iPhone | iPad
Android
Huawei
The unique showcase brings together a diverse lineup of comedians from India and Pakistan, promising an hour of non-stop entertainment
KT APPDOWNLOAD
UAE: Hospital driver looks forward to breaking fast with 'work family' during Ramadan
Though Indian expat Ashraf Korambil Padhinepurayil misses his family back home in Kerala, he says he is grateful for his colleagues' company
Hospital driver Ashraf Korambil Padhinepurayil always looks forward to the time of the day when he sits down with his colleagues and ends his fast as the call to prayer at a nearby mosque echoes all around.
Such a moment, however, doesn’t happen every day. “My job is to drop surgical instruments, doctors, and guests from one place or hospital to another...Sometimes, I have to go to far-off places or outside Dubai to Abu Dhabi,” said Ashraf, who works as transportation-in-charge at Burjeel Hospital, Dubai.
For the holy month of Ramadan, his duty begins at 6am and continues for six hours. “Whenever I go past my duty hours when driving long distances, I end my fast either in the car on the road or by the roadside,” he said.
Ashraf - who has lived in the UAE for the past 10 years - enjoys every moment of Ramadan, as for him, it’s a time of prayer and spirituality.
“But another thing that I really appreciate is that during Ramadan, I have Iftar together with my colleagues. Since some of us have been living and working together for years now, we have developed a good understanding. We enjoy each other’s company.”
Sometimes, he would cook at home and bring his Iftar meal with him. On days when he could end his fast at the hospital, he gets to enjoy free meals.
“But if I end my duty hours before Iftar, then I return to my accommodation.”
With Eid Al Fitr just around the corner, Ashraf is missing his family in the south Indian state of Kerala. Since he won’t be able to fly home for the occasion, he would certainly make time to be with them via video call.
ALSO READ:
“But I do have an extended work family here in the UAE. I am grateful to Allah for everything that I’ve received in my life. As the holy month is marked by intense prayer, I pray to Allah, from the bottom of my heart that by the next Ramadan, this pandemic would be completely over across the world.”
More news from
Work teams across all customs centres continued to process cargo clearance and inspections
The UN chief urges international community to work together to prevent any actions that could push the entire Middle East over the edge
This punishment sent out a message to all teams of the importance of maintaining a healthy pace throughout a match
Only 10 of Gaza's 36 hospitals are currently even partially functioning
The updated Meta AI assistant will be given more prominent billing within Meta's Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger apps
The McLaren driver saw his fastest lap time deleted and then reinstated in the final minutes of the session as he edgec Hamilton in his Mercedes by 1.261 seconds
Sharafu’s unbeaten 55 ensured UAE would post a comfortable victory in the ACC Men’s T20 Premier Cup in Oman
