Dates and water may help cut accidents

Charity’s handouts could reduce pre-iftar crashes as people fasting rush to get home in time to join their families.

Visitors to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi on Thursday night after iftar, which ended the first day of fasting for the holy month. Lee Hoagland / The National

ABU DHABI // Water, dates and a cupcake. Just three small items were all that were needed to help some of the capital’s Muslims break their fast on the first night of Ramadan.

And, in line with the spirit of the holy month, the food and water was distributed free by Al Ihsan Charity Association volunteers.

Taxi driver Iftikhar Haleem, who has lived in the country for seven years, said he was grateful for the help of Al Ihsan, which is supported by a number of sponsors, including Abu Dhabi Media.

“It’s a good idea,” said Mr Haleem, from Sri Lanka. “We don’t have the time to prepare everything, because we are always driving.”

One of the main aims of the initiative is to stop fasting motorists from racing home in time to break their fast, and causing accidents.

“We contacted police headquarters and they told us there is an increase in accidents in the 10 or 15 minutes before prayers,” said Khalid bin Tameem, chairman of the organising committee for A Safe Ramadan.

“People are driving at speed to break their fast.”

The campaign, which runs throughout Ramadan, targets major road intersections across the country, utilising the support of more than 1,000 volunteers and police.

“This year, we expect to distribute 300,000 packages, inshallah,” he said. “The slogan for this year is: ‘Don’t let your fasting be an excuse for traffic violations’.”

The annual campaign, now in its fourth year, has gone from about 80 volunteers distributing 40,000 meals to more than 1,000 volunteers handing out 200,000 meals. The campaign has also spread throughout the Emirates, after initially running in only part of the country.

The day started early, with thousands of Muslims heading to mosques to hear the first morning prayers of the holy month at 4.30am on Thursday.

Worshippers said the soaring temperatures in the UAE would not dampen their duties to Allah but only strengthen their faith in understanding Islamic values.

Meder Dayef, 26, an Abu Dhabi resident from Kyrgyzstan who was in the mosque for the first morning prayer of Ramadan, was determined to complete 30 days of fasting in the UAE heat.

This is Mr Dayef’s first Ramadan in the UAE. He arrived eight months ago and chose to perform his first Umrah pilgrimage in the holy month.

“I am travelling to Mecca this evening by bus to perform

Umrah for the first time,” Mr Dayef said. He woke up at 3am for suhoor.

“Since I moved to the UAE, I loved the environment, which prompted me to perform Umrah and now I have the opportunity for this,” said Mr Dayef, whose first fast was at age 14.

“I’ll be fasting the whole month. I am new here so I am learning more and more about my religion.”

This year, Ramadan is at the height of the summer. However, the devout are determined to complete all fasting days.

“It’s hard and a testing time for us, but Allah gives us strength to fast. We are going to respond dutifully. It’s an opportunity Allah bestowed on us to observe fast this year again.

“Who knows what will happen next year. So I feel fortunate to fast,” said Mohammed Saleem, from India.

All the city’s mosques register a wider footfall for fajr prayers on the first day of Ramadan. “The huge gathering of people is because of barakah of Ramadan,” Mr Saleem said, referring to the blessing of Ramadan. “The number of worshippers at mosques reaches a few thousand for fajr, while during regular days for similar prayers only a few hundred turn up.”

Adhan, the call to prayer, for fajr at dawn, begins the daily fast, which lasts until dusk. Fasting Muslims break their fast when the maghrib prayer adhan is called.