RELIGION AND ISLAM
Islam is the official religion of the UAE. Other religions are respected and are represented in Dubai by a variety of churches. Contrary to our culture, in general, Arabs love to discuss religion so be prepared for some lively interactions on the subject. Remember though, as always, a forceful opinion could be perceived as an offence.
The basis of Islam
Islam is an Arabic word meaning peace and submission to God’s will. Muslims accept the teachings of God (Allah) as revealed to the Prophet Mohammed (Peace be upon Him), who was born around 570AD in Mecca (Makkah). His parents died when he was young, so he grew up poor and illiterate. When he was eight he went to live with his uncle, Abu Talib, who was a merchant. At the age of 25 he married Khadijah, a rich widow and for many years he travelled the desert buying and selling goods. He gained a reputation as an honest and learned man.
When he was 40, Prophet Mohammed received his first message from God. The revelations were in Arabic and Prophet Mohammed memorised them. God’s instruction to Mohammed was to spread the word of Islam far and wide, and to fight a Holy War (jihad) against those who opposed him. Mohammed asked his scribes to write down the words that God revealed to him over 23 years of his life. This record is the Koran (Qur’an) and it instructs Muslims in what they must and must not do in order to gain their reward on the Day of Judgment.
In AD622 Prophet Mohammed called on his followers in Mecca to oppose the powerful, idol-worshipping rulers. Prophet Mohammed was harshly treated and forced to cross the desert to Medina, where he established the first Islamic community. The Islamic calendar dates from Prophet Mohammed’s flight to Medina (Hijrah). Following the death of Mohammed in AD632 Islam continued to expand as a religious and political force.
There are five pillars of the Islamic faith which all
Muslims must follow:
Faith, Prayer, Charity, Fasting and Pilgrimage. Every Muslims is expected to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
Muslims are required to pray five times daily, which are at set times. The call to prayer (the adhan) alerts Muslims of the prayer timing and can be heard from the many mosques throughout Dubai and the United Arab Emirates. Prayer times can also be found on the internet, in the daily newspapers and even their mobile phones. Other than timing, there are certain requirements of prayer, for example, Muslims must be in a state of purity (performed ablutions) beforehand and be facing towards the Ka'aba in Mecca, during prayer.
For more information and understanding, why not visit the Jumeirah Mosque tour or take a cultural awareness course where many of your questions will be answered. Contact: Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding www.cultures.ae
Muslim’s Holy Observances
Ramadan: A month of fasting, spiritualism, meditation and abstinence from food and drink between dawn and dusk. Visitors to the UAE should note that it is inappropriate (and in some instances, illegal) to eat, drink or smoke openly in public during the daylight hours in the Ramadan period.
Most cafes, fast food outlets and restaurants close during the daylight hours during Ramadan. Some of the large hotels open small, discreet eating areas for non-Muslims. The Ramadan period changes each year and its commencement is determined by a special committee depending upon the observation of the new moon. Alcohol will be served to non-Muslims in Dubai after 7pm in selected hotel outlets.
Eid Al Fitr: Breaking of the holy fasting month of Ramadan – time of celebration.
Pilgrimage: During the Hajj period – Muslims make the pilgrimage to Mecca
Eid Al Adha: Day of festivities concluding the pilgrimage. Muslims observe this day by participating in the ritual of sacrifice and distribution of food.
Islamic New Years Day
The Holy Prophet Mohammed’s (Peace be upon Him) Birthday: A modest ceremony of remembrance.
GENERAL INFORMATION
POPULATION 2003 [The details of the census of 2005/06 have not yet been published - indications are that the mix of the population has drastically changed with nationals now believed to be around 10%, Asians around 50% and Europeans a much higher number than shown below]
Approximately 1.2m
Emiratis 27%
Arabs (GCC) 12%
Asians 59%
Europeans 1.3%
Others 0.7%
LOCAL TIME - GMT + 4 hours
WEEKEND
Fridays are when the Eid Al Juma prayers are held. A ‘kutba’ or speech is held in the mosque just before the midday prayer and most Muslims will make a special effort to attend the Friday’s prayers as these are considered to be one of the important prayer gatherings of the week.
Business may resume in the afternoon, however most offices will remain closed. The retail sector is open after 4pm. The big supermarket chains e.g. Carrefour, Spinneys, Choithrams, are open from 10 a.m. Selected cafes are also open in the morning e.g. The Lime Tree, Starbucks, Dome, More. Most major food outlets serve ‘Brunch’
Government offices and schools operate on a Friday/Saturday weekends.
TEMPERATURES
Month: Daily Maximum Daily Minimum
January 24 14
February 25 14
March 30 17
April 34 19
May 38 23
June 43+ 29+
July 43+ 29+
August 43+ 29+
September 38+ 26+
October 37+ 24+
November 30 20
December 26 15
TRANSPORT
Driving: Until you acquire full residency, you can drive a hire car, provided you have a valid Aus/NZ driving licence. To drive private or company vehicles you must first apply for a temporary Dubai licence from the Traffic Police. “Essential Documents” (see Dubai Explorer) are required along with DH10 for a one month licence (licences for longer periods are also available).
If you are in the unlucky predicament of an accident, you will require a police report to give to your insurance company to get the vehicle repaired.
Taxis: There are good, reliable taxi services available e.g. Dubai Transport.When taking a taxi from the Airport there is a Dhs 25 surcharge.
Public Transport: Regular bus services are available and inexpensive.Timetables can be obtained from the main bus stations in Deira near the Gold Souk and Bur Dubai near the Plaza Cinema.
MONEY
Currency: The UAE Dirham is divided into 100 fils.
Changing money: Money changers will change travellers cheques or foreign currency for a commission – are mainly situated in the large shopping malls.
Automatic teller machines: Are widespread in the UAE, are readily accessible and accept a wide range of cards.
Credit Cards: The usual credit card companies are represented in the UAE (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners, etc)
Tipping: Some restaurants will include a service charge in the final bill, however it is unlikely to reach your waiter.Otherwise ten per cent is the usual.
Bargaining: Bargaining is an accepted practice in the Arab world and particularly in the souks (markets) and some shops. Supermarkets and department stores generally do not bargain, but why not give it a try? You never know!
EMBASSIES / CONSULATES
It is strongly recommended to register with your embassy/consulate on arrival in the country. Details for Australia & New Zealand follow:
The Australian Government has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a Consulate General in Dubai.
Australian Embassy - Abu Dhabi
The Ambassador is HE Mr Jeremy Bruer.
Level 14, Al Muhairy Centre
Abu Dhabi
Tel: (971 2) 634 6100
Fax: (971 2) 639 3525
Email: abudhabi.embassy@dfat.gov.au
http://www.austembuae.com/
Opening hours: 0800 to 1630 Sunday to Wednesday
Australian Consulate General - Dubai
Consul General - Mr. Kym Hewett
25th Floor
Burjuman Centre Office Tower
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Road
(Trade Centre Road)
PO Box 124400, Dubai
Tel: +971 4 508 7100
Fax: +971 4 355 1547
Registration can be accessed at http://www.dfat.gov.au/
Inquiries related to Visa & immigration can be directed to our visa facilitation centre VFS Express – 04 355 1958.
Australians requiring emergency consular assistance may call the Consular Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia on the following free number 800 0610 1060.
Several Australian States operate trade offices here in Dubai:
Victorian Government Business Office 04 321 2600 Peter Deacon
West Australian Trade Office 04 343 3226
South Australian Trade Office 04 343 2884 Nick Alistair-Jones
Queensland Government Office - located in Abu Dhabi
The New Zealand Government has a Consulate General in Dubai.
Assistance & Advice for New Zealanders Living in the UAE
1) Passport Applications
Neither the New Zealand Consulate General in Dubai nor the New Zealand Embassy in Riyadh are able to issue new or replacement New Zealand Passports. Full details of procedures and forms that are necessary to make an application to Wellington, London or Sydney can be found on the Department of Internal Affairs website at www.dia.govt.nz.
2) Registration of Births/Citizenship
Children born of New Zealand parents in the UAE must be conferred with New Zealand citizenship in advance of applying for a passport. Citizenship and passport applications for newborns can be dispatched and processed at the same time with full details of procedure and requirements found at www.dia.govt.nz.
3) Getting Married
New Zealand citizens who wish to marry in the UAE will require a “Certificate of No Impediment”. This is issued from the Department of Internal Affairs in New Zealand and can be found under Births, Deaths & Marriages on www.dia.govt.nz.
Services of the New Zealand Consulate General in Dubai
The NZCG Dubai is able to offer the following advice and assistance to New Zealand citizens living in the UAE:
1) Procedures for dealing with a death of a New Zealander in the UAE
2) Assistance in co-ordinating with New Zealand authorities for lost and stolen passports
3) Ensuring the wellbeing of New Zealanders arrested or imprisoned by local authorities in the UAE
4) Notary and witnessing services (for which a fee of between AED 70 -200 per transaction will be charged).
5) Provision of voting services in the event of a General Election.
Working Hours
The NZCG can be contacted on (04) 331 7500, Sunday – Thursday from 8.30am to 5.00pm. Notary and witnessing services are available during the following times:
Sunday 9.00am – 12.30pm
Tuesday 9.00am – 11.30am
Thursday 9.00am – 11.30am
For emergency consular assistance, for New Zealand citizens only, outside of normal office hours, the Consular duty phone number is 050 475 7916.
Registration
We encourage all New Zealand citizens to register their presence in the UAE and keep these registration details current. Please note that registration is not shared with any external agency including New Zealand Inland Revenue. The details you provide when you register will help the New Zealand Consulate General contact you in an emergency (e.g. natural disaster, civil disturbance, family emergency etc.), or to pass on information that we wish to alert you about.
Please visit www.safetravel.govt.nz and click ‘register’. You will be able to create your own login and password and can amend your details at any time, should your circumstances change.
BUSINESS GROUPS
The Australian Business Council is a non-profit organisation with the broad objective of providing a networking forum for ABC members to develop their business activities, promote trade, and in turn, deepen the relationship between Australia and the Gulf countries. Originally conceived as The Australian Business in the Gulf Group in 1993 by the then Australian Consul General and Senior Trade Commissioner, Robert Sheppard.
Australian Business Council
c/o The University of Wollongong,Knowledge Village
Address : Block 15, room 1-16, Dubai UAE
Postal code : P.O Box 20183
Tel : +9714 367-2437
+9714 390-0467
Fax : +9714 367-8640
Email : events@abc-dxb.com
admin@abc-dxb.com
members@abc-dxb.com
The Australian Business Group in Abu Dhabi (AusBG)
AusBG has been formed with the purpose of bringing together business executives with the same underlying principle of seeing and receiving friendship and camaraderie coupled with an opportunity to learn from each other of major development and business opportunities within the business sector of Abu Dhabi. Their website is still under construction. Contact: Melissa Molnar, Group Administrator, Australian Business Group (AusBG) Abu Dhabi Tel: +97150 264 1134 Email: office@ausbg.net www.ausbg.net
MEDICAL
Dubai has excellent medical facilities - both under the public health service and within the private sector
If you are involved in an accident and ambulance services are needed please note that you will be taken to the nearest Dubai Ministry of Health Hospital. These are:
- Rashid Hospital Bur Dubai near Maktoum Bridge
- Dubai Hospital Hamriyah
- Al Wasl Hospital Women & Children only, close to the Wafi Interchange on the Zabeel Side
Medical assistance is very expensive, so residents to Dubai are strongly advised to have adequate health insurance. The following clinics have Australian/NZ connections:
Doctors with Australian and New Zealand qualifications may be found at:
- Dubai Physiotherapy Clinic (Al Wasl Road) 04 349 6333
- General Medical Centre (Jumeirah) 04 349 5959
- Dubai London Clinic (Al Wasl Road) 04 344 6663
- Dr. Ray’s Medical Centre (Bur Dubai) 04 397 3665
- Australian Family Care (Healthcare City) 04 369 4433 - Many Australian Doctors are on staff full time and on a consultancy basis
- Infinity Clinic (Al Wasl Road) 04 394 8994 - Dr Elizabeth Elderfield MBBS (Hons), FRACGP, Dip Child Health (WA) – Australian Family Medicine Specialist
- See separate section of this website
Private Hospitals:
- American Hospital (between Lamcy’s & Wafi) 04 336 7777
- Welcare Hospital (Al Garhoud) 04 282 7788
RECOMMENDED READING
Dubai Explorer
Zappy Explorer
Street Map Explorer
Off-Road Explorer
Lonely Planet
All available from all good bookstores around Dubai (ie Magrudy’s)
COMMON ARABIC PHRASES
Arabic Pronounced English
Al-hamdu lillah Al-hamdoo leela Praise be to God
(Example of when this term would be used: when someone sneezes; after something good has happened e.g. Australia won the cricket – praise be to God)
Insha’allah Inshar-arllar God willing
(Example of when this term would be used: When someone wants something to happen e.g. New Zealand will win the cricket - God willing)
Marhaba Marhaba Welcome
Ahlan wa sahlan Ahlan wa sahlan Hello
Shokran Shookran Thankyou
Afwan Arfwun You’re welcome
Zein/tayyib Zane/Tie-yib OK
Sabaaah al-kheir Sabbar al-keer Good morning
Maa’as-salaama Ma as-salarma Goodbye
Aasif Aasef Sorry
Laa Lah No
Naam Na'am Yes
Min Fadlak Min fadlak Please (to male)
Min Fadlock Min fadlick Please (to female)
Min fadlkom Min fad le kom Please (plural)
Tasharrafnaa Tasha-rafnar We are honoured
Shwaya shwaya shwaya shwaya Take it easy, go slowly
CLOTHING
Cotton and cotton mixes are ideal. Beachwear is acceptable at hotel pools, on the beach and at clubs. Modesty in dress is advised in other public places, especially in rural areas. Short, revealing clothing will attract unwanted attention and bring disrespect to yourself. Simple: If you would like to be taken seriously, dress accordingly!
National dress
Men: Traditional dress is the dishdasha, which is a long, white shirt-dress. It is worn with a white or red-checkered head-dress (gutra) secured with black cord (agal).
Women: In public, Arabic women wear the black abaya and headscarf. Some older women wear a mask (burqa) which covers the nose, brow and cheekbones. The burqa comes from a Bedouin tradition.
FOOD AND DRINK
Restaurants: There are many quality restaurants in Dubai to suit all tastes and budgets. Most of the large hotels have good quality, but moderately expensive licensed restaurants.
European fast food outlets: Many!! McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, etc.
Arabic Food: Cheap and delicious.
Suggestions:
· Hommous (Chickpea dip); Moutabal (Eggplant dip) with Arabic bread
· Chicken Shish Tawouk (Chicken Kebabs)
· Chicken or lamb Shawarma (like Yiros/Doner meat)
· Tabouleh salad (parsley/tomato salad); Fatoush salad (lettuce salad)
· Umm Ali –traditional Arabic dessert – like bread pudding
Suggested restaurants: Automatic Café (Jumeirah); Beirut Restaurant (Satwa); L’Auberge (City Centre)
Water: local water is considered safe to drink and comes from desalination plants with some artesian. Generally, though residents purchase bottled water for drinking
Alcohol: Alcohol is forbidden to Muslims but permitted for non-Muslims. Alcohol can only be sold in clubs, restaurants and bars attached to hotels. (Exceptions: alcoholic drinks are also sold at Hard Rock Café, Planet Hollywood, The Irish Village). Resident non-Muslims can apply for a liquor licence which enables them to purchase a limited amount of alcohol for home consumption.
Drinking and driving is absolutely forbidden.
Drinking alcohol in public is strictly forbidden.
EATING OUT
Eating out in Dubai can be expensive. Most of the hotels offer ‘Loyalty Programs’ which can reduce the cost of your meal. They also offer fixed price meals with drinks on particular nights of the week, so check this out before you make a booking.
LANGUAGE
Arabic is the official language of the UAE, but English is widely spoken and understood.
ELECTRICITY
Domestic supply is 220 volts, using UK sockets
Adaptors are available, for international appliances, at supermarkets
SHOPPING TIPS
Park ‘N’ Shop on Al Wasl Road for nice bread
Spinney’s & Choithrams have supermarkets located throughout dubai & the UAE selling most of the food products we are used to. There is also Park ‘N’ Shop on Al Wasl Road, Carrefour in Deira City Centre & Shindagah and the Co-Op Supermarkets. Neither sell pork products.
Carrefour Stores also sell for food, clothing, housewares, electrical goods, etc. Does sell pork products.
Karama Markets for cheap clothing, handbags and gifts.
In Satwa, buy good cheap fabric for mens’ and womens’ clothing. Close to the fabric shops are some good tailors who will make to measure from a picture, or copy a garment. Just ask a few of the ANZA members who they use.
Cosmos Lane in Bur Dubai is also very good for fabric and tailoring.
Also in Satwa you will find businesses who make soft furnishings, new upholstered furniture and re-upholster your old. |
