Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, fasting during the month of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.
The month is spent by Muslims fasting during the daylight hours from dawn to sunset.
Roughly two billion people from different cultural backgrounds celebrate the month in their own way. Ramadan is more than fasting and praying; it is a time to get together and uphold traditions and customs.
In addition to Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Iran, the UAE, and other Muslim countries, many individuals in non-Muslim countries also participate in Ramadan traditions. Ramadan is celebrated in the UK, Canada, the US, and some other European countries.
Although they have the same religious practices during the month, fasting and worshiping, but the rituals vary from country to country.
Ramadan Lantern / Egypt
During Ramadan, Egyptians decorate the streets with lanterns to illuminate the entire city during the holy month. These lanterns symbolise unity and joy.
The origins of the Ramadan lantern history trace back to Egypt during the Fatimid era, specifically in 358 AH (around 969 AD), when Caliph Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah entered Cairo for the first time on the fifth day of Ramadan. He arrived in the city after sunset. So people welcomed him with candles placed in wooden frames that prevented them from going out. Later, these wooden frames evolved into lanterns decorated with colourful glasses.
Suhoor drummer /Turkey
Like many other Middle Eastern countries, more than 20,000 drummers roam the streets of Turkey to wake Muslims up for the morning prayer and suhoor (pre-dawn meal) before sunrise. Drummers in Turkey wear traditional Ottoman attire, red hats, and vests.
Children recite poems / the UAE
‘Haq Al Laila’ is a tradition observed on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of Ramadan in the UAE. Children put on colourful clothes and go from door to door to sing songs and receive sweets. The song means give sweet to us, may God reward you, and you visit His house in Mecca.
Eating food prepared by neighbours / Thailand
In Thailand, women leave their houses before they break their fast (iftar). They sit in front of one of their homes and have iftar together. The men do not eat the food their wives have made. Instead, they eat the foods prepared by other men’s wives.
Canon firing / Cairo, Syria, Lebanon, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Known as Madfa al iftar, the tradition started 200 years ago when the Ottoman ruler Khosh Qadam occupied Egypt. At that time, Qadam accidentally blasted a cannon while testing it during sunset. The sound echoed throughout Cairo, and many civilians thought it was a new way to announce the end of fasting. Later, Syria and Lebanon started to observe the tradition.
What makes the tradition unique for Bosnia and Herzegovina is that they fire cannons before breaking fast. They do not use war canons but traditional ones that are 100 years old.
Foods and pastries / Iran
A variety of foods and pastries are served during the month of Ramadan in Iran.
Although there is no prescribed food for the meals, Iranians have some unique cuisines, such as Zoolbia Bamieh – a crispy Persian doughnut, made of deep-fried dough drunk in tasty syrup; Halim – a very popular food made of barley, shredded meat (beef, lamb, chicken or turkey) and spices; Ash Reshteh – a traditional Persian stew made of vegetables, fried onion, meat, nuts, beans, and Persian noodle; and Sholezard – an Iranian traditional saffron rice pudding dessert.
