In the heart of a Dubai prison, Ramadan is a particularly poignant time of reflection and spiritual renewal.
On a visit to the Dubai Police Correctional Establishment in Al Awir, The National spoke to a number of inmates and saw first-hand how they honour the holy month.
From breaking fast over iftar to waking up for suhoor, the key principles are adhered to – and some previously non-Muslims have even converted to Islam during their time behind bars.
There is so much peace and fulfilment derived from these practices
48-year-old inmate
A 44-year-old former Christian from Burundi, who now calls himself Rashid, converted to Islam three months ago and is navigating his first Ramadan.
In August 2021, he was taken into custody after he was found in possession of drugs at Dubai International Airport.
This led to a decade-long sentence and a Dh50,000 ($13,615) fine on drug-trafficking charges but also, ultimately, to a rediscovery of faith in the most unlikely of places.
“The idea of spending the rest of my life behind bars was the darkest moment of my life but it was that dark moment that led me to find light,” he told The National.
The shift was not the outcome of a singular event but a series of encounters and gestures of kindness from Muslim prisoners and officers.
“Starting from the police officers who arrested me to the Muslim inmates around me, they have all shown respect, help and kindness I have not seen before,” he said.
“My knowledge of Islam was limited, despite my maternal uncle embracing the faith years ago.
“But the way Dubai Police officers and fellow inmates treated me, attributing that kindness to their faith made me rethink my own.”
Carrying a storm of thoughts, Rashid said he drifted into sleep one night three months ago and saw himself back in his village in a dream.
“I was greeted by so many people including my mother and everyone was dressed in white,” he said.
“I woke up with one clear thought in my head: I want to embrace Islam. Until that moment, the thought of converting had never crossed my mind."
After sharing his decision with officers, he received support and guidance, including an English copy of the Quran and Arabic lessons from a Sudanese prisoner.
“I have learnt half of the Arabic alphabet and am now practising writing,” Rashid added.
His wife and teenage daughter, while not Muslims, showed openness to his new faith but fasting during Ramadan was something he initially viewed with apprehension.
This was until the concept was better explained to him by inmates and officers, while reading about the holy month helped him understand its significance.
“My first reaction was like: 'I am deprived of freedom and now will be deprived of food,'" he said.
“Now I believe Ramadan is not about stopping food. It's about stopping yourself from losing control. It's to tell you that you can but you think you can’t.”
Another story of faith and transformation is that of a 27-year-old Emirati inmate serving a 15-year sentence.
He finds solace in his prayers and Quran memorising sessions, while achieving purpose through participation in a prison farm project – launched a few months ago as part of a rehabilitation drive by Dubai Police.
“I wake up for suhoor at 3am then sleep for a short while until it's time for Al Fajr prayer,” he said.
He spends his time at the farm caring for his crops until it's Dhuhr (midday) prayer time.
“I’m growing tomatoes and cucumbers,” he said.
Meanwhile, an Indian inmate and farmworker, 48, finds spiritual sustenance in the routine of suhoor, prayer and reading the Quran.
“There is so much peace and fulfilment derived from these practices,” he said.
The acts of generosity observed during Ramadan, he says, represent another aspect that offers spiritual nourishment.
“One example is an inmate who provides ordered-in iftar meals for all 60 inmates in our ward," he said.
“This reflects the spirit of giving and solidarity that defines Ramadan for me.”
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
The Gentlemen
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Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
