Working three shifts makes fasting easier for him

Abu Dhabi - His duty during Ramadan is split into three shifts - including morning till noon, evening which ends at 6pm and the night shift that lasts till 2am.

Ramadan brings various changes to the routine of Mohammed Rafiik, a worker at a laundry shop in Mussafah Shabia in Abu Dhabi. He has to work two shifts and extended hours at night.
Rafiik's day starts with the opening of the laundry shop at 7am and handing out clothes to customers preparing to go for work while also receiving those brought for cleaning. He then starts sorting out clothes and other stuff brought for washing and laundry before embarking on his ironing duty.
"My major duty in the laundry is ironing customers' clothes and this is what I do throughout the day, even during Ramadan," said Rafiik.
"Fasting is a bit tough during the first days of Ramadan especially when you have to stand for hours of routine work and without drinking anything. But as days go by, I get used to it."
The 28-year-old Indian expat, who has worked in the laundry shop for four years now, said unlike in other months where he works from morning until 11pm, his duty during Ramadan is split into three shifts - including morning till noon, evening which ends at 6pm and the night shift that lasts till 2am.
According to Rafiik, the broken working shifts during Ramadan allow him to have some rest during the interval, making fasting easy for him.
"After the afternoon prayer (Dhuhr), I go back to my room and rest for three hours and return to work after Asr prayer," he said. 
"We are three people here and we take turns to make our meals. At 5pm, one of us go back to our accommodation to prepare the Iftar meal."
Chicken biryani, vegetables and samosa are some of the favourite items of the Iftar meals of Rafiik and his workmates.
After Iftar, the laundry worker heads for Isha prayer which is followed by the Taraweeh prayer before he returns to duty at 10pm which ends at 2am. When it's not Ramadan, Rafiik's day ends at 11pm.
"During Ramadan, we receive many of our customers at night and often a huge load of work. This is the reason as to why we have extended our working hours until early morning. It's a bit hectic as we are not used to long hours in the night, but it's convenient for our customers," he said.
"To me, Ramadan is a month of worship and I like it here in the UAE because you really feel the spirit of the holy month as everyone is kind and peaceful. The customers are also so good to us and very generous during Ramadan." 
The Indian worker and father of two girls and one boy, however, said he misses Ramadan back home because it was fun every day. "Back home, my wife and kids, uncles, aunties and other relatives used to gather every evening at my parents' place and we had Iftar meals together. I miss such moments," said Rafiik.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com
 

• UAE
• Ramadan 2021
• Dubai