Expats in UAE experience local iftar tradition

(24 Jul 2014) LEADIN
Iftar in the United Arab Emirates is a time for families to get together and bond over fine food.
An event company in Ras al Khaimah is offering expatriates living in the country the chance to experience a rare slice of this gastronomic Emirati tradition.
STORYLINE
Thareed boiling in a pot.
Islamic tradition says this Arabic dish of crispy flat bread layered with meat stew was one of prophet Muhammed's favourites.
Abdullah al-Shehhi and his family are preparing for a big feast.
They will be hosting iftar for expatriates living in the Emirates at their home in Sha'am; a quaint little town on the border with Oman nestled comfortably in between mountains and sea.
It is the last town in the UAE before crossing the border into the Musandam Peninsula of Oman.
During the holy month most expatriates living in the capital, Abu Dhabi, or in Dubai will engage in the month by treating themselves to a fancy Iftar or two at a hotel.
UAE nationals roughly make up a mere 16% of the total population of the country, so for many visitors, interactions can be limited and hard to come by.
Abdullah's home is open to guests everyday, but today is different as his western visitors arrive bringing dates, gifts and sweets.
They are welcomed by his children.
Inside in the main "majlis", or sitting area, lies a long spread of local cuisine placed carefully on the floor.
This gathering has been organised by the Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation, a public policy and research organisation based in Ras Al Khaimah.
Suqrat Bin Bisher, event manager for the foundation, thinks it's important that foreigners experience local culture in distinct areas of the seven sheikhdoms.
"We try to connect the foreigners to the locals so that they can get to know the general traditions and customs in the United Arab Emirates in the Bedouin or mountain areas. So today we're in the Sha'am area," he says.
The kitchen is bustling with energy.
Meat broth is poured over the bread before it is taken to the hungry diners.
In the majlis Suqrat explains the traditional Emirati way of sitting whilst eating iftar.
"And of course we explained to them the traditions of Ramadan and customs of the Emiratis, the type of food. This is something we are honoured to do, we promote the customs of the Emiratis that have somehow started disappearing from the main-stage, especially for expats," he says.
The Shehhi family have been living in Sha'am their whole lives.
The patriarch Abdullah was a former school principal and now a grandfather of nine.
His son, Khalid explains that opening up their home to others isn't new to their family.
"Of course our house is always open, but we always have gatherings and invite people and the door is open. It's good because it brings people together," Khalid says.
The guests break their fast with a date, then sit, eat and ask about the different food that's offered.
Peter, who works at the US Consulate, just moved to the Emirates one month ago.
"It's been fantastic, everybody was so friendly, it was great to try lots of different types of Emirati food and desserts and learn about how an Emirati family celebrates Ramadan," he says.
After the main meal, guests are treated to a traditional perfuming ceremony that is customary after eating iftar.
Bin Bisher sprays perfume and rose water while another family member offers local incense to the guests.
Sean McNabb, a Namibian intern at Hilton Hotels, decided to come to the event because he also was looking for an authentic Emirati experience.
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[@andy4b767]

I just love the Emirati cuisine and Emirati culture. I'd say they're the most hospitable people

[@pamelajohnson2748]

This is lovely Muslims believe in hospitality they invite people to their homes to show them Islam is peaceful.The food looks so yummy.I respect the culture and the religion.

[@missrose5261]

MashAllah I am a muslima from East Europe and I would love to come to UAE to experience the culture. One day InshAllah.

[@misba6khan272]

Miss Rose you can come over here

[@umairrana8251]

Sure

[@naziabegum4624]

I love Islam , Islam means peace, prosperity and happiness

[@busyhoneybee4517]

really?

[@merlindamanison3337]

You are very compassionate and generous people your blessed and rich

[@merlindamanison3337]

Islam is peace slam is great generous verybrespwctful

[@SaifulIslam-fx5ty]

I love Arabic food

[@tenny6246]

This is not Islam, its Arabic culture. Islam is 💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣💣, not Arab. Understand the difference.

[@mohammedalshihri5783]

بيض الله وجيهكم يا أهل الإمارات انتو أهل الطيب والكرم والجود الله لا يغير عليكم ويزيدكم من فضله وجوده وان يحبب فيكم خلقه.

[@mariamjahan7865]

I love UAE and the tradition and the people... May Allah bless them all ..

[@kalababa8917]

UAE and Qatar locals are so kind and generous....they have no match to other Arabs. Respect from 🇵🇰

[@Reeue]

ما شاء الله عليكم كرم وطيب وحسن ضيافة ماقصرتو بشي لله يبيض وجيهكم ياليتني حاضر معكم والله

[@تقربالىالله-س8ص]

الحمد الله على نعمه الاسلام اللهم صلي على محمد وال محمد

[@repentance1748]

this is islam. hopfully more people could see this video.

[@ru8298]

Anna-- no this is khaleejis

[@cinakakar197]

Annaxx
khaleejis means assholes

[@repentance1748]

I Dont Know Of course you don't!
if u think that every human being would do that, its fine. Just tell ur stupid ass if there is a terrorism it is not my fucking Islam it could be any human being, it might be ur ass bitch.

[@IDontKnow-md7jc]

Annaxx wtf bitch don't let me teach ur quran bitch where killing and fucking in every line u fucked up mind huh.

[@walledsheikh7063]

Annaxx

[@shivanmohammed6733]

احلا ناس والله اهل الخليج نتمنى لكم احلا حياة سعيدة تمنيت العراق يكون مثلكم

[@سوسو-ع5ج5ن]

يازينكم يااهل الإمارات..الله يزيدكم من فضله وبكرمكم وكرم أخلاقكم تكونوا سبب في دخولهم للإسلام...بعض التعليقات مليانة حقد على دول الخليج...هم فسق وبخل ودبكات وحسد....وإذا شافوا مقاطع ل أهل الخليج صاروا وعاظ وناصحين وعاملين فيها إنسانية.اتقوا الله عشان ربي يرزقكم..بدل التشرد والمذلة والفقر آلي أنتم عايشينه...حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل فيكم وف كل حسود ..

[@bhongpascual3421]

I used to leave in Saudi and UAE and i love it, so peaceful

[@lulazeta8965]

WHEN CULTURES GET TOGETHER, MAGIC HAPPENS AND EVERYONE WINS.

[@kazishshoukath3158]

Allah bless all of you Ramadan

[@shafeeraheem3635]

I love you muslim ilove arab emarat

[@YoutubeR-fy6yx]

Great Arab Hospitality... Good to see...

[@نورالايمان-ط9ه]

الحرمه قمه في الجمال

[@annakuman9898]

بيتكم عامر دايما يا رب. يزيدكم ويبارك..

[@devidspuzzleandgames4337]

Uae is have a best humans they know the better caring of peoples

[@faraanj]

They people are best in the world in terms of respecting serving guests..wallahi

[@NoName-zp4ft]

this clip is quite good, there's only one correction that I would to like make here is that the reason of sitting on left thigh with right thigh pressing against belly is not coz of running quickly for war but because of health reasons. With this sitting posture one tends to eat less, in Islam there's a medical reasoning behind EVERY practice . Stay blessed

[@sobeeya]

No Name but no need to mentioned it front of ur guest it gives a bad very bad impression as guest can think they don't want us to eat why did they invited us... so u don't be pathetic in criticism think with ur brain we r not suppose to give this lesson at 1st sitting of food

[@danielonelove3074]

Both reasons are stupid actually and unnecessary info given to non-Muslims GUESTS. I have never nor have I ever seen ANY Muslim sit in this way while eating. As an adult I can tell when to stop eating before my stomach is full and no need to run off for war so why even use this archaic practice? Most Muslims eat 'til they pass out anyway...little good fasting does for many of them.

[@zohaibjutt3908]

zoomanda BOOM

[@user-hb2tz3ml6w]

zoomanda BOOM Shhhhhhhh

[@amalhassan7159]

No Name ء11111،1،ز.ض111ضوةى1بلثبرىىر"سذ

[@farahsiddique6702]

SUBHANALLAH MAY ALLAH ALMIGHTY BLESS YOU ALL HEALTH HAPPINESS AND LONG LIFE AMEEN

[@sweetgirls5497]

I love people UAE....😚😚😚😚😚

[@Hasibur_Rahman_Hasib]

Sweet Cancer are you married?

[@نوافالعبدالله-ن9د]

حقيقها سفرة فظيعه جداً ممتازة جداً☝️☝️👍👏👏👏 روعه .. بالصحه والعافيه....

[@MohammedAslamtit-bitsoflife]

Mashaallah tabarakallah. ...so kind of you...so humble and very kind people....he says my house door is always open for the guests. mashaallah brother may Allah bless you...aamin

[@sarfrazmirza]

Arctic Circle, Masha Allah Tabarak Allah but not for Muslims right.

[@MohammedAslamtit-bitsoflife]

sarfrazmirza ofcourse not for the crazy people!!!

[@osmangoni8439]

Arctic Circle

[@prasadveeravalli8754]

Arctic Circle gfdxv

[@silverbells4732]

Arctic Circle guests hv to b welcomed with open.heart and arms.......its a practise mentioned in the authentic hadith....

[@jkrj1026]

some people in the comment! stop judging the UAE people!!! sadaqah (giving money to the poor) should not be seen by anyone!! if you guys are true muslims you should know that!! who knows what these people do to poor people??? maybe they've done good deed more than you did!! and if there are poor people this doesn't mean you should not show people your culture and the bright side of your religion!!!

[@sarfrazmirza]

Happy Arab Kpopper wow Sadaqa to already rich people?

[@امعبادي-ض6ظ]

Happy Arab Kpopper they are not poors maybe friends

[@jkrj1026]

sarfrazmirza
I'm saying maybe they're doing sadaqa to poor people BUT NOT IN FRONT OF CAMERAS, try to understand well before commenting

[@jkrj1026]

ام عبادي
اختي ما احكي عن الاجانب اللي بالفيديو، انا اقول يمكن هم يتصدقون عالفقراء بس مو قدام الشاشات لان لو صوروا بتكون رياء.. كلامي هذا موجه للحمقى اللي قاعدين يسبون وينتقدون وما كأن الاسلام علمنا الكرم والاحسان لاخوتنا البشر مهما كان دينهم او عرقيتهم!

[@zarineamberkhan5461]

Thats correct .....only true muslims know that sadaqa is not the act of show off....n i have seen japanese also sitting almost in same posture while eating....coz it maintain our tummy remain flat ...

[@assadabas415]

والله ونعم منكم الجود من الماجود

[@jkrj1026]

UAE people are one of the most generous, hospitable and kindest people on earth!
this is how our Arab culture and Islam tell us to do with our guests who ever they are and where ever they come from!
Down with ISIS and all the terrorists!

[@愛していますらぶととろ]

Happy Arab Kpopper lol

[@tripledotgamer6889]

nothing like the mansoori and hameli they look and taste much better

[@HeatSeekingMouse]

I love the Emirati people. You only need to start adopting a little of their culture to fall in love with it.

[@panlvandenanker3074]

All that food makes my mouth water.looks beta than McDonald's n KFC .social meal yum yum.

[@ЖанышОморов-я3м]

Аллах велик Аллах велик Аллах велик ☝🏼

[@anushpoojary1763]

ramadan kareem

[@gummyjen4679]

I live in UAE and iam muslime

[@fulbariharamta4093]

gummy jen khalee hiwan who care

[@fastvisualislamicchannel]

Masha Allah

[@sitimujanahmujanah2559]

teringat dulu ketika saya kerja di abu Dhabi...romadhon yg super sibuk menyiapkan iftar

[@trinityorman3454]

the food looks delicious!!

[@mohammedthalha7888]

Barakallah we love your treat pray for us good Allah give good food to us

[@beautifulislaam5620]

I like Muslim

[@Norawarsame]

Famena Afroz and muslim loves u❤

[@ishaqishaq133]

Jaydeepsingh Gohil achi Baath Karho bhai pls

[@mohammedharudy8323]

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته ونعم بالامارت واهل الامارت معروف اهل الكرم اللة يحفظ الامارات واهلة انا مصري بحب الإمارات واهلها الطيبين ونعم فيكم

[@ishorshrestha1783]

more then 10 years I worked in dubai and abudhabi. I just like to say beautiful beautiful and beautiful country .

[@lolomark4114]

Mashaa'ALLAH
Mashaa'ALLAH

[@raidcataloni5578]

صل على محمد وال محمد صلى الله عليه واله وسلم

[@bivianveril2557]

Allah bless them all

[@iramjamil9638]

I love Dubai.

[@shiromiringu2025]

ramadhan Kareem,and remember poor Muslim people on this month of love n fasting

[@hanaass_salam3668]

Hiiii saya Hasna from INDONESIA I like Dubai people and i like food

[@HaleemaFoodFactory]

I love the Emirati people.

[@nilonilofari25]

lovely people lovely food i love the way they serve foods mashala lovely and nice mamnonim

[@ayazawan4930]

MashAllah..

[@adnanshaikh2867]

Mashallah

[@hid9676]

وتكشفون لهم حريمكم وبناتكم حلو كملو زي كذا جميل جدا

[@shabbirahmedkhan7868]

I like this food

[@demon7seven]

نحبكم يا أهل الامارات.. جيراننا وأهلنا.. وما عليكم من كلام الحاقدين..
أخوكم من سلطنة عمان

[@hassenfalah8845]

ZionismIsEvil سلام عليكم اخي ممكن اتواصل معك انا اسمي حسن من العراق أرغب بالعمل في سلطنة عمان لأن شعبها آمين ومن اطيب الشعوب وجزاك الله خيرا

[@brahimaterjite2630]

كرام في معصية الخالق هذا ما درت به درة الامارات

[@yhegedhdb8913]

Abubekr O2شطmar في

[@زعيمالدولالعربيهالدولى-ي9م]

Abubekr Omar ....واين هى المعصيه يا ابو جهل ؟؟ لا تفلسف انجلع

[@khutbatislamicofficel]

Ma sha Allah

[@ramonb.marianomixvlog998]

The one who cook their food is may sister inlaw a Pilipina name Dolor who work in arabic family in rasal khaimah she work there in 12 years

[@Mariam-xu9lg]

كان فقراء المسلمين أولى بهذا الطعام

[@barbhuiyabarbhuiya5349]

I like this

[@elizabethhuston186]

MASHALLAH 👌💗

[@ejazzoni921]

mashaAllah.

[@rizkyandrean5522]

Masa allah uae

[@asifikram783]

very good vedio. when we eat food with this sitting position,our health is always good.because this position made our appendix healthy.we never suffering the disease of appendix

[@sibakrishna9321]

masha Aallaha masha Aallaha very nice

[@kaoppacreativecookingchann2533]

So yummy happy tummy.

[@bobaga4118]

mooi en het zag er heerlijk uit.

[@B42Udm]

Very nice UAE traditional foods

[@LoloLolo-xo9nt]

يحلوكم

[@LoloLolo-xo9nt]

تعوتكم لحلوه

[@m.javeed8366]

How they treat their servants should be filmed and then compare...

[@ygamardygamard7009]

العرب أهل الكرم

[@AbderrahmenFessi]

ما شاء الله

[@omarhusseini6930]

صحتين و عافية

[@LoveLove-vg8lr]

ADAAT AL ARAB RAHEEB AJBNEE TAHEAH KABEER MIN MADINA LAHORE

[@joantakio3698]

mashalla,.nice eating food Arabic,

[@kanwaalkanwall1819]

Superb

[@azizhabib2350]

Arabic culture is similar to AFGHANISTAN culture. I love the way they treated guests. Love to all.

[@talal-1121]

كفو يا عيال زايد فالكم الناموس

[@ohhtv5325]

Great

[@sintayehutube2871]

i like Dubai but i live in Saudi Arabia

[@mdja19]

❤ Emarat

[@user-hb2tz3ml6w]

Nice idea. I wonder how many of those Expat women where hoping to leave with a credit card on their arm. lol

[@jassimjassim7163]

My dear brother baharyan kook nice i

[@nadiasaim6924]

Yes

[@leylatyson6015]

mashAllah,👍👍👍👍

[@Itsme-ux1dc]

love

[@OkOk-fj8yv]

Bismillah masa ALLAH.

[@hammadkhan6365]

Kindly can you share the dishes name and their recipe please

[@RKChannel2]

Full watching

[@williamshekhawat2599]

very nice ifter time

[@wajidahmid2268]

masha Allah good

[@falakkhan3279]

Masha'Allah,,,

[@romelromel740]

murtedd, muşrikun

[@dhiyafathima4510]

Nyc❤❤

[@mohammadislam5524]

good.
did you give any food who is made for you???give your servent full respect as she is a human

[@albah44422]

By any chance do you live with them? you sure sound like you know the family

[@boundlessknowledge7605]

perhaps he does!!!

[@yemneyx7926]

تطعمون منهم في غناء عن فضلكم وطعامكم
وانتم تعلمون انهو يوجد مسلمين
جائعين لا يوجد لديهم مايئكولون

[@myme8208]

انت زور الامارات في رمضان بعدين تفلسف لو سمحت.

[@johnordillo]

That's arabic way of entertain their visitors. I love it though!

[@kanahsri7284]

I like Muslim my froom Indonesia

[@helixguptha1820]

I like Dubai and people s so good people I like food yamyyyy

[@muhmmadaliomansalala1384]

Sandhya Gangavath niclly

[@aseerwazir5327]

Sandhya Gangavath hi

[@muhammedshameen2071]

Sandhya Gangavath :ur Hindu religion shame for the world, but look islam Always proud for our world....... allahu akbar...... Islam is great......

[@helixguptha1820]

Thanq

[@helixguptha1820]

Muhammed Shameem.M tq

[@badruaxmed191]

mash.ahll

[@elizabethhuston186]

RAMADAN MUBARAK TO ALL MY FELLOW MUSLIM BROTHERS AN SISTER'S .

[@shahshah1624]

Elizabeth Huston Thanx siss 😃 khair Mubarak

[@Hasibur_Rahman_Hasib]

Elizabeth Huston are you married?