This year, the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is from April 23 until May 23. Ramadan is a lunar month dedicated to fasting and reflection. I grew up in a religious family, and we all used to fast together. This brought us closer over the course of the month.
The fast begins shortly before sunrise with a suhoor meal and breaks at sunset with an iftar meal. Since the sun rises and sets at slightly different times every day, the hours of fasting during Ramadan also change by a few minutes throughout the month. During the day, we don’t eat or drink anything.
Once the fasting period starts, people feel more connected to the community of believers around the world. We all aim to fulfill this obligation in the same way and for the same purposes.
My family and I used to wake up for the morning prayer and eat an hour and a half before the sunrise. During the day, we went to work, attended to our duties, but when it was time for iftar, everyone was back home.
Another custom that we Muslim people have is inviting others who are fasting for iftar at our homes. We cook various dishes, and we eat together. I come from a big family, so we were invited to our cousins’ homes at least four times a week.
One very important thing to have on our table is dates. Dates are a key element in an iftar meal during Ramadan. You can break your fast with a date or a sip of water.
Usually, during Ramadan, we go to the mosque and pray after finishing our meal. The mosques also organize massive iftar tables in the city center for the people in need to eat. Ramadan is a month of sharing and caring for each other. In addition to its spiritual and moral values, fasting also has a great social value. It unites the people and promotes support to those in need.
How do you celebrate Ramadan? Share your experience in the comments below.
Thanks @InaS for share with us. In the Ramadan we fast for a month. We will refrain from drinking, eating, immoral acts and anger. We wake up early to eat a pre-dawn meal called seheri, and we break our fast with iftar. Special dishes are prepared during the Fasting of Ramadan, such as Piyajoo, Beguni, Jilapi, Bundia, Egg chops, Potato Chop, Chicken Fry, Meat Kabab, Muri, Halim, dates, Chola, traditional Bengali sweets and different types of fruits and Fruit Juices such as watermelon, papaya,. Other acts of worship such as Tarabih prayer, reading the Quran and charity are also encouraged during the holy month.
@InaS Thanks for describing all the important aspects of the holy month of Ramadan in a beautiful way. We are currently residing in KSA and it’s always a wonderful experience to spend the Ramadan here. We usually have sugary and fried dishes (Sambosas, puff pastries, Hanini, Harees) during the Iftaar time. My wife does all the cooking and I assist her in the kitchen. I still remember the days when me and my family spend the last 10 days of Ramadan in the holy cities, Makkah and Madinah. The ambiance over there was so relaxing and cozy, all the tasty iftaar and suhur meals were provided in the grand mosques from the Government of Ksa.
@InaS Great post . We do celebrate Ramadan in many ways . We fast 1month to satisfy the creator Almighty Allah . We fast all day long and break our fast at evening .
Thank you for sharing this interesting post and those beautiful photos with us.
In Morocco, Ramadan is the month where people eat the most! Many delights are cooked everyday for the Iftar, but the tradition requires to break the fasting with a date and a cup of milk. The atmosphere during this sacred month is unique and not easy to describe in words.
Personally, If I have to name one meal that represents Radaman in Morocco, it would be the Harira. You can read more about this soup in the following link.
Do you have a favorite typical meal that you particularly enjoy during Ramadan?
