Are you curious about Ramadan traditions around the world?
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the holy month for Muslim people around the world. It involves prayer, fasting, being charitable and spending time with family. It is significant for Muslims around the world because they believe that Prophet Muhammad received Islam’s holy book, Quran (or Koran) during Ramadan. It is during Ramadan that God revealed to Muhammed that he was a prophet and he needed to spread God’s message among people.
Ramadan is the ninth month in Islamic calendar. This year, it begins on Wednesday, March 23rd in Canada and continues through April 21. It ends in the holiday, Eid al-Fitr. The 1.8 billion Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan very similarly. However, there are also some fascinating Ramadan traditions around the world that are specific to certain countries. We will look at both in this article.
Fasting
Ramadan’s most important tradition is fasting. Muslim people fast from sunrise to sunset. They abstain from food and drink all day. Even water is a no-no during Ramadan. Fasting is to strengthen their relationship with God through piety, sacrifice and self-restraint. The Muslims can break their fast after an evening prayer with a meal called Iftar (Iftar means a meal after sunset). They can also have suhoor ( a sunrise meal) before dawn. Iftar is often a communal meal where friends and family gather to share food and pray together. They usually start the supper with dates or something sweet and then they eat more nutritious foods like lentil soup, fruits, vegetables and meats. Suhoor is to prepare Muslims for a full day of fasting and it often contains carbohydrates, especially rice, fruits, vegetables and meats.
Prayer
During the holy month of Ramadan, the Muslims are to recite whole Quran in chunks of 1 /30. That means that one thirtieth of Qur’an is recited each night. In addition to the five daily prayers:
- Fajr (prayed at dawn)
- Dhuhr (prayed at midday)
- Asr (prayed in the afternoon)
- Maghrib (prayed at sunset)
- Isha (prayed at night)
Muslims recite a special prayer called the Tarawih prayer after the Isha during Ramadan. During Tarawih, Muslims recite 8 to 20 rakats of Quran in sets of two. It is an important prayer because people believe that they can have their sins forgiven, if they pray during Ramadan. Tarawih is often a congregational prayer where men and women go to a mosque to pray, but they can also have it at home.
Dhikr is a form of meditation, or chant in which words are repeated in order to remember and glorify God. People can say this prayer anywhere and at any time, for example, during mundane chores like driving, waiting in line, or preparing the evening meal.
On Laylat-al-Qadr: The Night Of Power all prayers receive the most reward. Laylat-al-Qadr is one of the holiest nights of Ramadan. It falls on the night of one of the odd days during the last ten days of Ramadan, often on the 27th day of the month. It is believed that Prophet Muhammad received the first revelation of the Quran during that night. Most people go to the mosques to try to complete the recitation of the Quran on Laylat Al Qadr night, and they are also to attend Taraweeh at the mosque on this night.
Charitable Donations
Ramadan is also a month of zakat, or charitable giving and purification of wealth. Muslims who are able to give are required to donate 2.5% of their wealth to zakat. There are many ways for Muslims to give. Zakat al-Fitr is charity that richer Muslims give to the poor at the end of Ramadan and before the holiday of Eid. People give money, clothes and food to those less fortunate to enable all community members to enjoy Eid. People can donate Zakat throughout Ramadan, but one of the best nights to give is during the Laylat-al-Qadr: The Night Of Power. Muslims can also invite others for Iftar, donate food to schools or Food Banks or buy a homeless person lunch.
Eid al-Fitr
Eid-al-Fitr, also known as the Lesser Eid, marks the end of Ramadan. It is a three-day-long celebration during which Muslims cannot fast, and, instead, should come together with friends and family to celebrate. Eid-al-Fitr is a time of feasts, sweet treats and Eid gifts shared between elders and their children. Muslims get up early on Eid-al-Fitr and dress in their best clothes. They donate traditional Eid foods or money and attend the local mosque to make Eid Prayer. They continue to celebrate for three days. A common greeting during Eid al-Fitr is “Eid Mubarak,” which means “Blessed Eid.” This greeting is used to wish other Muslims well during Eid. It means something like ‘Happy Eid.’
Ramadan Traditions Around the World
Ramadan traditions around the world are marked by local flavours. Below are some of the most fascinating.
Ramadan Traditions in Turkey
Turkey has a unique tradition of drummers walking the streets of neighbourhoods to wake people up for morning prayer and Suhoor. This tradition dates back to Ottoman times when there were no alarm clocks. The drummers use the traditional drum called a ‘davit’. They walk the streets in traditional Ottoman clothing that includes the fez (a red hat) and a vest. The Turkish Muslims are known for their sweet tooth and often start Suhoor with Turkish delight, baclava or cookies.
Ramadan Traditions in Egypt
Egypt during Ramadan may be one of the most colorful places in the world. People of Egypt decorate their houses and streets with multi-coloured lanterns, called fanoos. You can also see children walking the streets with lanterns in their hands asking for sweets and singing. The origin of the tradition of lanterns is unclear. Some sources say it may date back to the Fatimid Empire when Caliphate Al-Muʿizz li-Din Allah was greeted with glimmering candles as he arrived in Cairo for Ramadan. Since he arrived after dusk, people wanted to lit the streets and so they came out with candles. The candles were gradually replaced with beautifully patterned and painted lanterns. People, especially women, used lanterns in the past when they walked to the mosque at night. Whatever the origin, the lanterns have become one of the symbols of Ramadan.
Ramadan traditions in United Arab Emirates (UAE)
People in UAE have a special day, Haq al Laila, one month before the Ramadan, on the 15th of Sha’ban when children walk around the neighbourhood in brightly-coloured clothes and sing in exchange for sweets and nuts. The tradition resembles trick-or-treating in North America. It signifies the strength of the community, friendship and family values. A signature Iftar meal of UAE is harees, a porridge-like mixture of boiled wheat and delicate, mouth-watering meat.
Ramadan Traditions in Indonesia
Indonesia, being 87% Muslim, has some distinctive traditions during Ramadan. To prepare themselves for the month-long holiday, Indonesians perform a purification ritual, called padusan, one day before Ramadan. They bathe in pools or springs to purify their bodies and spirit. Another tradition they have is nyekar, which originated in Java. During nyekar, Indonesians say a prayer and give respect to their dead to prepare for the new life cycle which begins with Ramadan.
Ramadan Traditions in Morocco
Similarly to the Turkish, the Moroccans have their own version of human alarm clocks. The nafars, wake up the community with a musical horn and the sound of a prayer sung. The community members carefully choose nafars. They take into account values such as honesty and empathy. Nafars wear a traditional Morrocan gandora (a tunic), slippers and hat. They are not only spiritually distinguished, but also picturesque.
Ramadan Traditions in Lebanon
Lebanon share many traditions with the neighbouring countries, but one that sets them apart is the tradition of firing the canons after a day of fasting to signify it is time for Iftar. The tradition is said to have originated in Egypt when a ruler accidentally fired a canon before sunset. Now, it has become one of Lebanon’s most cherished traditions.
Ramadan Traditions in Cameroon
In a spirit of camaraderie and goodness, many Muslims in Cameroon open their doors right before Iftar to invite anyone from outside who may need a place to break their fast. It is common to hug people to break fast together in Cameroon and share a meal consisting of dates, soup, grilled meat, fried bananas and French bread.
What Ramadan traditions do you have?
