Ramadan around the world

By: Aftab Hussain Kola While the religious moorings in Ramadan are more or less the same across the Muslim world, certain strands of culture in different locations give uniqueness to the customs. The topic of Ramadan could begin from the Makkah region (Saudi Arabia), the focal point for many Muslims. I spent one full Ramadan several years ago in Jeddah-Makkah and had an amazing feeling of fasting in the land from where Islam spread. Piety is seen on everyone’s faces. They make it a point to spend as much time as possible at Haram Mosque or Grand Mosque (housing Kaaba) in Makkah. People flock there for the umrah (a short pilgrimage) from far off places as it entails greater rewards. Morning time is quite lazy as far as locals are concerned, but foreigners indulge in worship. One hour before maghrib prayers (evening prayers), worshippers swell. The scene of breaking the fast with dollops of dates and water or curd/butter milk is a feast for the senses. Four hours away in Madinah Al-Munawwarah (Lighted City), the scene is livelier with the markets and shopping centres around the Prophet’s Mosque teeming with people. They are opened till late at night. Far away in Turkey, in some places a crier ambles the streets of a town rapping on doors with a stick to rouse the sleepy and faithful by crying out loud, "Awake, sleepers!” This is to wake the people for suhur (meal before the morning fast). In Egypt, colourful lanterns dot the entrances of houses. In the first few days of the blessed month, children prefer to stay up late because of Ramadan. They gather in groups of three or four to go out among the crowds, swinging their glowing lanterns and chanting ancient song of Ramadan, expecting a welcome with nuts or sweets for their vocal talent. Moving to Yemen, the city of Sana’a is transformed into a kaleidoscope of light and colours. But this time around, Ramadan may be a low-key affair because of civil unrest there. But one tradition that is retained in Sana’a is the firing of cannons from a hillock, an innovation of the Ottoman Empire, as the sun sinks behind the horizon. It signals the end of fast. When the moon sighting is confirmed, Malaysian authorities water the streets, clean yards and public squares and hang electric lamps along the main streets. Caravans of solidarity are organised to provide iftar for the poor and travellers in Tunisian cities. Sharing the meal is the norm in Sudan. All neighbours bring their food to a certain area so that guests and those who have no food can partake of their meal. The Moroccan ftûr tables are laden with different dishes with special emphasis on the famous harira (a nutritious tomato soup with meat, chickpeas and lentils), the national dish for breaking fast in Morocco. Next to an artistically Moroccan decorated jar of harira, there is a set of decorated bowls with dates and milk (or Moroccan traditional coffee). Some pockets in India dominated by Muslims take on a festive air during Ramadan. All the activities revolve around sunset. A strand of culture that is prevalent in some traditional Muslim mohallas is the town-crier waking up people for fasting. A similar tradition is practised in Bangladesh, a predominantly Muslim country. The old part of Dhaka comes alive at night as groups of people throng the streets and sing traditional songs to the beating of drums. This is to awaken people for suhur, which is called kafela in Bangladesh. In Pakistan, the most delicious variety of food is the order of the day, apart from the worship, during Ramadan. A popular Ramadan dish in Pakistan is Khajla Phehni (deep-fried, protein-rich vermicelli). Many Muslim-Americans, especially from immigrant backgrounds, break their fast on traditional fare from their home countries - samosas, choley and roohafza or maqluba and mansaf. Dozens of colleges around the country have successfully organised a 'Fast-a-thon’ event, which invites non-Muslim students and faculty to fast for a day in order to make them experience the spirit of fasting and to raise money for the hungry in the community. DHNS