Guide to Celebrate Ramadan in Abu Dhabi 2025

Planning Tool Kit

Plan your travel most appropriately. Find out how you can make your travel time memorable.

Indulge in Iftars & Suhoors

Experience delicious iftars and suhoors at restaurants and mosques in Abu Dhabi.

Pray during Ramadan

Attend prayers in mosques during Ramadan according to prayer timings every day.

Try Special Delicacies

Savor Ramadan special food items like kebab, biryani, haleem, and samosas.

It's March already, which means we’re in the holy month of Ramadan.

Ramadan in Abu Dhabi in 2025 is expected to fall on Friday, February 28, 2025.

Now, if you’re planning to celebrate Ramadan in Abu Dhabi, you’re in for a treat. From the top Iftar and Suhoor places to immersive cultural experiences, Abu Dhabi offers a wide variety of options to celebrate Ramadan.

In case you do not know about what Ramadan is, how it is celebrated, and other relevant details regarding its celebration in Abu Dhabi, don’t worry.

In this complete guide to Ramadan, we will cover all sorts of details related to Ramadan in Abu Dhabi.

And, if you haven’t already planned your Abu Dhabi trip, leave it to the best travel agency, Next Holidays, which will make your tour better than expected.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the holiest month of the year when almost every Muslim fasts for the whole month worldwide. But, not only for fasting; this month is also known for prayers, social service, and community gatherings.

It commemorates the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad. This fasting period may sound very difficult, but these 29 to 30 days are easier with the strength they get in this holy month.

They abstain from having food or any drink from dawn until dusk. During Ramadan in Abu Dhabi, Muslims usually have their first meal before dawn, which is called suhoor, and the evening meal is called iftar.

Recommended reading: Ramadan in the UAE: Dates, timings and rules

How to Celebrate Ramadan in Abu Dhabi in 2025?

Embrace the Holy Spirit: Escape from the buzz of the city and immerse yourself in a peaceful and merciful environment. Follow all the customs and traditions of Ramadan.

Fast (also called swam): If you’re a Muslim, you should follow all the rules and fast for this whole month. If you’re not, then you must avoid bothering the ones who are abstaining from eating and drinking in public places during their fast.

Suhoor and Iftar: Share a pre-dawn meal (suhoor) and an evening meal (iftar) with your friends and family.

Salah (prayers): You should participate in Taraweeh prayers in the mosque held after iftar.

Zakat (charity): Indulge yourself in charitable activities and help those who are in need.

Ramadan greetings: Don’t forget to wish “Ramadan Kareem” (generous Ramadan) or “Ramadan Mubarak” (blessed Ramadan) whenever you meet a Muslim.

Official Statement on Reduced Working Hours: Ramadan 2025

The UAE government has officially announced that working hours during Ramadan in Abu Dhabi should be reduced, regardless of whether you’re Muslim or non-Muslim. Maybe the case will be different for public and private sector employees.

According to the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, government workers should be expected to work Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2.30 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Employees in the private sector are advised to work two fewer hours during the month of Ramadan. Companies can be flexible with their work schedules, the ministry said when it announced the private sector's Ramadan working hours.

Iftars and Suhoor in Abu Dhabi 2025

Ramadan is an annual month of fasting, iftar, and suhoor. But what is an iftar? And what about Suhoor?

Come, let’s find out.

Best Places for Iftar in Abu Dhabi

We all know that Muslims fast during Ramadan from sunrise to sunset. So, how does their fast end?

Well, to break their fast, they eat or drink something small, such as fruit, dates, or water.

Immediately after doing so, people start the Maghrib prayer. Once this is complete, they go back to their meals.

Literally, iftar refers to breaking the fast. So now you know what an iftar is.

If you’re in Abu Dhabi when Ramadan starts, you should go for iftar to these places.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre

When Ramadan starts, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center begins to offer iftar to 35,000 people daily who fast during this month.

This is great because it’s an initiative that the mosque focuses on every year. But this is not it—people coming together from different backgrounds and having iftar together is what makes it even more amazing.

Le Jardin’s Ramadan Emporium

Iftar at Ramadan Emporium, Le Jardin is popular due to its authentic buffets and live grilling stations. Enjoy live Oud music as you break your fast at the alfresco terrace.

The meal is available from sunset to 10 PM for just AED 295 per person. Do not forget to book a table in advance.

Best Places for Suhoor in Abu Dhabi

Now, you might be wondering that if iftar is the meal that involves breaking the fast, then what could suhoor possibly be?

Well, suhoor is the meal eaten right before starting the fast. This means that fasting Muslims have a meal before dawn.

While a longer sleep may seem tempting, Suhoor is extremely crucial to ensuring that the body gets enough nutrients and energy for the rest of the day.

The exact time when suhoor can be started and ended changes every year, based on the day and month.

Whatever the day is, Suhoor ends right before the first ray of sun.

Abu Dhabi in Ramadan has so many places that offer suhoor. Some of the places where you can consider going for suhoor are:

Al Shorfa Lounge, Beach Rotana

Enjoy the night sky as you indulge in suhoor at Al Shorfa Lounge, Beach Rotana.

They have a specially curated menu, which includes a wide variety of dishes perfect for suhoor.

Here, the suhoor begins at 9:30 PM and lasts till 11:30 PM. On request, Sheesha is also available from 6 PM to 11 PM, which is additionally chargeable (AED 95).

Byblos Sur Mer

An authentic Lebanese meal? What could be better than that for a suhoor night?

Byblos Sur Mer is hosting Suhoor buffet nights during Ramadan. Enjoy the night sky in an outdoor setting while you energize yourself for your next fast.

Expect live stations, Ramadan juices, and a wide variety of Ramadan food items. In addition, enjoy live oud music while you have a memorable night at Byblos Sur Mer.

For an adult, the price is AED 119, while children can enjoy it at 50% off. The meal is available from 10:30 PM to 2:30 AM.

There is no shortage of restaurants in the UAE for Ramadan: New restaurants open during Ramadan in UAE.

Read Also:- 14 Best Iftar Buffets in Abu Dhabi for Ramadan 2025

Best Places for Prayer in Ramadan

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre

The nation’s largest mosque, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, is the most popular place for prayers in Abu Dhabi.

It has two prayer halls: one for men and one for women. Each hall can accommodate 1500 worshippers at a time, which is why most people come here to pray during Ramadan.

The visiting hours during Ramadan vary from the usual visiting hours.

In the first 20 days of Ramadan, you can visit from 10 AM to 6 PM and 9:30 PM to 1 AM from Saturday to Thursday. On Fridays, the mosque is open to visitors from 3 PM to 6 PM and 9:30 PM to 1 AM.

During the last 10 days of Ramadan, the visiting hours are 10 AM to 6 PM from Saturday to Thursday and 3 PM to 6 PM on Friday.

Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque and Centre

At Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque and Centre, Taraweeh prayers are hosted, which are voluntary prayers that take place after the necessary Al-’Isha prayer.

Long sections of the Qur’an are recited during these prayers. What's more, the prayers are led by different people during the entire month.

1st to 4th Ramadan: Sheikh Dr Fares Al Mustafa, preacher and imam of Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque
5th to 10th Ramadan: Sheikh Ismaeel Hasan Ismaeel Ahmed, Imam of Umm Al Shajar Mosque, Al Hidd in Bahrain
11th to 15th Ramadan: Sheikh Dr Abdullah Mohammad Yahya Ghilan, Imam of Ibn Al-Qayyim Mosque in Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
16th to 20th Ramadan: Sheikh Abdul Aziz Salem Al Zahrani, Legal Researcher at the Saudi Ministry of Justice
21st to 30th Ramadan: Sheikh Dr Fares Al Mustafa, preacher and imam of Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque

Jumeirah Mosque

The prayers at Jumeirah Mosque are held at regular times. During Ramadan, Taraweeh prayers are also held.

If you’re a non-Muslim, you can take a guided tour here, which is organized at 10 AM and 2 PM every day, except on Fridays.

These 75-minute tours can provide you with detailed insights into the festival and mosque’s history.

Overall, it includes the following:

A photograph with the falcon
Henna for ladies
Mosque of the World Gallery
Once Upon a Time Museum
Emirati Buffet

Alternatively, if you’re looking to pray here, the Mosque’s Majlis timings are 10 AM to 5 PM. On Fridays, the mosque is closed.

Please note that the timings will vary for Ramadan.

Ramadan Special Food

During the month of Ramadan in Abu Dhabi, people eat special food items. Based on regions, the taste of these may differ. Nevertheless, you will find these items in most iftar menus.

Samosas

Samosas are commonly eaten during Ramadan in Abu Dhabi. These are deep-fried, crispy pastries.

Generally, they are stuffed with spiced lentils, vegetables, and meats.

Haleem

Haleem is rich in nutrition, which makes it a highly suitable dish for iftar.

It basically refers to a slow-cooked mutton, which consists of lentils, spices, and broken wheat.

Biryani

Ramadan in Abu Dhabi is incomplete without biryani. In fact, biryani is a staple dish during the holy month.

A layered dish of meat, vegetables, rice, and spices, Biryani is heavily filling and easy to prepare.

Kebab

Another popular dish in Abu Dhabi, kebab is generally made with ground meat, which is usually skewed on fire. It can also be prepared as a stew or baked in an oven.

There are various kinds of kebabs, with different ingredients and styles of cooking. It also depends on the type of meat.

Shish kebab is made by threading seasoned meat. It is made on a skewer. Another popular kebab is doner kebab, which is cooked on a vertical rotisserie and is served with salad and sauce, in pita or flatbread.

Other popular Ramadan dishes are lentil soup, Fattoush, kunafa, shahi tukda, shawarma, and sheer khurma. When you visit Ramadan markets, you will find a wide variety of these dishes in food stalls.

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