Latest news with #Tharaweeh
Khaleej Times
18-03-2025
- Khaleej Times
Night-long prayers, mosque hopping: How UAE residents are preparing for last 10 days of Ramadan
As the last 10 days of Ramadan approach, Muslims across the UAE are preparing for this spiritually significant time with renewed fervour and special nightly prayers. Considered the most pious period of the year, many devotees will visit mosques for prayers that begin at midnight, dedicating the entire night to worship through activities such as reading the holy Quran, and reflecting on their faith as they pray to Allah. This year, Dubai resident Lilik Priyadi plans to spend the last 10 nights of the holy month exploring mosques around the emirate. The Indonesian expat, who typically prays at the mosque closest to his home, has already visited seven different mosques for the Tharaweeh prayers."For the qiyam prayers, I am hoping to explore more mosques," said Lilik, who has lived in Dubai for four years. Qiyam-al-layl, which literally translates to 'standing through the night,' refers to the acts of worship Muslims engage in during the last 10 days. Of these, the most significant one is the special night prayer, also known as Tahajjud, which begins after midnight. The exact timing of the prayers and duration varies from mosque to mosque. Meanwhile, the nightly Tharaweeh prayers will continue as normal until the end of Ramadan. For Lilik, one of the highlights of his mosque hopping experience is the opportunity to meet new people. 'Dubai's multicultural environment means every mosque visit is an opportunity to meet new people. I've met so many fascinating people this Ramadan," he shared. However, despite the diversity, Lilik admitted that he misses the traditional street food culture of Indonesia. "Back home, after prayers, vendors would sell delicious traditional street food. I miss that, but I've come to love Indian food here, like puri baji, karak chai, and samosas. That's what I love about Dubai — it introduces you to so many different cultures.' To manage the expected surge in people and traffic, Dubai Police have completed preparations for the busy nights ahead. The Dubai Events Security Committee has taken steps to ensure safe arrival and departure from mosques, while also organising parking spaces to reduce congestion. Balancing it all The last 10 days of Ramadan also mark the observance of Laylatul Qadr, the night when the Quran was revealed. This sacred night is believed to fall on one of the odd nights during the final 10 days. This year, Laylatul Qadr will begin on Thursday, March 20, and continue through Friday, March 28. Abu Dhabi resident Mohamed Faisal shared that this year, the night prayers have been more challenging as he balances taking care of his newborn twins and his work. 'It has been difficult, but these are the nights you cannot miss the reward for,' he said. 'We have been having a lot of sleepless nights because of the babies and I am expecting the coming days to be no different. At work, we have flexible start timings so I plan to go in a little bit late.' Faisal, along with his friends goes to the mosques around his area which have the most melodious qaris, or Quran reciters. 'We discuss which mosque has good reciters and go there,' he said. 'It is a truly beautiful experience to pray behind a qari who has melodious recitation.' Several renowned reciters come to the UAE during the holy month and lead prayers at various mosques around the country. This year reciters like Abdulaziz Az-Zahrani from Saudi Arabia and Talal Rashid Al Aissai from Oman are in the country during the last 10 days of Ramadan Family affair For Dubai resident Mehnaz Anshah, the last 10 nights are a family affair. Her husband, two daughters, and mother-in-law, who is visiting from India, will join her for the night prayers. 'Luckily, this year the term break begins just as the last 10 days begin so I am hoping that the four of us will be able to go to the mosque together,' she said. 'My mother-in-law is also visiting us from India so we will be taking her with us, as and when her health permits.' The family regularly prays at the Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum mosque in Zabeel, which they prefer for its beautiful Quran recitations. 'They have the most melodious reciters,' she said. After the prayers, Mehnaz and her family often stop at local eateries for a bite or even a Suhoor meal. 'Sometimes we just stop for a tea and sometimes we have a Suhoor meal on our way back,' she said. 'Growing up in Karama, some of my best Ramadan memories were the meals and family time after the night prayers," she reflected. "We always try to recreate that experience for our daughters.
Khaleej Times
11-03-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Ramadan in UAE: Less sleep can cause lack of concentration, accidents, experts say
Loss of sleep during Ramadan could cause several health issues including lack of concentration and even cause accidents, according to experts. One doctor explained that many people suffer from insufficient sleep syndrome during the month. 'What people are suffering from Ramadan is mostly insufficient sleep syndrome,' said Dr. Mutaz Labib, Consultant Pulmonary and Critical Care Disease and head of Sleep Lab at Clemenceau Medical Center Hospital. 'They wake up late and have sleep disruption during the month. So, in the morning, they suffer symptoms like lack of concentration, memory problems, fatigue, tiredness, laziness and urge to nap during the daytime.' He added that previous studies have shown that loss of sleep could contribute to causing accidents as people tend to fall asleep at the wheel. Many of those who fast during Ramadan, often wake up before dawn to eat the pre-fasting meal called Suhoor. Factors like special nightly Tharaweeh prayers and family gatherings often contribute to the lack of sleep among UAE residents. Data from 2024 Wearable company Whoop said that their 2024 data showed a drop in sleep performance and recovery scores during the month of Ramadan as compared to the previous month. A recovery score tells how ready the body is to handle stress each day. 'Good sleep is the key to recovery and performing well,' said Stephan Muller, the company's GCC Marketing Director. 'Changes in daily routines during Ramadan, such as later bedtimes and early mornings, affected Whoop members' sleep patterns with data showing they slept fewer hours and experienced less consistent sleep, likely playing a role in lower recovery scores.' He added that during Ramadan, recovery scores were also impacted by changes in eating, drinking, and sleep routines making it harder for the body to restore and recharge. However, he added that the strain recorded for Whoop users was lower during Ramadan as compared to the pre-Ramadan period. "Strain measures how much effort your body puts in throughout the day,' he said. 'During Ramadan, people naturally took it easier — likely adjusting workouts and daily movement to match changes in eating and sleep schedules." Warning signs Dr. Mutaz said that people should watch out for warning signs which could be caused as a result of lack of sleep. 'If you have snoring, and especially loud snoring, that's a big sign it could be something that needs attention,' he said. 'Most of our clients are brought in by their wives because if you sleep alone, no one knows whether you're snoring or not. So that is a task on partners.' He added that the tendency to have excessive daytime napping should also be taken seriously. 'When you have excessive daytime sleepiness or tiredness, you must go and see a specialist,' he said. 'During a sleep study, we attach electrodes to the brain and heart. We also attach an EMG line to measure the muscle activity overnight and place sensors in the nose and mouth to check breathing. So sleep study is really a health test. It can discover a lot of things.'
