Holy month provides break from daily routine

Khaled Al Shamsi enjoys the slower pace of life during Ramada. Satish Kumar / The National

AJMAN // The holy month is a time of peace and quiet for Khaled Al Shamsi, when the hectic pace of his daily life finally begins to slow down.

“Ramadan is much different from other days in the year,” says Mr Al Shamsi.

“Your time is more organised in terms of prayers, eating and gathering with family and friends. Normally, your time is disorganised and you have less time to meet your relatives.”

The Emirati likes to stick to a routine each day during the holy month, with time set aside for reading the Quran, teaching his young son the basics of Islam, daily prayers, eating and seeing family and friends.

“After al fajr prayer I read the Quran and then I have a rest until it’s time to go to work, where every person is kept busy until we go home,” he says.

“After work I sleep for an hour to relax, then go to mosque to for al asr prayers. Then I teach my four-year-old son how to memorise some chapters in the Quran by following certain methods in order to make it easy for him.”

Mr Al Shamsi, who works at a government department, tries to stay as active as possible and finds time to work out each day, usually before sunset when the temperature begins to drop.

“An hour before iftar my sports programme begins with exercises and then walking outdoors.”

When it comes to breaking his fast, the 38-year-old is not one for grand iftars and indulgent buffets. He prefers to eat light with a meal before maghrib prayers.

Later in the evening he will sit down for his main meal with his wife and children before heading out to visit his parents and other relatives.

“I visit my aunt before evening and taraweeh prayers because all my cousins and uncles gather at her place. Then, I meet with my friends every night in a small farm where we play cards, watch television or chat together.

“The most beautiful thing in the farm is that each person brings with him something like juice, sweets or meals for suhoor,” he said.