The Prophet Mohammed said we should "exchange presents with one another, for they remove ill feelings from the heart," and that was a sentiment put into action this Eid Al Fitr across the UAE.
Some institutions gave away gifts, while others decided to give eidieh — a sum of money given as a gift.
On the first day of Eid, drivers and community members across the country received sweets and roses from police officers. And on the second day at Sharjah central prison, the children of inmates were brought together with their fathers and received surprise gifts such as smartphones and bicycles.
The Path to Happiness initiative was launched by the Sharjah Punitive and Correctional Establishment and aimed to give parents and children time together away from the prison bars. On its Instagram account, Sharjah Police said it called the families of 15 children asking what they wanted for Eid.
The children were not aware that they would be seeing their fathers, or that they were to receive gifts.
Abu Dhabi Police also gave eidieh to the children of prisoners, and in Ajman, children living with their imprisoned mothers received eidieh from community police officers who visited. Officers from the Traffic and Patrols Directorate together with Sharjah Police gave eidieh to workers to help them to enjoy Eid with their families, both inside and outside of the UAE.
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"Police are part of society and the vision is to achieve the security, safety and happiness of all community members," said Lt Col Khaled Mohammed Al Nuaimi, deputy director of Ajman Police operations.
Officers visited people with no families to celebrate with, such as those in nursing homes and orphanage shelters, and handed out presents.
People looking to plan their next holiday will not have to wait long as Eid Al Adha is expected to start on August 21, although the official date is subject to the moon-sighting.
The UAE tends to celebrate with a public holiday starting on Arafat Day (the day before Eid Al Adha) and lasting three days. August 20 will fall on a Monday so it is hoped that a midweek break awaits every public and private sector employee this summer.