Ramadan and Bairam

Ramadan is the most special month for the Muslim world which we fast, pray and celebrate. Especially fasting is very important in this month. Fasting means letting nothing pass the lips: no food, drink, chewing gum, tobacco smoke from sunrise to sunset. We also refrain from sexual intercourse during daylight in the holy month. We have a kind of breakfast the early morning before sunrise. We call that time “Sahur”. And we don’t do the things that I say above after Sahur until sunset. We call that sunset time “Iftar”.

The other important and nice thing is solidarity and to organize something together with other people. Especially Iftars are very important for being together. We organize great Iftar days to eat all together after fasting. Also huge tents are set up outside to serve meal every day for poor and homeless people. And not only those people come to the tents, Also many citizens come to eat Iftar meal all together even they don’t know each other. Everyone enjoys being together. Many different kind of foods desserts and drinks make you crazy on iftar time 😀

In Ramadan, the other important thing is to help other people. You can do it by giving money, food packages etc. But it should be secretly. Because the person who needs help might feel bad and shy when you help him/her directly face to face. This is actually optionally help. On the other hand, If your healty is not good enough to fast, you dont have to fast but you have to give some money to a poor person secretly instead of your fasting.

We spend our Ramadan days by doing those things which I told above. What about after Ramadan? In that point we have a great celebration days named Bairam. We wake up early morning of the first bairam day and we go to a mosque to thank Allah. After praying, everyone celebrate other’s Bairam in mosque by shaking hands. Kids and youngers should kiss olders hands. It is a kind of traditional sign of respect. And after kissing, the olders should give money to the kids. It is also traditional and honestly the best part of my childhood. Also kids knock other people’s door to ask for candies. So they collect candies. Our clothes should be very clean and beautiful. Everyone should visit their families and other family members who are older then us. (grandma, grandpa, mother, father and all other familly members). We should call each other to celebrate ours Bairam. Bad relations should be fixed. And countless nice things.