UAE: Is Work During Ramadan Worship?

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Meena S Janardhan

DUBAI, Oct 25 2005 (IPS) - Ramadan is a period of fasting, prayer and penance for Muslims everywhere, but in the Gulf countries it is also a month of reduced working hours to help the faithful observe the strict regimen. But what are the costs?

Ramadan is a period of fasting, prayer and penance for Muslims everywhere but, in the Gulf countries, it is also a month of reduced working hours to help the faithful observe the strict regimen. Of late, however, the fewer working hours has become the subject of debate in terms of its necessity, interpretation, application and economic costs.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issues a circular prior to Ramadan indicating that working hours for all categories of workers should be reduced from eight to six during the holy month which, this year, falls between October 4 and November 2.

But analysts estimate that two fewer working hours could cost the country 73.88 million dirhams (20 million US dollars) in daily productivity loss.

According to the UAE Central Bank, the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), last year, was 323.6 billion dirhams (88 billion dollars), which translates to a daily GDP of 886.57 million dirhams (243 million dollars) or 36.94 million dirhams (10 million dollars) in hourly GDP.

At this rate, the UAE would lose 2.21 billion dirhams (605 million dollars) in productivity during Ramadan.

Given the financial cost and the fact that reduced working hours are applicable only in the Gulf countries, many argue that this practice is unnecessary. However, others support the measure citing practical difficulties in observing the fast.

‘‘Today we have all the best and most modern amenities available in the UAE. Therefore, reducing the working hours is not really necessary,’’ said Ismail Ahmed, an information technology professional working at Dubai Media City.

‘‘There is no clear text in the Sharia or Holy Quran that says working hours must be reduced during Ramadan. They should remain the same because by working while fasting the person benefits more during the month,’’ said the Imam (priest) of a mosque in Sharjah.

‘‘However, hours can be reduced during the last 10 days of Ramadan when we have to stay awake all night for special prayers,’’ the Imam added.

In a statement, Saif Bin Rashid Al Gabiri, Director of Ifta and Research Administration in the Dubai Department of Islamic Affairs and Awqaf, said: “The month of Ramadan is a month of performing rituals, praying and fasting. However, working is part of worshipping. The Sharia does not force the employer to reduce working hours. There is no clause that says working hours must be reduced. On the other hand, Muslims must get time to fulfil their religious duties.’’

Private-sector companies have their own timings, depending on the industry, but are expected to follow the shortened working hours as are schools. However, many private companies do not offer this privilege to non-Muslims.

‘‘In most of the hotels, non-Muslims have to work normal shifts, sometimes even longer ones, to accommodate the shorter hours that our Muslim colleagues get. I have been working 10 hour shifts on many days,’’ said Clement, the recreation supervisor at a leading hotel in Dubai.

James Thomas, an employee of an oil company in Dubai, concurred with Clement, ‘‘We work eight hours in spite of the directive that the shorter working hours are applicable to even non-Muslims. And during this time, our workload increases too.’’

While the Labour Ministry has not sent out investigators to check if companies are making workers spend more than six hours a day on the job in Ramadan and no formal complaints about people working extra have been received at the Ministry, the directive states that during Ramadan, all workers – Muslim and non-Muslim – may only work six hours a day, not including a maximum of two hours’ overtime.

Hatem Al Jinabi, Director of the Labour Relations Department in the Labour Ministry, said in a statement: ‘‘The law was passed to protect construction workers and those working outdoors but this is an Islamic country and the laws of the country apply to all.’’

‘‘There are, however, many who misuse these timings to rest or sleep instead of spending it in prayer as is intended. It is also an excuse to get lazy and waste time unnecessarily,’’ said Ismail.

This privilege is sometimes denied even to Muslims. Domestic workers and drivers, for instance, have to work even after evening prayers as this is the time when families get together, go out or have feasts.

‘‘I work from eight in the morning till about 11 to 12 in the night, with short breaks for prayers. My wife, who is a housemaid , has the same timings too as she has to clean the house during the day and cook continuously till late in the night after that,’’ said Iqbal Moidu.

‘‘In the evenings, after breaking the fast, I have to take my employers all over town, to markets or to friends’ houses. So my work continues even after normal working timings,’’ he added.

‘‘Shorter working hours are vital for the construction sector, for example. Heavy physical work and the overpowering sun can be a dangerous combination for those who are fasting. These labourers must benefit-but for others it must be decided on a case-by-case basis,’’ Ismail concluded.