Ramazan

Ramazan (Ramadan in English) began Sunday. Ramazan is the month of fasting for Muslims. Ramazan remembers the time that Mohammed received the first revelations of the Qur’an . Muslims are expected to fast from sunrise to sunset for the entire month. Children, pregnant women, sick and elderly are exempt from fasting. All of my secondary Muslim students are fasting. We have a third grader fasting this year.

The call to prayer ends fasting for the day. At this time, called iftar, Muslims break their fasting. At iftar, families have big feasts. Though they are fasting, many people actually gain weight during Ramazan because they eat so much in the evenings. There is also an increase in car accidents. It’s crazy as people are rushing to get home for iftar. I learned last year not to be out around iftar time.

Drummers come through the neighborhoods and apartment buildings one hour before first light (around 3:30 am) to wake people so they can eat one more time before the sun comes up. My earplugs keep me from hearing the drummers. At the end of Ramazan they come to your house to ask for money, because they went to all that trouble to wake you up every evening.

During Ramadan you are to abstain from sex and smoking (which is very hard for Turks-99% of Turks smoke). You also are not supposed to buy new clothes. Devout Muslims will not even put on lipstick during this time. Nothing is supposed to pass your lips during the time of fasting.

The month of Ramadan ends with Şeker Bayram (Candy Day). People visit their families. It is a big vacation time. You bring gifts and you give candy to anyone who comes to your home. It is kind of like Halloween and Christmas together. It’s a three-day holiday. We actually have the whole week off from school. Jenna and I are going to Prague.

Because the Turkish are such hospitable people, they are very understanding of people who are not fasting. During this time they are supposed to try to read through the Qur’an.

Find out more at http://www.turkeytravelplanner.com/Religion/ ramazan.html

“What I'm interested in seeing you do is: sharing your food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into your homes, putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad, being available to your own families. Do this and the lights will turn on, and your lives will turn around at once. Your righteousness will pave your way. The GOD of glory will secure your passage.” - Isaiah 58:7-8 (Message)