A group of specialists graced the first of the dialogue sessions held in Ramadan Dubai, a project under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and which carries the theme "Ramadan Dubai Compassion and Coexistence". The dialogue session stressed the importance of promoting the principles that support the sustainability of the family's happiness and stability, and provide all means to achieve and ensure social balance. This was made clear within the context that a happy family is the cornerstone for building a cohesive society, with children blessed with sound education, good upbringing and psychosocial well-being.
This came during two lectures organized by the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai in conjunction with the world celebration of the International Day of the Family, the first in cooperation with the General Department of Community Happiness of the General Command of Dubai Police under the title "Family Interrelationship" and the second lecture entitled "Religion and Family" held in cooperation with Dubai Customs. The two lectures targeted employees of these institutions to achieve the objectives of Ramadan Dubai of establishing partnerships with government institutions and encouraging them to organize interactive educational programs for employees and customers during the holy month of Ramadan.
Sheikh Abdulrahman Abdullah Al-Mulla, a leading specialist in preaching and guidance from Dubai Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department, explained the concept of a happy house from the religious point of view based on the good choice of the couple for each other from the beginning according to religious and social norms, good character and religion.
Mulla said: "The faith of the family members plays an important role in achieving harmony and understanding among them, as the true happiness stems from faith and commitment to the performance of acts of worship, as well as the bond between couples is a bond of faith based on affection and compassion.” He stressed the need for deferral and sacrifice among spouses sometimes, since many problems can be avoided from the outset regardless of some of the failures or shortcomings of the other party. The solutions to some problems require sacrifice and sometimes deferral of a party for the family as a whole interest.
Dr. Ismail Kamel Al Buraimi, Acting Head of Religious Awareness Department at the Dubai Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department, spoke about how to face some of the challenges facing the contemporary family. "The good of communities is based on the stability and success of families, which requires us to maintain a sound and healthy family based on piety and virtue and ethics and commitment to worship and care to do good and cooperate, a responsibility of both the father and the mother as they need to play their essential roles to the family, and to work to strengthen the interdependence by giving more time to communicate with parents and relatives, especially in the days of the month of goodness and blessing.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Mohammed Al Hammadi, Director of Family CohesionDepartment in the Community Development Authority (CDA) said, “From the perspective of my experience in the field of family reform, there is a need to stress the importance of properly preparing the youth generation and raising awareness before marriage about the responsibilities that will fall upon them. Dreams about marital life are far from realistic, which makes them troubled at the first problem or challenge they face. Hence, it is our responsibility to raise awareness of the fact that there are natural challenges and difficulties facing family life and how to deal with these challenges through patience and conviction, happiness and comfort." Al-Hammadi added, "Today, we have one of the most important issues of education, which is the preoccupation of our children with exaggerated means of social communication, which exposes them to different influences beyond our control and the culture and customs of our society and religion. Today, we have two options: either to surrender to the reality behind these sites, or control the provisions of its use."