The Muslims all over the world is gearing up to embrace the holy month of Ramadan with the sighting of the crescent moon…reports Asian Lite News
The UAE moon-sighting committee is scheduled to convene today (29th Sha’ban), following the Maghreb prayer at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, to determine the commencement of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Presided over by Abdullah Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, Minister of Justice, the meeting will be attended by several high-ranking officials.
The Shariah courts across the country will monitor and notify the committee of any sightings, while the Lunar Calendar Committee at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department will continue to gather evidence and report its findings to the Moon-Sighting Committee.
Pardon for 1025 prisoners
President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has ordered the release of 1,025 prisoners serving various sentences in the UAE, ahead of the Holy Month of Ramadan.
The move comes as part of President Mohamed’s humanitarian initiatives and is reflective of the values of forgiveness and tolerance to give pardoned inmates an opportunity to start a new life and ease the suffering of their families.
Sheikh Mohamed’s annual pardon ahead of the month of Ramadan aims to enhance family cohesion, brings about happiness to mothers and children and provides released prisoners with an opportunity to re-think their future and return to the righteous path that allows them to lead a successful social and professional life.
Ramadan packages
Marihub, the pioneer developer and operator of ship supplies platforms, will provide Ramadan packages, including food and high-quality personal care products, to seafarers as a gesture to support the Salmeen initiative launched by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MoEI).
The Ministry launched Salmeen in June 2022 to support seafarers in the maritime sector and guarantee that their needs are fulfilled, deeming them as one of the most significant pillars of international trade. The initiative aims to improve the quality of life of seafarers and support them, as per the UAE Government’s Excellence Model.
Commenting on the announcement, Hessa Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister for Maritime Transport Affairs, UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, said, “The UAE is one of the global leaders when it comes to humanitarian work. Humans are the centre of our attention, and we don’t limit ourselves to offering scattered aid alone.”
“The nation’s work model is aligned to provide better support to people. That is why, the country was the first in the world to assist stranded seafarers during the peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic to safely return home, while adhering to the highest safety requirements.”
“We also launched several initiatives focused on protecting seafarers and their rights, such as ‘Supporting our Blue Army’. As part of the initiative, ship management companies and owners were asked to provide mandatory health and life insurance to seafarers. As a result, we can confidently say that the UAE protects seafarers’ rights and encourages workplace safety and provision of quality of life,” she added.
Osama Al Arabi, Executive Director of Support Services and Co-Partner of Marihub, stated, “To support the Ministry’s efforts in improving the quality of life for seafarers, and in honour of the holy month of Ramadan, we will donate special packages containing a comprehensive selection of food and personal care products.”
“These packages are specially designed for seafarers who work for several days on ships. Our focus is on providing integrated food items that will help enhance the seafarers’ ability to work during fasting hours, ultimately improving their quality of life, and creating a more comfortable and suitable working environment”
“More than 80 percent of global trade is transported via sea, yet traditional methods continue to dominate many aspects of the maritime industry, such as the supply of food and personal care products to seafarers. This often results in difficulties in providing sufficient quantities of products, directly impacting the quality of life for seafarers.”
“To address this issue, we have launched the Marihub platform, offering a comprehensive solution to ship operation and management companies and owners. The platform provides access to the best food and health supplies, as well as services such as refuelling, lubricating oil, and spare parts,” Al Arabi added.
Marihub recently signed an agreement with MoEI to develop digital platforms that help in digitalising the operations of the maritime sector, increasing its operational efficiency and reducing expenses.