You can plan for the whole year, but you will never know exactly when Ramadan falls.
That's right, you're only notified of Ramadan... 1 day in advance. Why? Every time it's time for a holiday, there's a tradition: religious people in Saudi Arabia will look at the moon, and only when the moon reaches the right conditions to be considered a holiday will the holiday be announced. This is done on three occasions: Ramadan, the celebration of Eid al-Fitr, and then 2 months later is Eid Al Adha, also known as the festival of sacrifice. This year, Ramadan falls from March 22 to April 20.
The activities that Muslims must follow during the holy month of Ramadan include: abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking from sunrise to sunset, praying five times a day, giving more charity and making the pilgrimage to Mecca.
When it is time to pray, believers will temporarily put aside their work.
Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan is considered the most important
The meaning of fasting is for believers to sympathize with the poor, and at the same time control their desires, practice against temptation. For Muslims, this is a way to train their mind and body, as well as bring them the most blessings.
The first meal of the day after sunset is called “iftar”. Some countries will fire cannons every day to signal the time to eat. In contrast to the gloomy scene during the day, from “iftar” onwards is the busiest and most joyful time. Mosques often organize free “iftar” meals for people. They often gather in large numbers to pray together and wait for the time to eat.
Despite the long fasting period, Ramadan sees double the consumption of food compared to normal days. Extravagant parties at night, gatherings with friends and family with large quantities of delicious food are served almost all night long. After eating and drinking, people enjoy and congratulate each other until late at night. Then they will rest and wake up at 2-3 am to prepare for the last meal called “suhoor” before sunrise to start a new day of fasting.
Muslims wait for the end of their fasting period.
Notes when traveling during Ramadan
To support the fasting of Ramadan, restaurants will be closed in the morning, or if they are open to tourists, they will cleverly choose to cover their doors with black curtains and sit in a hidden corner. The sale of alcohol during this month is very limited. If you are traveling to Muslim countries at this time, you should dress modestly and avoid eating and drinking in public to show respect for their fasting. In some stricter countries, they will remind tourists and ask us to follow.
Restaurants will be closed or have to cover their windows all day during the holiday.
Try an “Iftar” meal with the locals at a big restaurant, they will invite you to enjoy a sweet date and sip hot tea served from a large Arabic tea pot before moving on to the next delicious feast. Dates are also a very important and most sold food during Ramadan. Eating a few nutritious dates helps the stomach get used to absorbing energy after a whole day of fasting before coming to the big meal.
An "iftar" meal with dates at a 5-star hotel in Dubai.
Since prolonged fasting can affect people's ability to work during the day, please be understanding if you encounter a less-than-friendly Muslim, an irritable taxi driver trying to squeeze through a crowd, or a tired waiter who has been asked too many questions. Fasting, although it takes place every year, is also a huge challenge for many people.
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