The holy month of Ramadan occupies the heart of every Muslim as it is the month of mercy and forgiveness where the gates of Heavens are open. The Muslim nation gives special reverence to Ramadan following suit the tradition of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and his Companions (al sahaba) who used to devote themselves for this month, rejoicing its advent, fasting its days and and abstaining from all misdeeds. They used to celebrate the nights of Ramadan through Qiyam-ul-Lail (Night Prayers) reciting the Quran, giving donations for the poor people and offering Iftar for the needy.

The start of Ramadan is determined by the sighting of the new moon (the crescent) at the end of Shaaban, for Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) said " Seek the Crescent at the end of Shaaban to prove the advent of Ramadan ". Verily, it is the month of blessings and benevolence as Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, said: " Ramadan is the month in which the Quran was revealed as a guide to mankind and clear teaching for guidance and judgment; so every one of you who is present in the month, should spend it in fasting. "

In the United Arab Emirates, we celebrate this holy month with great happiness. Preparations for this month begin in Shaaban by purchasing "Mir Ramadan", food basics used in cooking and preparing Iftar on the advent of Ramadan, the family members gather for Iftar, waiting for Al Maghreb (sunset) prayer call. They start with dates, water and coffee, as the food table preparations in Ramadan are very unique compared to all other days where the dishes have special presentation We can find some dishes like Al-Harees (consists mainly of wheat and meat), Al-Thareed (a mix of layers of thin bread with meat) and Luqaimat (dumplings) which are prepared on a daily basis in ramadan. After finishing Iftar, people prepare themselves to perform Al-Tarawih Prayers which begin after Al Isha (night) prayers followed by recitation of Quran.

Moreover, the ties of kinship have greater significance during the month of Ramadan, as relatives and friends pay frequent visits to each other.

This holy month is also distinguished by some traditions such as Suhur (pre-dawn meal) time as the Musaharatis wander through the alleys every night beating drums and calling the names of inhabitants to wake them up for Suhur. " Al-Musaharati ", is also known in some areas by the name of " Bu Tubeileh ". This tradition is rarely practiced however some Arab countries have still maintained it.

The last ten days of Ramadan are special as Muslims perform Al-Qiyam Prayers which start from midnight till pre-dawn with the aim of observing the holiest night of the holy month " Lailat al-Qadr " (the Night of Destiny and power); It is the anniversary of the night the Muslims believe the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).Every worship performed increases the spirituality of the person and in this night any worship is going to be valued as one thousand months of worshipping on any other night.

After the end of these days, people start distributing "Zakatul-Fitr", which is a type of donation given away by the family head on behalf of his family members. This type of Zakat comes in a form of two and a half kilos of rice packages per person. Afterwards, people start to sight the new moon of Shawwal to bid farewell to Ramadan and receive Eid-Ul-Fitr .