Ramadan Timing - UAE Rules & Guidelines

Ramadan Timing - UAE Rules & Guidelines
1430 AH Ramadan 2009 - 22 August 2009 to 20 September 2009

Rules and expectations specific to Dubai and the UAE
• Companies are required by law to reduce working time by 2 hours per day for all employees, not only Muslims. If employees work longer hours, they should receive overtime pay. Workers can file a complaint at the UAE Ministry of Labour if a company is not following this rule, or not paying overtime for employees who do work longer hours.
• It is illegal to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours (including in your car). Urban legend has it that you end up in jail for the remainder of the month of Ramadan if caught, however it is more likely that you’ll get a lecture from the police and possibly a fine. The law says a fine up to 2000 / 2500 dhs or up to 1 or 2 month jail sentence as far as we know.
• For example, in September 2008, a Lebanese male resident and Russian female visitor were drinking juice in an EPPCO petrol station in Dubai before Iftar, and fined 1000 dhs each according to an article in the Gulf News. Apparently a witness saw them and reported them to the police, who shipped the couple off to court. It seems a surprisingly harsh outcome, unless there is more to the story than was reported.
• Sharjah is likely to have harsher penalties for the same offence.
• Khalil Ibrahim Mansouri, Director General of the department of criminal investigation at the Dubai Police, was reported on 20 August 2009 as saying “We call on people to help us by reporting anyone they see breaking the fast“, referring to people eating, drinking, or smoking in public during the day during Ramadan. The report seemed to think that Mr Mansouri was keen to see residents and visitors chucked in jail – the headline was “People caught eating during Ramadan face jail” and pointed out that 24 people had been jailed in Dubai in the past 3 years for violating the Ramadan fasting period. The original source of the report is unclear.
• If you have hungry children, they are permitted to eat during the day but it would be sensible to be discreet about it. If you’re desparate for food or drink for them, get a snack at a supermarket or service station, or possibly a restaurant/cafe even if they look closed (knock on the door – there might be someone in the back). • It is respectful and polite to dress more conservatively during Ramadan – shoulders and legs should be covered.
• Bars in Dubai are usually still open but patrons will be asked what religion they are and refused entry if they are Muslim. Live and loud music is banned, so is dancing. Bars in Abu Dhabi might be closed. Bars in Ras Al Khaimah usually stay open. Bars in Sharjah don’t exist.
• Any alcohol related offences will probably be treated much more severely than outside the month of Ramadan – it is quite possible an offender is stuck in prison until the end of Ramadan.
• Car stereos should be turned down – loud music, especially rock or similar music, is disrespectful at least, and if police hear it, they’ll have something to say about it.
• Traffic jam times change – the morning is not much different but afternoons from 1300-1600 is quite busy, and again just before Iftar as many people are trying to get to a desired location for Iftar. Every year there are numerous accidents and requests from police to drive carefully at the time. For an hour or so just after Iftar, and from 1600 to an hour or so before Iftar, the roads are relatively traffic-free.

Ramadan guidelines

"Ramadan Mubarak" and "Ramadan Kareem" are congratulatory greetings used when the first day of Ramadan is announced (kareem means generous and mubarak means blessings). Suhoor is the meal in the morning just before sunrise - it is usually a light meal. Iftar is the time of the evening meal just after sunset, traditionally a light snack of dates and water, although this might no be so obvious in Dubai. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims have the following obligations No eating, drinking, smoking or sex between sunrise (fajr) and sunset (maghrib, rather than magrib).
Curb undesirable emotions such as anger, greed, envy, lust, and refrain from gossip.
Keep thoughts and actions pure and use the time of fasting for spiritual contemplation.
Be charitable and help those in need.
Visit friends and family members.
Children (cut-off point is about 12 years old), the elderly, the insane, travellers, pregnant or nursing women, sick people, and those who are fighting in battle are not expected to fast. Instead they should feed one poor person each day during Ramadan, or, in the case of temporary conditions, make up the days by fasting at a later date. Women should not fast during menstruation but make up those days after Ramadan.

Ramadan events and activities in Dubai and the UAE

Iftar is the evening time when, just after the sun sets, a cannon is fired to announce the breaking of the fast for the day. There's one in Safa Park in Jumeirah if you want to get close to the action. Iftar is not the time to have a large feast - traditionally it was a few dates and some water. Later in the evening is when it becomes more festive with larger meals enjoyed amongst friends and family.
Mosques offer free Iftar meals to the less privileged members of society, whether they are Muslim or not. The meals might be sponsored by charities, companies, or individuals. The Abu Dhabi Grand Mosque has one of the largest Iftar gatherings in their carpark.
Many hotels will have special Iftar tents where customers can have a simple or more complex meal - with a range of prices to match.
Ramadan is seen as an opportunity to visit friends and family members, especially those with whom contact has faded.
The rulers in various emirates pardon a number of prison inmates on the first day of Ramadan. Some are also released for the month of Ramadan to spend time with their family.
Most businesses and government offices will close for the day sometime between 1400 and 1600. Iftar is around 1730-1830 depending on the time of year and when the sun sets.
Business activities tend to slow down during Ramadan. Expect delays with any commercial or bureaucratic activities.
Almost all restaurants and cafes will be closed during the day but many will extend their opening hours at night.
There will be a few eating outlets open during the day for dine-in customers in larger hotels and shopping centers. Some fast food restaurants allow drive-through or take-outs.
Supermarkets are normally open during the day and have extended hours at night - sometimes till midnight or even later.
Shopping centers are open during the day and an extra hour or two at night.

Thanks/ Source : http://www.dubaifaqs.com/ramadan-in-dubai.php