Ramadan diaries: Family in UAE creates special worship space at home

At about 5pm, the family comes together for another highlight of the day - preparing the Iftar and Suhoor meals.

With mosques closed amid the pandemic, a family in Abu Dhabi has gone the extra mile in offering their prayers for the holy month: They created a special place of worship right inside their home.
Salman Ahmed Khan, 50, vice-principal of Islamia English School in Abu Dhabi, lives along Hazza Bin Zayed Road at the city centre with his wife; their daughter Aazhmwer, 18; and their two sons Uneeb, 15, and Saim, 12.
"My family strongly holds religious and cultural values. To us, Ramadan means sacrifice and much of our day is entirely spent on worshipping the almighty Allah," said Salman Ahmed, a Pakistani expat.
"Since we can't go to mosques, we decided to allocate a special place in our house from where we perform the five daily prayers, Taraweeh and Tahajjud (dawn) prayers and reading the Quran."
Salman Ahmed and his eldest son take turns in leading the daily prayers. They also read the holy Quran together in the afternoon and use the Urdu-translated copy to fully understand Allah's message.
This #StayHome Ramadan has certainly strengthened their relationships as a family, he said.
"As working parents, we have been able to spend more time with our children. We find time to talk about family, social and religious issues with our children," he said.
His daughter Aazhmwer, who is in Grade 12, said that although she misses going out with her friends for iftar and other gatherings, her Ramadan has been meaningful as she made time to reflect on herself and her faith.
"I find ample time to pray to Allah and I read the Quran on my own," she said.
Uneeb chimed in: "Ramadan is such a blessing for us as a family, and we do everything together in our home - from preparing meals to worship during this holy month."
At about 5pm, the family comes together for another highlight of the day - preparing the Iftar and Suhoor meals.
"We all love pakora (vegetable fritters). This is an important dish for the family and it can't be missing on the table," said the mother, Rabia Salman Khan.
Pakora is an important dish for Pakistani and Indian families. Other favourites in the Khan household are biriyani, bondi chaat, macrons, and samosa. "I feel good preparing Iftar meals for my family. I always ensure that what everyone likes most is on the day's meal," Rabia said.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com 

• Ramadan 2021