Hassan Maed, full of emotion, shared, “I always believed my verdict was slowly approaching, but never thought it could be this close to Eid Al Fitr. Eid Al Fitr feels like precious Eidiya, a gift from God.”
The Syria-born engineer had been living in the UAE since 1992. The disbelief and immeasurable gratitude he felt after his winning the grand prize of US $1 million in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Series 495 was shocking. Blended with mechanical engineering, his job is with the Combined Group Contracting Company, Abu Dhabi. He was spending time with family at the end of Ramadan, never realizing he could be celebrating an unexpected win.
On the 7th of March he decided to buy an online ticket for the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire Series. This time the ticket he bought, number 2525, felt different. He put in some extra effort, believing it would make something happen, and gave the shot was something that may be out of reach. After winning the ticket, he found an enormous renewal of 1 million dollars.“It felt like a dream,” he reflected. “I could hardly digest it. Something this significant, especially right after Eid. It’s almost like it was sent by God as a one-of-a-kind Eidiya.”
Eid al Fitr has always been about family, gratitude and other personal reflections for Maed. But in this case Eid became more than a spiritual observance — it became the day his dream came true. The epiphany of winning a lottery isn’t only about the moolah; rather, it serves as a reminder of how astonishing and realistic human dreams, expectations and aspirations can come in life, irrespective of the odds.
An individual story that embodies both hope and persistence is Maed’s. The reality is, winning a life-changing prize is but a dream for most, but with Maed, it’s nothing close to luck. It’s about holding on to possibilities even when they seem impossible. For him this is more than financial prize; it’s a reward from a higher power that has changed his perspective towards life for the better.
Aside from being splendid serendipity, his triumph serves as a potent reminder that life has a way of surprising us when we expect it the least. Mads story continues to inspire those around him, proving that hope alongside faith and relentless determination makes anything achievable, and at times, the greatest gifts are bestowed upon us when we are least ready for them.