Go and don't repeat: UAE frees prisoners as Ramadhan gift

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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates

A major act of clemency in the United Arab Emirates will allow over 1,440 inmates to begin the holy month of Ramadan as free individuals.

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered their release from correctional institutions across the country as part of Ramadhan gift.

Sheikh Mohamed has also undertaken to settle any financial obligations arising from the prisoners’ sentences, meaning fines and related costs tied to their cases will be cleared as part of the gesture.

Officials say the move is intended to offer the released individuals a fresh start, ease the economic and emotional strain on their families, and promote social stability as communities prepare to mark Ramadan.

The clemency is part of a broader tradition in the UAE and other Gulf states, where leaders grant pardons or reduce sentences during significant Islamic occasions.

Alongside the president’s directive:

Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, ordered the release of 738 inmates; and Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman, also ordered the release of 134 prisoners as part of Ramadhan observances.

Ramadhan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar where one of the five pillars of Islam (fasting) is observed--core practices every Muslim is expected to observe.

During Ramadhan, many Muslims fast from dawn until sunset, refraining from food and drink during daylight hours.

It is also a period of prayer, reflection, charity, and community, commemorating the time when the Quran is believed to have been first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

Because fasting and spiritual reflection are central to the month, leaders in many Muslim‑majority countries often show gestures of forgiveness, mercy and reconciliation — such as pardoning prisoners and easing punishments — to reflect the values of forgiveness and compassion associated with Ramadhan.