Ramadan......
A possibly controversial post given recent events...but I like the Ramadan month and even as a non muslim and therefore non-observer I enjoy the festivities, socialising and special food and drink that goes with Ramadan.
Today is the first day of the holy month of Ramadan....
The concept of Ramadan is usually met with mixed reactions from non muslims...many don't understand, many don't want to understand and many feel that the idea is outdated in this day and age.
There are five acts of worship which strengthen a Muslim's faith and obedience, they are often referred to as the "Five Pillars of Islam." Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars...the other pillars are almsgiving, prayer (five times a day, bearing witness to their faith and a pilgrimage to Mecca...normally referred to as the Hajj. The Holy Qur'an says, in Chapter 2 Verse 183, "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint."
The basics of Ramadan are that one must fast from sun rise to sun set...as well as fasting one must also abstain from smoking and sex....which is why there are very few weddings during Ramadan.
At sun set the mosques sound the call to prayer and then the fast is broken with a meal called Iftar, after Iftar one should visit family and friends where more food and special Ramdadan drinks are consumed...the eating and drinking goes on until the small hours of the morning and the final meal before sunrise is Sahour...generally involving heavy dishes that will fill you up...bucket loads of hommous are good!
The month of Ramadan is traditionally a peaceful month for Muslims and one during which they can concentrate on their faith...the good that comes from observing Ramadan can be cancelled out by five 'sins' - lying, slander, denouncing someone behind their back, greed or a false promise.
There are some exceptions - if you are a pregnant woman, if you are ill, or if you are travelling you are excused the fasting...but you will need to 'make up the time' at a later stage.
I am not a muslim and yet whilst growing up and working in various muslim countries I had to be very aware of Ramadan and particularly when I was younger we almost had to observe Ramadan..in that we didn't eat and drink in public during the day...lunch was eaten at home with the curtains closed...no bottles of water whilst we were out shopping. These days it is slightly more relaxed and eating and drinking in restaurants is acceptable although out on the street is not such a good idea. In many places alcohol is not permitted even for foreigners during Ramadan...in Jordan the bottle shops close, freestanding bars and restaurants cannot sell alcohol...only hotels.
I remember many nights standing on the terrace of the 10th floor of our building in Amman and watching the sun dip behind Jebel Amman, seeing the completely empty streets and listening to all the mosques starting their call to prayer...as I stood there I could imagine all the people at home and at restaurants all tucking into their first meal since about 5am...After Iftar which we would also join in, we used to go out to the 'Ramadan Tents'....restaurants (and hotels) around town would set up wonderful tents with beautiful decorations usually based around old Arabic villages or stars and crescent moons - here they would lay on entertainment...musical (traditional) or theatrical and we would sit and play cards, catch up with friends and colleagues, smoke our Argeelahs and eat and drink....my favourite drink during Ramadan was a sickly sweet concoction called Sehlab...a wonderful concoction of thickened hot milk, nuts, and cinammon...I always used to rather over indulge and come the end of Ramadan never wanted to see another one until the next Ramadan started...
Unfortunately due to the actions of a few and the inactions of many, Islam is no longer perceived as the peaceful religion that I think it once was. Notwithstanding, I always enjoyed Ramadan and really saw it as a peaceful month when life in Jordan reverted to a facsimile of what it possibly once was....so to all my muslim friends I wish you 'Ramadan Mubarak'....I'm thinking of you having your sahleb and argeelahs!
Today is the first day of the holy month of Ramadan....
The concept of Ramadan is usually met with mixed reactions from non muslims...many don't understand, many don't want to understand and many feel that the idea is outdated in this day and age.
There are five acts of worship which strengthen a Muslim's faith and obedience, they are often referred to as the "Five Pillars of Islam." Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars...the other pillars are almsgiving, prayer (five times a day, bearing witness to their faith and a pilgrimage to Mecca...normally referred to as the Hajj. The Holy Qur'an says, in Chapter 2 Verse 183, "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint."
The basics of Ramadan are that one must fast from sun rise to sun set...as well as fasting one must also abstain from smoking and sex....which is why there are very few weddings during Ramadan.
At sun set the mosques sound the call to prayer and then the fast is broken with a meal called Iftar, after Iftar one should visit family and friends where more food and special Ramdadan drinks are consumed...the eating and drinking goes on until the small hours of the morning and the final meal before sunrise is Sahour...generally involving heavy dishes that will fill you up...bucket loads of hommous are good!
The month of Ramadan is traditionally a peaceful month for Muslims and one during which they can concentrate on their faith...the good that comes from observing Ramadan can be cancelled out by five 'sins' - lying, slander, denouncing someone behind their back, greed or a false promise.
There are some exceptions - if you are a pregnant woman, if you are ill, or if you are travelling you are excused the fasting...but you will need to 'make up the time' at a later stage.
I am not a muslim and yet whilst growing up and working in various muslim countries I had to be very aware of Ramadan and particularly when I was younger we almost had to observe Ramadan..in that we didn't eat and drink in public during the day...lunch was eaten at home with the curtains closed...no bottles of water whilst we were out shopping. These days it is slightly more relaxed and eating and drinking in restaurants is acceptable although out on the street is not such a good idea. In many places alcohol is not permitted even for foreigners during Ramadan...in Jordan the bottle shops close, freestanding bars and restaurants cannot sell alcohol...only hotels.
I remember many nights standing on the terrace of the 10th floor of our building in Amman and watching the sun dip behind Jebel Amman, seeing the completely empty streets and listening to all the mosques starting their call to prayer...as I stood there I could imagine all the people at home and at restaurants all tucking into their first meal since about 5am...After Iftar which we would also join in, we used to go out to the 'Ramadan Tents'....restaurants (and hotels) around town would set up wonderful tents with beautiful decorations usually based around old Arabic villages or stars and crescent moons - here they would lay on entertainment...musical (traditional) or theatrical and we would sit and play cards, catch up with friends and colleagues, smoke our Argeelahs and eat and drink....my favourite drink during Ramadan was a sickly sweet concoction called Sehlab...a wonderful concoction of thickened hot milk, nuts, and cinammon...I always used to rather over indulge and come the end of Ramadan never wanted to see another one until the next Ramadan started...
Unfortunately due to the actions of a few and the inactions of many, Islam is no longer perceived as the peaceful religion that I think it once was. Notwithstanding, I always enjoyed Ramadan and really saw it as a peaceful month when life in Jordan reverted to a facsimile of what it possibly once was....so to all my muslim friends I wish you 'Ramadan Mubarak'....I'm thinking of you having your sahleb and argeelahs!
posted by Madame Chiang at 9:15 pm
5 Comments:
Ramadan is beginning, and we had the whirling dervishes of Turkey here to get things going.
Washington Cube Was Here. #38
Madame,
I read your blog often. I'm considering a move from HK to Damascus next year. Ever visited or lived there ? Opinions, impressions, rumours and scuttlebut welcomed.
Paul
Unfortunately have never visited Damascus but a lot of my friends did and said it was a great city...I also have had friends who lived & worked up there. It is apparently quite challenging living and working there but worth it. I was actually looking at a job in Damascus before I came to Manila...My only thought at the moment is one of security on two fronts - the Lebanon issue and also Syria's possible involvement in Iraq....however, it wouldn't stop me going there if it was the right job.
Thanks m'dear. Always informative.
Paul
It can't succeed in fact, that's what I believe.
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