‘It’s a great feeling to be here for Ramadan’: What brings former residents back to the UAE for holy month

‘It’s a great feeling to be here for Ramadan’: What brings former residents back to the UAE for holy month

Expats who have long gone back and resettled in their home countries share memories of past

Published: Thu 23 Mar 2023, 6:00 AM

Ramadan brings back many old residents to the UAE, and among them is Hashim KU, who has lived in Dubai for over 50 years. In 2014, he quit his job and returned to his home country for good. But he keeps returning to UAE, not for vacation but to spend the holy month every year with complete devotion.

“My first Ramadan in Dubai was 1971, the year I arrived. It was then a small town with only a few mosques around my locality in Deira,” said Hashim.

“Dubai had a different vibe at that time. Friends, colleagues, and acquaintances went to mosques to pray together and we would engage in light conversations after Maghrib and Taraweeh prayers. There was a strong bond between people of various nationalities, all because of the proximity of our residence and workplaces,” explained Hashim.

“Now, the city has grown massively. Back then, there were only a few mosques, but now there are several, some a few hundred steps away and some are so luxurious. But the vibe of Ramadan I experienced during my days still exists, which