thinking clear and the “sun and the clear blue sky” are coming out again.I do believe that your Emirati friends /community are meaning exactly the same by -of course- using only other words.And like them I also share one common , hope for them and surely for me one important thing: No drinking, no alcohol , just for one single month.So it must be also good for your health.I mean this old British saying: “….a healthy spirit in a healthy body…”.I don ‘t agree that fastening is useful by strenghthening your family unit. It can, but I have my doubts.And I’m doubting that Ramadan (or Easter…) is a help in re. of sharing the feelings of those people who are unlucky, unemployed, suffering or starving.But that is another topic anyway.What I really do like in your report is also the fact that it ‘s a fantastic coincidence (even if you don ‘t really believe in them ) that the Olympics and Paralympics’12 in London and the Ramadan are “happening” at the same time.And all these influences which you have been described so well. E.g.:Moe Shibi with his meals for poor and starving Moroccans or Darren Cheesman ‘s inspirations of/for “our” Team GB.Best examples like these are quite fantastic and give all of us already today, July 25th, 12,a further proof and impression of what ‘s coming up and will take place in the best sense during the next weeks at the forthcoming Olympics/Paralympics in London 2012. BW + much luck for the Emiratis, Ingo-Steven Wais, Stuttgart/Cardiff.
Hi Dominic
Ramadan Mubarak!
I must say you have put the spirit of Ramadan and Olympics very appropriately, which made it a good read.
Thank you for that.
Hi Ingo-Steven
Rightly said, fasting is foremeost for spirituality. Just to clarify how fasting helps in in strengthening the family unit, is having pre and post dawn meals together and also celeberating EID after Ramadan which means meeting and sharing food / gifts / money with relatives. Over rest of the year this may not be possible as everyone has their own routine and can eat anytime.
We do share the feelings of unlucky and poor, as its just about having two meals a day and nothing else in between not even water, but still carrying on with our routine tasks. Poor people cannot have it cause of money and the affording will not cause of fast even if they have things available. Moreover, most people, to gain more blessings, give away food to the poor to break their fast. This is a practice by my family too.
Lets hope and pray that we have a great Ramdan and Olympics!
Best Wishes
Dear Dominic,”….Innovations of ..” is to me another proof of yr. outstanding way/kind of writing.Full of infos + detailed descriptions for a lot of readers which have an honest interest and sympathy for United Arab Emirates- U.A.E.
Many topics in yr. article are for me still-and lasting important.That ś why I ‘m writing today, July 30 th, 12, these lines.(Even if yr report was released in October ’11.
That ‘s why I ḿ “cutting” my comment in 2 parts # ’1, 2.