Mahu Cari Kerja di Dubai atau UAE?: Vacancies in UAE

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Vacancies in UAE

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Attestation

If you plan to bring your wife and kids to the UAE, you would need to get the marriage cert, school leaving cert and their birth cert attested in Malaysia first.

The flow is:
a. Translate the relevant certificates at Institut Terjemahan Negara, Wangsa Maju (easier than getting it done in the court of law)
Address:
Wisma ITNM,
No 2, Jalan 2/27E, Seksyen 10,
Wangsa Maju,
53300 Kuala Lumpur

tel: 03-4149 7210
url: www.itnm.com.my

RM 50 each for birth cert.
RM 80 each for marriage cert and other cert.
It will normally take 3 working days.

b. Proceed to Wisma Putra (Building WP 2) in Putrajaya (consular services – ground floor) for authentication stamp. Its RM10 per page.

c. Then proceed to UAE Embassy, No 1, Gerbang Ampang Hilir Off
Persiaran Ampang Hilir in KL for Attestation.(they charge
RM150 per cert/page)

The Truth About Living in Dubai

The transformation of Dubai from dusty desert town to sparkling, affluent metropolis has been underway for the past 40 years and it is really in the last 10 years that the pace of development and change has really begun to show. Dubai has gone from being a location where only people desperate enough for hardship allowances moved to work, to a stunning city where a hedonistic lifestyle can be enjoyed by almost everyone.

However, not everything about Dubai and its transformation has been wonderful and in this warts and all account we reveal the truth about living in Dubai, the good, the bad and the little mentioned!

The Good

Climate – between October and June the weather in Dubai is ideal; bright sunny days can be enjoyed as the temperatures are comfortable rather than stiflingly hot. From July to September inclusive it does get over-hot and in the winter it can occasionally rain, but most of the time the climate in Dubai is attractive.

Beaches – Dubai is blessed with stunning beaches, many of which have been augmented with the addition of fantastic beach clubs where all the family can enjoy a great day out.

Lack of Crime – because crimes are punishable so severely, crime levels are incredibly low in Dubai – by the way, you might want to bear in mind that if you get a point on your driving license when in Dubai you’re looking at jail time!

Shopping – yum, yum, yum – all the most wonderful shops in one fantastic location! You have everything from the likes of Ikea and H&M on the affordable side to every conceivable designer outlet on the other side!

Tax Free – tax free salaries….need I say more?

The Lifestyle – pubs, beach clubs, amazing restaurants, sports clubs, parties and much, much more besides –

living in Dubai the lifestyle is everything!

Price of Petrol – currently everyone in Dubai jokes about the fact that it’s cheaper to buy petrol than mineral water.

The Bad

Property Prices – if you bought property in Dubai a couple of years ago you won’t care about this point, but for anyone else knowing that the price of property in Dubai has been spiralling upwards for the past few years means that it is depressingly expensive to get on the property ladder.

Rental Rates – rental rates are even worse! They shot up as there was a lack of property stock and an abundance of demand, those landlords who had properties to rent took what they could before the government capped annual rental rate increases but this means that today prices are sky high. Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim are popular but seriously expensive areas to rent a home, those with a bit less cash in their pockets to chuck away on rent could look at either Barsha or Mirdif – but for the most of us even these locations are too dear.

The Driving – driving in Dubai is stressful – on Sheikh Zayed Road drivers will do anything to get ahead including using the hard shoulder as an additional lane. If you can keep a calm head you’ll be alright but if you get easily riled expect to have high blood pressure.

Infrastructure – roads are clogged, rush hour traffic is atrocious, drains are overflowing and Dubai has grown faster than its infrastructure has developed meaning that it is beginning to really creak!

Summer Temperatures – while the climate is usually fantastic between October and May, it’s a killer in July and August and it can be dangerous for young children and older people because temperatures average above 40 degrees centigrade every single day. Those expatriates living in Dubai usually try and get away from the emirate during these months or else spend their entire time in an air conditioned environment.

School Fees – schools fees in Dubai are extortionate and not likely to reduce because the international schools that are there know they have a captive audience. School fees really must not be underestimated or overlooked by anyone with a family considering relocating to the emirate.

The Little Mentioned

The Humidity – while summertime temperatures are a bad thing, the humidity which can reach up to 80% coupled with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees centigrade makes living in Dubai in the summer unpleasant – to say the least!

No More Medical Cover – most companies no longer provide their expatriate staff with an allowance for medical care – this means expatriate health insurance is a must and an additional expense to face.

No More Education Allowances – in the good old days companies used to lure staff to Dubai with allowances for all sorts of things including the education of their children, sadly Dubai is now too nice a place with too many people all competing for jobs and so employers no longer have to bother with offering such attractive incentives.

Get Recruited First – if you want to work in Dubai get a job before you come! You are far more likely to get a better financial deal and a more attractive employment package than if you find work locally.

You Need a Degree – if you haven’t got a degree your employer may find it hard to get a visa for you, you will be paid less and you may not get into managerial positions at all.

Living in Sin – it’s not acceptable for an unmarried couple to cohabit – so the best way round this is to avoid situations where you will have to admit to being unmarried!

Rain – contrary to popular belief it can and does sometimes rain in Dubai – and when it does rain even the most expensive houses have been known to leak dramatically, drains block, roads flood and there is mud everywhere.

Jobs in Dubai

With the amount of information in the media about the rate of population growth in Dubai anyone would think it was an emirate where the streets are paved with gold. Well, while it’s true that a lot of people are moving to Dubai for work, what is not true is that all jobs in Dubai pay fantastic salaries!

Those who work in Dubai work long hours for up to six days a week, and in certain industries salaries are impressive – but in other job sectors wages are on a par with or worse than the income that can be earned elsewhere. Therefore those looking for jobs in Dubai should take care to do proper research and due diligence before committing themselves to a career move.

All the major recruitment companies have a base in Dubai as there is a large and expanding jobs market in the UAE, it’s possible to use these recruitment companies’ websites to get a feel for the jobs being offered and rates of pay available in your particular industry sector.

Another way to get a feel for the level of income you could earn from a job in Dubai is by researching which employers from your industry are based in the UAE and then writing to their personnel department with your CV or resume and asking about suitable vacancies.

Of course salary is not necessarily the be all and end all of job hunting – especially in Dubai where it’s usual for an employer to present a remuneration package offer to a potential candidate. Such a package may include a housing allowance, health care benefits and even money towards children’s education.

Therefore assessing rates of pay is less simple than at first glance. Both housing and schooling in Dubai are expensive and any offer of assistance from an employer should be seen as being very valuable and should be taken into account with income offered and then compared with the hours that will need to be worked each week to determine whether the offer is attractive or not.

As stated the working week in Dubai is long for the majority of people – working hard and socialising hard is a way of life in the emirate. Those seeking jobs in Dubai should try and get a feel for what life will be like in the emirate for them and any accompanying family members and should be willing to accept that twelve hour shifts are the norm.

If you’re looking for a job in Dubai and are committed to your career, happy to put in the hours, free to socialise whenever you want and available to network whenever you need then Dubai could well represent a great opportunity. If on the other hand you’re travelling with family and considering jobs in Dubai where you will have to work long hours then you need to accept and be comfortable with the fact that you will probably have less free time to spend with your family.

Forums are a good place to get feedback from people already living and working in Dubai and recruitment companies are a good place to get practical advice about finding a job, securing a visa and relocating to the UAE.

Cost of Living

As Dubai becomes a more and more popular place to live for expatriate professionals, so questions about the cost of living in Dubai are asked more frequently of us.

The bottom line is that the cost of living in Dubai is quite high, but the standard of living is also very high and because personal taxes are non-existent in the emirate this reduces the overall financial burden for those living and working in the UAE.

Those who are headhunted, relocated or offered a good job in Dubai should consider negotiating a housing package as part of their overall remuneration deal because renting property in Dubai is the single highest outlay that the majority of people face. It’s a fact that there is limited completed housing stock available in Dubai at the present time and this has meant that landlords have been able to push up rental rates which in turn has inflated the cost of living in Dubai.

The government has placed a cap on annual rental rate hikes but this does not remove the fact that affording accommodation in the emirate is expensive!

For those who choose to buy property in Dubai the choice of off-plan properties is huge, but until those properties are completed purchasers will still have to rent. The amount of completed real estate on the market available for sale is limited.

In terms of current rental rates chargeable in Dubai they vary from district to district and property type to property type. A quick hunt around letting agents today reveals furnished 2 bedroom apartments in Dubai Marina available for RM8,000 a month and a one bedroom unfurnished apartment available in Dubai Marina for RM80,000 annually for which the tenant would have to pay the total in a maximum of two instalments. Villas and serviced apartments are also available throughout the emirate with villas starting from RM7,000 a week.

After accommodation one of the most expensive aspects of living in Dubai is socialising, and because the emirate is such a sociable place with everyone meeting to network, make friends and relax, expats living in Dubai will often find they eat and drink out a few times a week.

Additional expenses that some tend to overlook initially include health care and education services for those who travel with their families to live in the emirate.

Private schools in the UAE are expensive although the standards of education are generally very high. Private expatriate health care is also expensive and anyone should consider shopping round for the best health insurance policies. Other regular expenses incurred will include taxi travel and/or petrol as well as maid or cleaning services which are all relatively inexpensive – although a lot will depend on the budget you’re going to have to live on in Dubai!

There are definitely ways to cut down on the cost of living by flat sharing, cutting down on nights out and shopping locally in markets and smaller shops rather than in large malls and supermarkets – but most people who are moving to Dubai are moving to experience the Dubai lifestyle as much as anything!

Schools

Generally speaking the quality of international schools available in Dubai and throughout the UAE is high, and the best and most popular primary and secondary schools and tertiary colleges all have long waiting lists.

If you’re going to live in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Sharjah or Al Ain for example, you should consider researching your options on the internet and applying online to get your children into your preferred school before you actually relocate to the UAE.

Some international employers who offer their employees relocation packages to the UAE will include school fees as part of the overall remuneration deal; otherwise if you’re seeking employment in the UAE and believe you’re in a good negotiating position try and have school fees included in your contract. As you can imagine the best schools charge the highest fees and these can seriously eat away an otherwise attractive tax free salary.

In Dubai specifically, the number of international schools is increasing all the time as the population of the emirate expands rapidly and demand for quality education establishments grows. The Dubai English Speaking School for example has expanded to its limits and is now opening a brand new secondary school in 2006 to cater for ever increasing student numbers.

International expatriates have a range of schools to choose from and choice is likely to be dictated by both location and curriculum. The majority of schools have a website where the curriculum, method of teaching and annual fees are discussed and where parents and pupils can get a feel for the school environment. If securing accommodation in UAE is also on the expatriate’s list of things to do it might be best to secure school places for children before finding an apartment or villa to rent as schools are spaced out across the UAE and traffic can be quite chaotic at times making it difficult to travel far at peak times.

Ideally find and secure school places in a school as close to your work base as possible and then find accommodation in between the two to avoid grid lock and traffic jams in the morning. Most international schools have bus services which can ease the strain on working parents, but it is still sensible to be as accessible as possible to both your children’s school and your place of work

Malaysians like those who herald from the UK or USA have the greatest choice of schools in UAE because the majority of establishments follow either the British or American curriculum, some are Islamic. For those seeking alternatives there are French schools in Dubai and Al Nasr and there’s an Australian school and a German school in Sharjah. For a detailed listing of international, British and American Schools try http://english-schools.org/ and for a list of schools specifically in the UAE try http://www.theemiratesnetwork.com/dir/Education/Schools/ where the schools are divided by emirate and where you can find internet links to the majority of institutions listed.

Moving To Dubai

Annually around 200,000 new people take up residence in Dubai; the majority of these people move to the emirate for work and are often aided and abetted by their employer when it comes to getting residency and housing.
If you’re moving to Dubai and need advice about what to expect, how to get a visa and what the whole relocation process will involve, this article covers the fundamental facts for you.

To get entry to Dubai it’s highly likely that you will need a visa unless you herald from another GCC country. The majority of nationalities are granted visitor’s visas easily which are valid for a maximum of 60 days and which can be renewed for up to 30 days for a small fee. Certain restrictions apply depending on the nationality of the applicant and it is essential that anyone thinking of travelling to Dubai gets personal advice on their visa requirements before travelling from their nearest embassy.

For those moving to Dubai on a more permanent basis it will be necessary to obtain a residency visa. For those in receipt of a firm offer of employment their employer will sponsor their visa; another alternative is to be sponsored by a family member therefore trailing spouses and children can be sponsored by their employed spouse or parent for example. The other option available is to purchase real estate in Dubai as buying property enables a purchaser to apply for residency. Again, more personalised advice on this particular issue can be obtained from your nearest embassy.

In terms of getting housing in Dubai a prospective tenant will need their residency visa to rent a property. Most rental agreements are signed for at least a year and occasionally it is still possible that the tenant will have to pay for their annual rent up front which can be prohibitively expensive.

A growing number of individuals and agencies are now offering more flexible terms and those looking for rental accommodation will have to really shop around for the best deals as completed housing stock in Dubai is limited at the moment which has forced rental rates higher in recent months. Those who rent a property through an agency will have to pay around 5% commission to the agent and it’s usual to have to pay a refundable security deposit when renting in Dubai as well.

Since March the 12th 2006 a new property law has come into force in Dubai that allows foreigners the right to own freehold title to real estate in the emirate. The law was announced back in 2002 and it sparked a property boom in Dubai but the law only came into force this year. Those who buy property in Dubai will be granted a residence visa which is an added advantage of purchasing a home.

There are many international shipping companies who will forward goods to Dubai from anywhere in the world. Someone moving to Dubai has a choice of a door to door service or just having goods delivered to the airport or Jebel Ali Port (depending on the goods shipped and method of transportation) and then having to get clearance and delivery organised when in Dubai.

It’s a good idea to have a few quotes for moving goods to Dubai as there can be a great variation in cost from company to company. It’s possible for people to import used personal effects into Dubai without incurring any fees or taxes and it is also possible to import pets as well assuming they are healthy and their inoculations are all up to date. There is no quarantine in the UAE but cats and dogs have to have an up to date rabies injection and wear a municipality ID tag because if they wander off and are found they will be destroyed or re-homed if they are not identified by a tag.

In terms of what to take and what to leave behind that’s a very personal choice! But furniture, clothing and even white goods can be bought relatively cheaply with many notice boards offering second hand appliances and furniture for sale for example; and of course Dubai is a shopper’s paradise as the annual Dubai Shopping Festival highlights! If in doubt about a particular household effect leave it behind because the cost of shipping something to and from Dubai is likely to be more expensive than putting the item in storage or selling it on and buying new in Dubai.

Once you arrive in Dubai the best advice anyone can give you is to get out and about and start meeting people through www.malaysian-uae.com and malaysian-uae yahoogroup!

The more people you meet the more help and practical advice you will receive from expats who have moved to Dubai and experienced the same concerns, problems and issues that you are likely dealing with. By networking you will quickly build up a set of new friends and acquaintances who will generally be happy to point you in the right direction when you have questions about settling into your new life.

Expatriates the world over are usually only too happy to welcome a new expat into the fold and Dubai is certainly no exception to this rule!

Dubai in Figures

Dubai population makes big surge

By Ashfaq Ahmed, Staff Reporter

Dubai: Some 292,000 more people have become Dubai residents in just one year as the emirate's population increased to 1.422 million in 2006 from 1.130 million in 2005.

This means that 24,333 people were added to Dubai's population every month, 800 daily and around 33 every hour during 2006.

The figure does not include tourists.

Statistics for 2006 released by the Dubai Statistics Department yesterday not only revealed a sharp increase in the population, but also showed vibrant development in every sector.

Vehicles However, one alarming figure is the huge number of vehicles registered last year.

A total of 212,867 vehicles were registered,

including 170,951 light vehicles,

5,256 buses,

16,304 light trucks,

8,287 heavy trucks,

312 heavy mechanical vehicles and

3,498 motorcycles.

Out of the total 1.422 million in population, 75.5 per cent are male and 24.5 per cent are female.

The statistics book called Dubai in Figures also reveals the continuation of massive construction activities in the emirate.

A total of 2,222 buildings were completed at a cost of Dh11.16 billion.

Some 2,252 buildings were completed at the cost of Dh7.87 billion in 2005.

Land deals Some 5,640 land deals worth Dh65.114 billion were carried out during the year, up from 4,880 land deals worth Dh32.62 billion were recorded in 2005.

The number of mobile phones increased 20.6 per cent. There were more than 2.21 million mobile telephone lines by the end of the year compared to 1.83 million lines in 2005.

The landlines and fax lines reached 547,375 compared to 520,249 in 2005.

The number of public transport buses in Dubai reached 419 and they carried around 87.840 million passengers compared to 84.26 million in 2005.

Some 12,385 babies were born in government hospitals in 2006, of which 6,292 were male and 6,039 were female.

A total of 1,665 deaths including 1248 male and 417 female were reported. Around 2,663 marriages were registered in addition to 908 divorces. Dubai International Airport recorded a nine per cent increase in passengers. A total of 28.789 million passengers used the airport compared with 24.782 million in 2005.

Around 5.44 million guests stayed in 31,580 rooms in 306 hotels an increase of three per cent. Hotel apartments In 2005, 5.29 million guests stayed in 29,808 rooms in 300 hotels. The overall occupancy rate last year was 84.8 per cent.

The number of hotel apartments increased from 106 in 2005 to 115 last year.

The number of visitors also increased from 865,518 in 2005 to 953,292.

A total of 35,380 vessels called at Dubai ports, an increase of two per cent over the previous year.

Around 77,838 passengers used marine transport to arrive and depart Dubai.

13m tonnes of garbage Dubai Municipality collected over 13.574 million tonnes of waste last year.

Dubai has 220 schools during the academic year 2006-07. Out of them 88 are government schools and 132 are in the private sector.

During 2006, 11,536 new licences were issued. Of these, 8,585 were trade licences, 1,998 were professional licences, 194 industrial licences and 368 tourist licences.

There are five government hospitals and 30 Health Centres in Dubai with a total of 1,457 physicians and 3,866 nurses (excluding private hospitals). Around 1.656 patients attended the government sector hospitals and clinics last year.

At a glance Billions worth of shares traded The total number of stocks traded on the Dubai Financial Market in 2006 was 39.644 billion, worth Dh347.98 billion compared to 25.54 billion shares worth Dh405.16 billion in 2005.

Dubai International Financial Exchange registered transactions of some 3.682 million shares in 2006 worth Dh96.777 million.

Dubai imported goods worth Dh219.871 billion during 2006, while the export figures stood at Dh18.258 billion and the re-export figures were Dh78.309 billion.

The free zones imported goods worth Dh122.763 billion and exported goods worth Dh84.323 billion in 2006.

Other interesting figures for 2006 included 88 exhibitions and conferences attracting a total of 984,638 visitors and delegates. Dubai also hosted 23 conferences which were attended by 52,660 delegates.

The electricity produced last year rose to 20,314 gigawatt hours and the number of consumer connections reached 339,900.

Quantity of water production stands at 68,312 million gallons while the number of consumer connections reached

The secret lives of UAE Emirates' names

By Manal Alafrangi and Siham Al Najami, Staff Writers

What's in a name? Evidently, a whole world of meaning and significance. A name lends its bearer, be it people, culture or nation identity and recognition. A city, for instance, derives its name from its geography or history. Often, some of the great city names are rooted in mythology. Athens for example is named after the Greek goddess Athena. The city's name is world famous and resonates easily in collective recognition.

When it comes to unravelling the origins and meanings of the names of places in the UAE, myth and reality inextricably intermingle.

It is difficult to trace the origins of the names of cities such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah because their history was traditionally passed down by word of mouth through folklore and poetry.

Not much was written down and much has been obscured by time. What is known is that the names of places in the UAE have roots in the Arabic language.

Sometimes inferences can be drawn from the Arabic dictionary but mostly one returns to old stories and myths for clues.

It is well accepted that there are few written records of the cultural history of the UAE. According to Bilal Al Budoor, assistant under-secretary for Cultural Affairs at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, the country does not possess "geographical or historical noting or recording … because the UAE is an extension of the verbal Arab atmosphere".

Al Budoor was referring to the region's approach to history which has primarily relied on the oral tradition for its sources.

The lack of documentation is a problem, says Al Budoor. "Even today, the UAE doesn't have a geographical dictionary. Even the National Atlas of the UAE, brought out by the UAE University, was first published in English and lost a lot of words and names [many became distorted or misstated] when it was translated into Arabic."

Information is scattered and has varying interpretations and narratives, and no in-depth studies exist. "Even when the British wrote about this, they did so based on their own pronunciation, thus a lot of information was lost," says Al Budoor.

Moreover, English writing hardly ever focused on the geography of the area and instead concentrated on the politics of the region.

Al Budoor hopes academics and other government departments will, therefore, carry out extensive research in the area.

Dr Fadel Handhal, a researcher in the history and culture of the UAE and a member of Abu Dhabi's Emirates Heritage Club, has pored through many books on the history of the UAE and found that the records lack definite historical names and dates. "They are mostly based on guesswork, analysis, and mentions of some places in poetry and archives," he says.

Weekend Review interviewed a number of researchers and experts to help trace the origins of the emirate's names. Here are some opinions:

Abu Dhabi

There are various theories about the origins of the name of the present capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi.

"The area had a lot of Dhibaa [deers] and was nicknamed after that," Al Budoor theorises.

Another story reveals that a man who used to chase Dhabi [deer] was named the "father" of the animal and the name caught on.

Abu Dhabi was previously called Milh or salt, "probably because of the salty water," Handhal says.

Even now, this is the name of an island in Abu Dhabi. The word Abu Dhabi means "Father of Deer" referring to the few Dhibaa living in Al Buteen area, Handhal says, adding that some Bedouins called the city Umm Dhabi (mother of deer).

However, he says, the British archives refer to the city as Abu Dhabi. "We still don't know when it was [first] called Abu Dhabi, but Milh was the old name of Abu Dhabi."

However, according to books written by Arab historians and poets, the name was first used more than 300 years ago.

Ahmad Mohammad Obaid, poet and author of Studies on the Dialects of the UAE, says the old name Abu Dhabi isn't found in Arabic geography books. Most likely, the name was originally, tho Dhabi, tho referring to an area that possessed something (in this case, deer), he says.

Tho was perhaps dropped because it was either deemed too heavy or did not match the idiom of the local dialect. Hence, its replacement with Abu, which means father.

Abu Dhabi is pronounced as "Bu Dhabi" by inhabitants of the western coast of the city. In the eastern part of the city, the pronunciation is "Abu".

Based on old Omani records, the present mainland of Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra, was inhabited before Abu Dhabi. It was an island in the land of Bani Yas, where the dominant tribes, the Al Nahyan and Al Maktoum, resided.

Dubai

To begin with, Obaid wants to shatter the myth that the origin of the word Dubai is not Arabic. He says researchers are convinced that Arabs have always named areas that they have inhabited. He is puzzled by some who contend the name has Persian roots.

Dubai is a city that has been known for its Arab population ever since it was established. Dubai, Obaid says, is a diminution of the word Daba meaning baby locusts.

An Arabic proverbs says "they came with Daba Dubai" meaning they came with a swarm of locusts from this area. According to Al Budoor, mention of the name "Dubai" can be found in many stories. One of them is about a woman who was called Dubaa and who lived in the area.

Another story, he says, refers to an insect that used to crawl or tadboo. Handhal also refers to this story and says: "Daba is derived from the word Yadub, which means to creep. The word refers to the process by which the creek creeps into the land. The term is likened to the way a snakes creeps into the sand."

Others say the name's origins can be attributed to the term Dubbor [bee], which are also called Dibi [bees].

In the 1820s, Dubai was referred to as "Al Wasl" in books by British historians. That geographical record included the present-day areas of Jumeirah, Shindagha, Deira and Bur Dubai.

The area across the creek is known as Deira. "It [Deira] does not mean a house or Deyar of Bani Abis, but it means al estedarah, or roundness," a term describing the (rounded) shape of the creek when it joins land, Handhal says. "We do not know exactly why it is called Dubai.

However, researchers have come to two different conclusions about the nomenclature. "Dubai as a name was mentioned in the sixth century in books as a name of a location,"

Al Budoor says. But "the mind is comfortable with certain stories while other narratives seem very unlikely". Very little evidence can be found about the origins of Dubai except for references in stories narrated by the elderly of Dubai.

Sharjah

Al Budoor says many researchers have supposed that the word Sharqah, to which Sharjah owes its origins, comes from light. The terrain is so flat that the sun shines evenly on the land.

Sultan Al Omaimi, a UAE poet and researcher in folk literature, says that some historians speculate that Sharjah was the name of an idol worshipped in the pre-Islamic era which was known as Abed Al Shareq. I

t also had a feminine form called Al Shareqa. This idol, therefore, dates back to antiquity, but has been throughout a strong presence in the region's traditions, says Obaid.

Another theory finds that the word Sharqah comes from a fort in Andalusia — as is mentioned in the encyclopaedic book, Kitab mu'jam al-buldan written by the Muslim scholar Yaqut Al Hamawi.

Other researchers link the word Sharqah to the fact that the city is located to the Sharq, or east, of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Hence the Arabic classical form of Sharjah is Al Shareqah. It is the colloquial form that is Al Sharjah. In fact, Handhal says that the residents of Abu Dhabi call the inhabitants of Dubai, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah, the Sharagwah, or easterners.

Umm Khanoor is the other name for Sharjah, Handhal says. "There is a village attached to Sharjah called Umm Khanoor. However, nobody lives there anymore."

Ajman

Al Budoor says that one of the prominent Arab tribes in the area was named Ajman. "So it could be that the tribe lived in that area and later moved," he says.

Obaid says that it is hard to find clear roots of the name Ajman because the verb, Ajm, has several meanings — some of which would apply while others would not.

One of the related meanings is Ajama, which refers to the date palm that grows from the seed. But a look at Ajman shows that the area is not rich in date palm.

Another word extracted from Ajman is Ojma which can refer to sand to mean "a lot of sand" or Ramla Ajma which means an area without trees.

Handhal refutes the theory that the name Ajman originated from a village in Saudi Arabia whose inhabitants later moved to Ajman.

Some people say that originally the name of the emirate was "Aeyman", but changed to "Ajman" over time because the letter "j" was transferred to an "e".

Handhal, however, says this is a mistake, because the word Ajman has been referenced in British archives since 1800. "Aeyman is the popular name for Ajman," he says.

Umm Al Quwain

Al Budoor says that the name Umm Al Quwain refers to two economic and agricultural powers that the emirate has historically possessed: the sea and the land. Thus, the emirate was seen as the mother of these two strengths.

But according to Obaid, the word Quwain is inspired from Qawn which is a direct reference to iron. Based on a historical reference, Handhal says that "the double powers" relates to one of the shaikhs (tribal leaders) because he had hundreds of cannons.

But he adds that researchers still do not know who the shaikh was. Al Omaimi also refers to it as "Umm Al Quwatain", but agrees with Al Budoor that the name is a result of the pride that the city took in the two forms of geographical power it drew on.

Ras Al Khaimah

The name Ras Al Khaima has not been recorded in old transcripts despite the fact that areas within the emirate such as Joulafar, Rijam and Al Khail have written antecedents.

It could be that the name itself is modern or that it is old but not transcribed in history books. According to Handhal, the other name for Ras Al Khaimah is "Al Seer", which some researchers believe comes from Serah, an old Portuguese name for mountain.

Another theory asserts that Seer means "the dynasty" of the Al Qawasim tribe. The grandfather of the Al Qawasim tribe was Qayid Bin Adwan, who set a Khaimah (or tent) at the entrance of Ras Al Khaimah.

Al Budoor tells a tale of a town leader who always noticed that when men went out on a fishing or hunting trip, found it difficult to locate the city while trying to return. To solve this problem, he set up a Khaima with a flag, to help the men pinpoint its location.

A statue of an old Khaimah or tent still stands at the roundabout at the entrance of the emirate and the name probably comes from the tent of Shaikh Qayid, Handhal says.

There are legends associated with the name, Handhal explains. "Once upon a time, 2,000 years ago, the Queen of Sheba came to this part of the world and built a tent on top of a mountain. It was said that the Queen resided in the area for some time." Consequently, the area was named Ras Al Khaimah after her stay in the tent.

Historians also refer to old ruins on top of one of the mountains, which were called Qasir Al Zaba'a or Palace of Al Zaba'a.

Fujairah

Obaid says Al Fujaira was only mentioned in Al Hamawi's encyclopaedic book on countries and even then it was not mentioned in any detail.

The premise that the word Fujaira is derived from Fujoor (or libertinism) is very unlikely, says Obaid, because then the name would have been well documented. He sees the most likely root as linked to tafajur, which refers to "the bursting of water from the ground".

This makes more sense, he says, since the area is rich in valleys. On the other hand, Al Budoor speculates the name possibly means "light".

Other major cities of the UAE

Khor Fakkan: The name refers to the shape of the area. "Khor" is an extension of land between two water bodies. "Fak" means jaw and refers to the shape of the land where it touches the water.

Kalba: In Arabic, Kalba means "the land that bears strength". Some say that the area looks like the Arabic letter "Baa" and "Kal" means "as", hence the meaning "as Baa". Others say the name refers to a dog since the literal translation of the word means female dog, says Bilal Al Budoor.

Al Ain: An agricultural and cultivated land that has a lot of water wellheads or springs. Perhaps the discovered area happened to fall on top of a well.

Diba: One of the ancient names (from the pre-Islamic era) which could refer to a famous souq called Diba. After the passing of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), one of the peoples who resisted Islam were the people of Diba. Perhaps it may have also been named after an insect that crawls or "tadboo" that is mainly found in agricultural areas

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Thursday, September 10, 2009

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