My Ramadan: Pakistani father enjoys caring for all Allah’s living things

Gardener Noor Mohammed is happy to tend to his plants despite having to forgo eating and drinking himself.

Noor Mohammed, a gardener at Al Maqtaa village, Abu Dhabi, enjoys watering his plants despite fasting. Ravindranath K / The National

ABU DHABI // Noor Mohammed is fasting, but his work as a gardener means he must still ensure his plants are well watered.

He is happy to tend to the plants despite having to forgo eating and drinking.

“Why should I feel bad? I am honouring the duty that Allah has given me as a Muslim,” says Mr Mohammed, 42, who works at the Al Maqtaa Village Compound.

“These plants are like my own children, and what father would feel bad or upset while feeding his children?”

He does admit that sometimes it is difficult fasting while working outdoors in summer, “but being a Muslim, I cannot even think of skipping even one day of fasting unless I am on my death bed”.

“I cannot skip my work because it provides bread and butter for my family,” he says.

Mr Mohammed has a wife and five children at home in Swabi city, north-west Pakistan. He says his wife sometimes insists that he should not work while fasting.

“But if I don’t work I will not get my salary,” he says. “How will I then send money to my family for Eid preparations?”

Mr Mohammed always makes sure that his family have enough to buy new clothes, shoes and quality food during Ramadan and Eid, but he never buys anything new for himself.

“I cannot afford shopping here. It’s very expensive,” he says.

Mr Mohammed has been working in the UAE for four years. While he misses his wife and children, the person he misses most is his mother, who died 25 years ago.

“The pain of not having her around still hurts me,” he says. “She used to cook the most delicious suhoors and iftars during Ramadan. After her death, I have never had that kind of heavenly food in my life.”