No curtains required for Abu Dhabi restaurants this Ramadan
Confirmation came via a circular from the DCT yesterday…
Although putting up restaurant partitions and curtains has been a long-observed tradition in the UAE throughout the Holy Month, in recent years Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) stepped back from making it a mandatory requirement.
In a circular issued on Tuesday April 6, it said: “Establishments will be allowed to provide catering services as per usual practice during the Holy Month of Ramadan without installing curtains or covering facades.”
Circular 15/2021 was issued as an amendment to an earlier circular (14/2021) which obliged restaurants, cafes, and hotels to install partitions.
Partitions were formally used to shield those fasting from being able to see non-Muslims, or those Muslims that have been advised not to fast, eating in restaurants and other venues.
Yesterday we reported on the news that the Department of Municipalities and Transport in Abu Dhabi confirmed that it would not be approving permits for Ramadan iftar tents this year.
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Ramadan is expected to start around Tuesday April 13 in the Gregorian calendar for the year 2021.
What is Ramadan?
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world abstain from eating, drinking and smoking between sunrise and sunset.
Lasting about a month, it marks the time when the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Extra tarawih prayers are performed at the mosque throughout Ramadan and each evening 1/30th of the holy book is recited. By the end of Ramadan, many observers have read the entire Qur’an.
Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, which are the foundation of the religion. The pillars are the framework by which Muslims everywhere live, and Ramadan is considered the holiest time in the Islamic calendar. It is a time for prayer, reflection and religious devotion, to cleanse past sins and to focus on Allah through good deeds.
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