By Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent The Muslim Hands charity is preparing to provide help to thousands of poor people and orphans in France during Ramadan. (IOL photo)
PARIS — As French Muslims ready to greet the fast-approaching Ramadan, a Muslim charity is preparing to feed thousands of poor people and orphans in the European country during the fasting month.
"We hope our Ramadan campaign will be the real launch for the Muslim Hands charity in France," Kamal Al-Zein, the charity's exchequer, told IslamOnline.net.
Established in 1993 in Britain, Muslim Hands is an international NGO offering help to people affected by poverty, natural disaster and conflict around the world.
It has offices in more than 40 countries worldwide and has partnership with world relief organizations including the UN Food Program and UN children's fund (UNICEF).
Based in Faubourg Saint Denis district in the capital Paris, Muslim Hands made its first steps in France last year.
"Over the past year, we focused on gaining a legal status to the group and promoting its activities," he said.
Now, the group is preparing to start its charity work.
"Ramadan will see the group's first real chairty activity in France."
Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, will fall this year in early September.
In Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
Food Packages
The Muslim charity is planning to distribute food packages among people affected by the soaring food prices.
"We have a deal with a local charity to distribute food packages during Ramadan to the needy, students, prisoners and refugees in La Courneuve in central France," said Zein.
Driven by the increased use of biofuels, the growing demand for grains to feed a booming Asia, droughts and market speculation, food prices have nearly doubled in three years.
This caused 50 million more people to go hungry last year, compared to the year before, according to UN figures.
"Our relief campaign is part of the Muslim Hands' work," said Zein.
"Last Ramadan, nearly 500,000 people from around the globe benefitted from our campaign."
The group is also running a series of projects for orphans and helping people affected by disasters and wars.
Zein said Muslim Hands hopes to make people financially independent.
"That is why we are running nearly 290 schools around the world,
because education is the gateway to the job market and making a decent living."
BAGHDAD — Sarah Mohammed used to be very busy on the first day of Ramadan, making elaborate dishes for her family members who would gather around the table to break their fast together.
This year, the iftar table will be half empty.
"Since they are gone, we don’t have reasons to celebrate anything," the mother of two, whose husband and son were killed by militants four months ago, told IslamOnline.net.
For Mohammed, 43, what is left of the usual Ramadan joy is the bitter memories of warm family gatherings.
"We don’t have my husband who was praying all day during Ramadan or my son who was happy to help me at the kitchen," the Baghdad resident said in grief.
For many Iraqis, this year's Ramadan is bringing less joy after they had lost many beloved ones to the violence racking their country.
"Ramadan for us had always been a period of love and strength. The family was always together," recalls Khalid al-Hashimy, a father of three.
"But today, it means suffering and pain," lamented the 46-year-old Baghdad pharmacist whose son was shot dead two months ago near their home.
"He was the person who every year made our Ramadan a symbol of laughing and charity," cried the heart-broken father.
"Today we just have a huge empty space inside our lives.
"This year's Ramadan is going to be the hardest period for us after he is gone."
New Ramadan
Not only those who lost beloved ones, but many Iraqis feel that the old spirit of Ramadan is gone with the wind.
"Ramadan period used to be an amazing period," Waleed Abdel-Latif, 36, told IOL.
"Now, it has turned into difficult days to all Iraqis, except for politicians who have all our money in their hands."
Latif, an unemployed father of four, said that before the 2003 US-led invasion, Iraqis used to share with the people they know and those in need during Ramadan.
"Today we hardly know if we can survive during this period, being unemployed, late in our rent payments and suffering from violence."
Without a UN mandate, America invaded Iraq in 2003 on claims of stockpiling weapons of mass destruction and links to Al-Qaeda, both since proved unfounded.
Since then, the oil-rich Arab country has plunged into a vicious circle of violence that claims the lives of innocent civilians on a daily basis.
Latif's wife, Salwa, misses the old Ramadan nights when survival was not the only preoccupation for every Iraqi.
"I miss sitting with my neighbours during Ramadan sharing the sweets we cooked, talking about plans while drinking tea and watching our children play in ours safe streets.
"Today, we have to stay inside our homes to be safe. And the sweets are only a dream because we have to make calculations even when drinking water."
Shopkeepers lament prosperous Ramadan business in pre-invasion Iraq.
"Now, people don’t have money to spend and others are too sad after losing their loved ones in the war to celebrate this special month like they used to," said Abu Zeinab, a shopkeeper in Baghdad.
Mosque Adds to California Ramadan Joy
IslamOnline.net & Newspapers The new mosque will accommodate about 1,100 Muslim worshippers from Rancho Cucamonga. (LA Times photo)
CAIRO — Muslims in California's fast-growing city of Rancho Cucamonga are celebrating this year's Ramadan with a special joy as they finally get their long-awaited mosque.
"We have been waiting for this," Salma Shah, a 62-year-old city resident, told Los Angeles Times on Monday, September 1.
"It's our dream."
For years, the growing Muslim community in the city squeezed themselves into an old stucco house, using its small rooms for prayer.
But with the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which starts Monday in North America, they will be able to hold their prayer in the newly-build mosque.
Over the weekend, construction workers were hurrying to polish the marble floors and lay the last roof tiles to finish the mosque in time for Ramadan.
Mosque leaders had worried they could not finish in time for Ramadan, but the city granted them a temporary occupancy permit.
The mosque, which has two minarets and a broad dome, will accommodate about 1,100 worshippers.
It is being built by the Islamic Center of Inland Empire, located in the heart of Rancho Cucamonga, at a cost of $2 million.
Timely
"This is our holy month, so anything we want to do, we want to do this month," said Zafar. (LA Times photo)
Muslims in the city believe their new mosque came just in time.
"This is our holy month, so anything we want to do, we want to do this month," said Tehseen Zafar, 54.
Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar, is a time for Muslims to get closer to God through prayer and good deeds.
During this holy month, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain during daylight hours from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
The daily fast is broken with the iftar, after which Muslims join Tarawih, a special nightly prayers performed during Ramadan.
Many Muslim men also perform i`tikaf (spiritual retreat), spending the last 10 days of the month exclusively in the mosque.
For some Rancho Cucamonga Muslims, the new mosque will serve another cause, bringing the racially diverse city of 170,000 population together.
Dr. Shoaib Patail, one of the Islamic Center's founders, said the mosque's design purposefully incorporates traditional Eastern arches and Western cathedral ceilings.
He hopes the mosque can become a gathering place for the city as well as for the Muslim community.
"It glorifies the importance of our relationships, our community and our city," Patail told the LA Times.
"It allows us to show the non-Muslim community we are a part of the community."
By Nancy Elbassiouny, IOL Correspondent "I like the simple quiet, rustling of fabrics and bowing my head to the ground and this makes Islam so rich and full," Pouros (L) told IOL.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Thousands of Muslims from across the US and Canada welcomed the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which started Monday, September 1, by joining the largest congregation for Tarawih prayer in the history of North America.
"It is an amazing site to see thousands of Muslim men, women and children standing shoulder to shoulder with their fellow Muslims of their gender and simultaneously bowing down in prayer to God in worship," a Greek Orthodox woman who only identified herself as Helen told IslamOnline.net.
"I’ve never seen anything quite like this."
Helen joined many non-Muslims who watched with admiration as thousands of Muslims prayed in unison.
The Tarawih, a special nightly prayers performed during Ramadan, marked the conclusion of the annual Islamic Society of North American (ISNA) convention.
It began shortly after 9:30 pm Sunday, August 31, in the large prayer hall of the convention center.
For Barbara Pouros, a Cincinatti resident wearing a brown, orange and beige hijab even though she had not yet formally converted to Islam, the Tarawih was the highlight of the ISNA convention.
Asked what drew her to Islam, she recalled that after meeting a Muslim one month after 9/11 and being invited to his mosque, she wanted to know more about prayer.
"So I did a lot of research on the Internet to figure out what was being said in the prayer.
"I like the simple quiet, rustling of fabrics and bowing my head to the ground and this makes Islam so rich and full."
Entertainment
A couple of hours before the Tarawih, many Muslims attended ISNA entertainment program, which features several poets, Nasheed singers and a comedian.
The house was packed with an enthusiastic audience.
The looks on the children’s faces sitting next to their parents reflected the joy and happiness of the evening.
"This is the happiest day of my life," Ahmed Khan, a ten-year-old fourth grader from Houston, told IOL.
"I want to be a Nasheed singer like Native Deen. They are my favorite group."
Native Deen, a famous Nasheed group, participated in several youth activities during the ISNA convention.
Aisha Mohamed, a 12-year-old originally from Somalia, had a similar dream.
"When I grow up, I wanna be a comedian and make people laugh."
By Aamir Latif, IOL Correspondent The Ramadan ceasefire is allowing many displaced people to return to their homes. (IOL photo)
PESHAWAR — Bacha Khan, 45, is busy packing up his language as he and his family members are set to return to their hometown in the restive North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) thanks to a ceasefire by the government and pro-Taliban militants in honor of Ramadan.
"This is unbelievable for me because I was not expecting that I will spend this Ramadan at my home," a happy-looking Bacha told IslamOnline.net.
A massive military operation in his Bajur town, some 50 kilometers north of the NWFP capital Peshawar, has so far claimed hundreds of lives from both government troops and militants.
The clashes led to the displacement of around 500,000 residents, the country’s second biggest exodus since the 2005 devastating earthquake that battered Azad Kashmir and NWFP.
The displaced have been provided shelter in hundreds of makeshift camps set by the government and Al-Khidmat Foundation, Pakistan's largest relief organization, in Peshawar, Mardan, Dir and other adjoining areas.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has announced a government ceasefire in honor of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, which falls in Pakistan on Tuesday, September 2.
"There will be no military operation during Ramadan, and we hope the other side will also abide by its promise."
The minister, however, insisted army troops will remain on alert and will retaliate in case of any aggression or violation of the ceasefire.
In reciprocation, Taliban freed over two dozen army troops they captured in Bajur.
Military sources confirm that in most of the tribal areas, operations have been halted as per government directives.
But clashes and bombings are still raging in some areas.
Ramadan Break
The arrangement is allowing Bacha and thousands of displaced people in Munda camp, the largest shelter camp near Peshawar, to go home before Ramadan.
"Though I have lost my two cousins and a nephew in a bombing, I'm still very happy to return to my home."
Bacha, a father of four, has managed to contact relatives taking shelter in other camps in the province.
"They all are coming back. We all are so happy, and looking forward to meeting each other on the first day of Ramadan."
Bacha is particularly excited that he will be able to perform Tarawih, a special nightly prayers performed during Ramadan, as usual in their mosque.
"I was thinking that this time, we will have to arrange Tarawih somewhere in this shelter camp. But thanks to Allah, He has made this possible for us. We are so blessed," he said.
"My wife and kids are also very happy. They had been asking me for Eid clothes, and I had no answer to their innocent questions except that everything will be fine Inshaullah.
"And thanks God, things are going to be alright, at least for Ramadan."
Hopes, Fears
Many people are leaving their wives and kids behind until making sure the situation is stable. (IOL photo)Hassan Ali Khan, a farmer who calls Azan in his village mosque, is equally happy.
"Inshaullah, I will call Azan again after stopping for many weeks," he told IOL with a big smile covering his face.
"I don’t know whether the people were offering prayers there or not because almost the entire village had left after massive bombings."
He yearns for the special Ramadan atmosphere in his village.
"The village people send different dishes everyday for iftar in the mosque, which is also our meeting place.
"Things will not be as enjoyable as they were in past, but being a Muslim, in any situation, we are thankful to Allah. He knows better what is in our interest. I am thankful that He has granted us another Ramadan."
Khan prays the ceasefire will hold.
"I wish the ceasefire remains intact after Ramadan. We, the poor people, are paying the price for things we have not done."
Mushtaq Khan, who owns a small grocery store in Bajur town, is also worried about what would happen after Ramadan.
"I am returning to my home, but not with all family members," the father of three told IOL.
"I will leave my wife, mother, younger brother, and kids here (in the camp) because you never know when one of the sides violates the ceasefire, leaving us in the crossfire."
Though the ceasefire has been announced for Ramadan only, tribal elders are trying to extend it for another month.
"I'm aware of such efforts, but I don’t want to put my kids at risk," says Khan.
"I'm taking my cousins and some other relatives with me. We all want to see what has happened to our shops and houses.
"I will spend some days alone there and if I find the situation stable then I will bring my family back."
Stories by NURBAITI HAMDAN, YUEN MEIKENG, VIJENTHI NAIR BAILAND, CHEOK LI PENG and IAN MCINTYRE
KUALA LUMPUR: The first breaking of fast this Ramadan was a quiet affair here as many city folk were away for the National Day long weekend.
A check by The Star in Jalan Masjid India yesterday also found that, despite having the usual offerings on sale, many did not feel the cheer of the coming Hari Raya because the cost of living had gone up.
Rohainiah Asmuni, 24, who runs a stall selling serunding and kurma, says she doesn't expect her business to bring much profit this year because the cost of ingredients had gone up, especially the price of chicken which had increased from RM4.20 per kilo to RM7.
Nurse Aznieha Hayati Che Ali, 28, said she was hoping to get things at a bargain closer to Hari Raya because traders at the Ramadan bazaar would want to clear their stock.
Soon-to-be-wed prison warders Faezah Tumin, 26, and Mohd Amin Abdul Majid, 23, were also cutting expenses for the Raya celebrations this year.
“I used to buy three to four sets of clothing for Raya but now I’m cutting back,” said Mohd Amin.
Clothing shopkeeper Norazlina Mohd Noh, 32, lamented that business was slow this year compared to previous years.
“I don’t mind giving discounts, but there are just not many people to offer them to,” she said.
Florist Rychey Syah Putra , 25, who used to buy his baju raya from shopping centres like Sogo, is now shopping at the Mydin hypermarket instead.
He, too, felt the Ramadan bazaar was not as merry as before.
“Perhaps everyone is affected by the tight economic situation and Budget 2009 doesn’t really seem to benefit the rakyat.”
Hawker Hani Haryanti Sion, who increased the price of her nasi campur by 20 to 30 sen, said a few of her customers were upset but most seemed to understand.
Model-actress Dilla Syahirah Ab Latiff, 25, of Malaysia’s Most Beautiful reality TV show fame, was spotted helping her friend run a clothing shop in Jalan Masjid India.
Dilla maintained that the prices of clothes in the shop were the same.
“If you buy your own material and have it tailored, the tailoring service would easily cost you around RM70 or more,” she said, adding that a baju kurung in the shop sold for as low as RM55.
“However, no matter how much you want to save, Raya tetap Raya! (Hari Raya will still be celebrated),” she said with a smile.
KUALA LUMPUR: Food prices have remained the same this fasting month despite the increase in fuel prices and other foodstuff.
For businesswoman Fauziah Abdul Jalil, 45, this means that she can still choose a variety of food for her family for buka puasa.
“I like to come to the Ramadan bazaars as there is a large variety of food.
“The prices have not gone up that much compared to last year. So, I will try to sample a little bit of everything,” she said at the stalls in Jalan Raja Alang.
It was the start of the Ramadan and business should pick up in the coming days as more traders set up stalls.
Popular attraction: Muslims queuing up to collect their portions of the famous ‘bubur lambuk’ at Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru in Kuala Lumpur Monday
Like always, the bubur lambuk of nearby Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru is drawing in the crowd.
Despite the rain, people started queuing as early as 3pm for a taste of the famous porridge.
Mohd Basir Abdul Rahim, 52, said about 50 men had been preparing the porridge since 10am.
“We cooked 15 pots and are expecting about 9,000 people to turn up to collect the porridge,” he said.
Primary school teacher Norazlin Zaini, 36, from Taman Tun Dr Ismail took advantage of the public holiday and travelled all the way to the mosque for the porridge.
“I have been coming here for the past 11 years as this is the best bubur lambuk I’ve tasted,” she said.
KOTA BARU: Restaurants which only sell dishes but not rice are allowed to do so in the afternoon during Ramadan but the food should be packed.
Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said this would mean that the food should be packed and consumed only at the break of fast.
He said that in the past, there were disagreements between the Kota Baru Municipal Council and food outlets which employed Muslim cooks but operated inside coffeeshops owned by non-Muslims.
To put the matter to rest, he said food outlets would be allowed to open but they could only sell takeaway dishes and not rice to Muslim patrons.
“If operators sell rice together with the dishes, they will be flouting the regulations,” he said in an interview.
The PAS-led state government has been strict in enforcing fasting regulations.
“Muslims have to abide by the guidelines. Otherwise they are only cheating themselves,” he said when asked if the new move would mean that everyone would follow the rules.
During Ramadan, all Muslim restaurants and hawker stalls here are closed during the day and open only after the breaking of fast.
As for fast-food outlets, Takiyuddin said they could only operate from 3pm onwards until the usual closing time.
The Kota Baru council has formed a unit to patrol and monitor all food outlets to ensure they don't sell food to Muslims during the fasting period.
The whole of Turkey was surrounded by a spiritual atmosphere on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan this Monday, bringing all people together at feast-breaking dinners and reviving old traditions of the holy month.
İstanbul's historical Sultanahmet Square was one of the centers of traditional Ramadan entertainment on the first day of the holy month. Various traditional Turkish drinks and food were sold at the square, which was designed as a Ramadan center by the municipality.
Festivities at the square began with recitations from the Quran and a concert of Sufi music after the terawih prayer, an evening prayer performed during Ramadan after the regular night prayer. The Ramadan activities drew the attention of both foreign and Turkish tourists. People that gathered in Sultanahmet Square said it was very nice to welcome Ramadan in İstanbul.
The square is home to the German Fountain, built by German Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1903. Sherbet flowed from the German Fountain instead of water and visitors lined up. Eminönü Mayor Mahir Katırcı said that this will continue for eight days, with every day being marked by a different syrup, totaling 500 liters of syrup for the eight days. This drink is being served for free.
İstanbul’s Bayrampaşa Prison, which was a symbol of ill treatment of prisoners and was recently closed for this reason, is hosting a large fast-breaking tent this Ramadan. The former prison is now witnessing the joy of people breaking their fasts. Over 1,500 people broke their fast at Bayrampaşa Prison, with former inmates among them.
Adem Çimen, who stayed at Bayrampaşa Prison for four and a half years about 25 years ago, said coming to the prison revived bad memories. “I lived through some very difficult years here. It is unbelievable but we are here today again -- though this time for a meaningful activity.” The menu of the first fast-breaking dinner at Bayrampaşa Prison was lentil soup, rice and yoghurt.
Religious representatives meet at fast-breaking tent
Turkey’s Chief Rabbi Ishak Haleva, Turkish Syriac Orthodox Church Patriarchal Vicar Mor Filiksinos Yusuf Çetin, Turkish Syriac Catholic Bishop Yusuf Sağ, Turkish-Armenian Patriarchal Archbishop Aram Atesyan and Şişli Mufti Recep Öztürk gathered at İstanbul’s Şişli municipality’s fast-breaking tent and delivered messages of peace.
Haleva said it was very nice to come together as religious representatives on the first day of Ramadan, which coincided with World Peace Day, and added: “This is an important message for the whole world. The whole world should see that representatives of different religions can sit together around a fast-breaking dinner in peace.”
Fast-breaking dinners have raised religious feelings of Turkish citizens in other parts of the country also. Officials from the southeastern province of Gaziantep had their fast-breaking dinner with relatives of martyrs from Gaziantep.
Gaziantep deputies Özlem Müftüoğlu and Halil Mazıcıoğlu, Gaziantep Governor Süleyman Kamçı, Gaziantep Mayor Asım Güzelbey and mayors of other districts of the province had their fast-breaking dinners at the municipal soup kitchen in Gaziantep with the relatives of martyrs.
Fatih Çiftçi, the mayor of the district of Erciş of the eastern province of Van, had his first fast-breaking dinner with citizens in need in the municipality’s fast-breaking tent.
Çiftçi said that they have been establishing feast breaking tents during Ramadan since he became the mayor of Erciş and added he was very happy to have his dinner with people in need. Çiftçi said they are hosting around 5,000 people every day at the tent and serve four different kinds of food. Civil society organizations and the municipality are in competition in Konya to serve fast-breaking dinners and send food packages to people. While civil society organizations like Kimse Yok Mu? (Is anybody there?) and Dost Eli send food packages to people in need, the municipality serves food to 5,000 people daily at a fast-breaking tent.
03 September 2008, Wednesday
TODAY’S ZAMAN İSTANBUL
İstanbul to be center of feasting, charity during Ramadan
Surrounded by the spiritual atmosphere of the holy month of Ramadan, İstanbul is to become a center of feasting, reviving old traditions of the holy month
It will also be a focal point of charity work through which thousands of poor people will be given a helping hand by donors who are aware that Ramadan is not only a month of fasting but also an opportunity to alleviate the hardship of the needy.
The İstanbul Municipality has completed preparations to turn the city into an entertainment center during Ramadan. In three different spots -- at the Feshane Cultural Center, the Topkapı City Park and the Bağlarbaşı Cultural Center -- İstanbulites will be offered a visual and cultural feast every evening until the end of the holy month. Among the events will be Sufi music performances, Karagöz and Hacıvat shadow puppet shows for children, storytelling and plays relating the tales of Nasreddin Hodja in addition to performances by an Ottoman janissary band. More than 100,000 people are expected to visit the feasting centers during Ramadan.
İstanbul’s Bağcılar Municipality will also take the opportunity to entertain its denizens during Ramadan in a move to strengthen the ties of unity and fraternity among them. Bağcılar Mayor Lokman Çağrıcı said the holy month of Ramadan should be conceived of and spent in a manner different than that of other months.
“We will not settle for offering free fast-breaking dinners to our citizens during this month. We will also establish a cultural and intellectual bridge among İstanbulites so that we can remove all obstacles standing before their gathering together around traditional and sacred values,” he said.
Çağrıcı noted they plan to invite many prominent figures, including artists, intellectuals, poets, politicians and representatives from nongovernmental organizations, to the events to be hosted by the municipality. “In this way, we will provide a bridge between the city’s high-profile names and citizens. We will also organize events for women, children, the disabled and the poor. We will also establish amusement parks and shopping stalls in various spots in our district. We regard Ramadan as an opportunity to bring together our people around cultural values, not merely as a month during which people focus on religious practices,” he added.
The historical Sultanahmet Square will also be one of the centers of traditional Ramadan entertainment in the city. The festivities at the square will begin with recitations from the Quran and a concert of Sufi music after the terawih prayer, an evening prayer performed during Ramadan after the regular night prayer. There will also be fast-breaking dinners, puppet shows and other events at the square every day.
The traditional bazaar will also be set up in Sultanahmet this year as well, which will comprise dozens of stalls featuring Turkish cuisine, gifts and traditional crafts.
Ramadan, time to remember the poor, needy
Aware of the fact that the holy month of Ramadan is more than just not eating and drinking, municipal officials in İstanbul have rolled up their sleeves to extend a helping hand to those in need.
The most prominent charitable activity of the holy month is, undoubtedly, setting up iftar tents in which thousands of people have the opportunity to break their fast. Iftar tents are not only a place where people fill their stomachs but also a spot which brings together the rich and the poor. The helper and those helped sit at the same table at these tents and feel the joy of helping and being helped. Tents all across the city will accommodate thousands of people during Ramadan.
The Esenler Municipality will both pitch iftar tents and deliver iftar dinners to those unable to come to the tents. Esenler Mayor Mehmet Öcalan said his municipality first started delivering iftar dinners to the poor and sick who were unable to go to the iftar tents two years ago.
“Our activity of delivering iftar dinners to the houses of the poor was met with great appreciation. We’ve prepared a list of around 10,000 people in our district who are in a difficult situation. Our objective with such an activity is to put a smile on the faces of the needy. We will continue to feed the poor during Ramadan,” he noted.
The Zeytinburnu Municipality has chosen a historical spot to set up its iftar tents to provide fasters with the pleasure of breaking their fast in a historical atmosphere. Two tents pitched by the municipality in the Merkezefendi area will offer fast-breaking dinners to around 2,500 people every day.
The Sarıyer Municipality, on the other hand, has prepared food aid packs to be delivered to the needy. The special packs contain sunflower oil, flour, sugar, tea, tomato sauce, beans, rice, pasta, olives and other foodstuffs. The municipality will also organize Sufi music performances and Karagöz and Hacıvat shadow puppet shows during fast-breaking dinners at iftar tents to be set up in various areas in the district.
Kosovo has first iftar as independent state in Turkish tents
Kosovo, which declared its independence from Serbia on Feb. 17, hosted its first fast-breaking dinner, iftar, as an independent state on Monday at iftar tents set up in different parts of the country by Turkish donors.
An atmosphere of enthusiasm marked the independent nation’s first iftar at the tents, which were bedecked with Kosovar and Turkish flags. Hundreds of Kosovars lined up in front of the tents to eat and expressed thanks to the Turkish government and the donors for their assistance.
“We extend our thanks to the Republic of Turkey, which has always assisted Kosovo both before and after the war. I extend my gratitude to those who brought together hundreds of Kosovars, Albanians and Bosnians in such a great atmosphere. We also thank the Turkish government for having recognized the independence of Kosovo in a very short time,” said Naim Tırnava, the head of Kosovo Islam Union.
Mustafa Sarnıç, undersecretary of the Turkish Coordination Office in Pristina, said Turkey shared a common culture and history with Kosovo. “Here we have the opportunity to witness the best example of the historical and cultural common points between the two countries. Turkey will continue its assistance to its Kosovar brothers,” he said.
Many different foods from Turkish and Kosovar cuisine were served at the iftar.
Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, is upon us. It is during this month that the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. In addition to refraining from food, beverages and sexual intimacy during daylight hours, believers also try to refrain from greed, slander and even gossip during this period.
But come sundown, iftar, the breaking of the fast, offers a chance to partake of a wide array of dishes in the company of family and friends. The iftar dinners of today, though, pale in comparison to those of the Ottoman sultans. The sultans as well as the wealthy families of the city opened their doors to guests, invited and uninvited, and vied to create the most memorable dinners.
The Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I began the custom of stringing oil lamps between the minarets of mosques and spelling out greetings in the early 17th century. Nowadays, however, the oil lamps have been replaced by electric lights. Most mosques display the message Hoş geldin ya şehri Ramazan (Welcome O month of Ramadan). On the first night of Ramadan, the lights were lit and they remained on throughout the month in celebration.
On the 15th day of Ramadan, the sultans would pay a visit to the Mantle of the Prophet Muhammad and perform prayers there. The palace, in the meantime, would be busy preparing round trays of baklava for the janissaries. Each tray was made with 100 layers of pastry and served 10 men. It took two men to carry one tray. Before being sent to the janissaries, though, each tray was tested by dropping a gold coin into it from a half meter above. If the coin pierced the baklava and clinked on the bottom of the tray, it was deemed good enough to serve. If, however, a tray did not pass the test, the cook responsible for that particular tray was sent back to the kitchen, along with their tray, in disgrace.
During the time of Sultan Mahmud II, the viziers hosted dinners atop the Beyazit fire town after the 20th day of the month. An invitation to one of these dinners ranked just below an invitation to the palace. Everyone who was socially anyone wanted to be asked to participate, and competition was fierce for invitations. If for some reason an invitee was not able to attend, they made sure to send a representative in their stead, along with a gift of food by way of apology.
In a well-known story, one day Sultan Mahmud II was boating on the Bosporus as the time for iftar approached. Knowing that anyone was welcome to any house at sunset to eat, he ordered his barge to dock at Salacak on the Asian side. He decided to show up unannounced at the door of Darüzzade Abdullah Efendi, an official known to be gourmand. The host graciously received the sultan, while in the kitchen the wife and servants rushed to prepare special dishes for their unexpected guest. The meal proceeded along splendidly, with each course better than the one before. Everything was served on gold dishes in honor of the sultan’s visit. However, when it was time for the fruit compote that finished off the dinner, it was served in a cloudy, oddly formed bowl rather than a traditional crystal one. Confused, the sultan asked Darüzzade Efendi why the meal had been served on the very best china of the house, but the compote was being served in such an odd bowl. Darüzzade Efendi explained that his cook did not want to dilute the compote by putting ice into it to cool it down, so he had, instead, carved a bowl out of ice to keep it cool. “Ah, my friend, you know how to live,” was the sultan’s reported reply.
Following palace meals, an infusion of herbs was prepared to aid in digestion. This infusion, made with rose water, contained over 10 different herbs, each with medicinal qualities. It was filtered and given to the viziers and honored guests in either plain or gilded bottles, depending upon their rank.
Wealthy families followed this tradition by presenting each guest with a dış kırası, or tooth fee, at the end of the meal. The meaning behind this gift was that the guest honored the house by coming to iftar, and since the host had kept the guest’s teeth so busy with the job eating, they wanted to pay for making the guest’s teeth have to work so much. Well-off guests were given small gifts, but poor guests were usually presented with money.
Competition among the Ottoman elite to prepare the most lavish feasts reached an almost frenzied pace. So much time and money was being spent trying to out do each other that Sultan Mahmud II felt obliged to step in and issue an edict saying that there should be a limit of 60 dishes maximum served at any one iftar.
While Ramadan dinners are no longer on par with the excesses of the sultans, every iftar table will boast the very best that the house has to offer. This is the time for all cooks to trot out their specialties and show off their culinary skills. So, if you are lucky enough to be invited to someone’s home for iftar, be prepared for new taste sensations.
Special evening prayer performed during Ramadan. It is performed after the isha (night) prayer. It can be performed at home, alone or in congregation, or at a mosque.
Terawih is usually prayed in pairs of two and can be prayed in any amount of pairs, although eight or 20 pairs is the general practice among Muslims.
Prophet Muhammad regarded the terawih prayer as a means of forgiveness of sins. He said, “The one who observes the terawih prayer at night during Ramadan with complete faith and devotion only for the sake of the recompense of the hereafter will have all of his previous sins forgiven by God.”
Sunni Muslims believe terawih is a sunnah (a practice of the Prophet) and may be performed at home if one is unable to attend a mosque. According to this tradition, the Prophet Muhammad initially prayed the terawih in congregation during Ramadan but later discontinued this practice out of fear that Muslims would start to believe the prayers were mandatory. Shiite Muslims do not perform terawih because its practice was institutionalized by Umar, the second caliph -- whose rule Shiites view as illegitimate.
Ramadan more prominent in Turkey today, says famous singer
Ahmet Özhan Famed classical Turkish music singer Ahmet Özhan has said celebrations of the holy month of Ramadan in Turkey have improved over previous years.
Özhan, in an interview with daily Zaman, said he felt that the Islamic month of fasting had lately been celebrated amidst an unprecedented atmosphere in Turkey.
“I’ve never experienced such nice Ramadans before. Did you witness in the past such charitable activities, and iftar tents where thousands of people break their fast?” he asked. Charitable donors and district municipalities provide the poor and the needy with fast-breaking dinners offered every day in iftar tents set up across Turkey. Millions break their fasts at these tents each year.
Underlining that Ramadan increases charitable giving and strengthening the ties of brotherhood in society, Özhan said television and radio programs related to Ramadan have become a part of daily life during the holy month.
“Ramadan has recently occupied a greater place in television and radio programs and in the music sector. Had you before witnessed activities similar to the Ramadan celebrations in Sultanahmet, Sarıyer, Üsküdar and other districts of İstanbul? It is great to see that the holy month has gradually taken a bigger part in daily life,” he stated.
İstanbul’s historical Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı), where herbs and spices from around the globe have been sold for centuries, welcomes Ramadan for the 348th time this year since it was constructed in 1660.
Marking the advent of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, historical bazaars in İstanbul are revived with excitement and zeal that both shopkeepers and customers carry in their hearts on the occasion of having embraced another holy month, which is supposed to improve the physical and emotional conditions of Muslims during the 30-day fasting period. Each İstanbul bazaar has its own distinctive flavor that attracts hundreds of visitors every day. They are a great place for visitors to sample traditional Turkish tastes. Among these bazaars is the Spice Bazaar (also known as the Egyptian Bazaar), which is currently witnessing another Ramadan full of excitement, the 348th in its history.
Home to hundreds of kinds of herbs and spices from around the world, the Spice Bazaar is one of the most oft-visited places in İstanbul during Ramadan. Both domestic and foreign tourists, drawn to exotic dried fruits and vegetables hanging on strings and barrels of colorful spices, flock to the historical Spice Bazaar every day. Though spices were previously used for preserving food and making medicine, they are currently used more for adding flavor and seasoning to dishes. Dates, dried apricots, olives and cheeses are undoubtedly among the most sought-after foods at the bazaar during the holy month.
Shop owners at the bazaar enjoy the commercial liveliness Ramadan brings with it. Mehmet Ekinci, one of the shop owners, said his revenues have increased significantly with the arrival of Ramadan. “What we sell most during Ramadan is dates, dried apricots and prunes. I’ve been working at the Spice Bazaar since my childhood. It has been 55 years now. This bazaar has a different atmosphere -- it becomes even more different when Ramadan arrives. Our earnings increase and more and more people visit our shops during the holy month,” he noted.
Ekinci also expressed confidence that the Spice Bazaar would be around for many more Ramadans to come. “Our bazaar has stood for hundreds of years now. I am sure it will embrace many more Ramadans,” he said.
Another shop owner at the Spice Bazaar, Ali Battal, said the holy month brought abundance to the bazaar: “We as shopkeepers at the bazaar are pleased with the existing commercial liveliness. People flock to the bazaar for Ramadan shopping. The holy month has brought with it economic vitality.”
Customers are also pleased with the unique atmosphere Ramadan has brought to the Spice Bazaar. “The emotional excitement of this holy month is felt by every member of the family. The sultan of 11 months has finally arrived. It has added a different beauty and excitement to our lives. We can see that the shop owners are also happy to welcome Ramadan. There must be an increase in business during this month,” he remarked.
One may find dates priced between YTL 8 and 45 per kilogram at the bazaar. Pastırma (a special kind of dried spicy beef) can be found for YTL 32/kilogram, sucuk (sausage) at YTL 9/kilogram, kaşar (a yellow, firm cheese) for YTL 10/kilogram, feta cheese at YTL 9/kilogram, olives priced at YTL 4/kilogram, dried figs at YTL 18/kilogram and walnuts for as low as YTL 6/kilogram at the bazaar.
A quick glance at the Spice Bazaar
One of the oldest bazaars in the city, the Spice Bazaar is located in the Eminönü district and is the second-largest covered shopping complex, after the Grand Bazaar.
Spices, dried fruits, lokum (Turkish delight) and other edibles fill most of the shops, along with stores that sell jewelry and other high-margin goods. As to where its name originates, there is different speculation. Many spices sold at the bazaar used to be imported from Egypt. One the other hand, in the Byzantine period the site of the Spice Bazaar was the center of the corn trade. The word “mısır” has a double meaning in Turkish: Egypt and corn.
Mosques have received aid donations from families and some well-offs but say much more is still needed. (IOL Photo)
BAGHDAD — As Ramadan begins, mosques are trying to draw a smile on the faces of many underprivileged Iraqi families, offering them banquets and food packages.
"Never has Iraq seen so many needy families and it is our obligation to help our brothers, especially in the holy month that is synonymous of charity, sharing and love," Sheikh Othman Ahmed, a religious leader in the Baghdad Mansour district, told IslamOnline.net.
Dozens of mosques have appealed to well-offs to donate food or money to banquets that will be organized at least twice a week.
"We have already collected many food items to divide among those in need during Ramadan but much more is required," said Ahmed.
"We call on everyone to help these families because they might not have even enough food to feed their children during the fasting period."
Iraqi Sunnis begin observing Ramadan as of Monday, September1, while Shiites will start the fast a day later.
During this holy month, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain during daylight hours from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.
"Prices of vegetables and cereals have absurdly increased in Iraq and we hardly are able to feed ourselves," regrets Abdallah Abdul Qader, 41.
"We are still trying to share and help but with much lower extend then before.
"Years ago we were able to donate the same amount of food we were getting ourselves but today we can only help for three days," he noted.
"Ramadan means charity, however, how can you aid someone if you are getting close to become one of them?"
Indoors
NGOs fear that cooperating with mosques in distributing aid during Ramadan might cause them problems with militants. (IOL Photo)
Mosques in Adhamiyah and Kadhimiyah, two main Sunni and Shiite districts of Baghdad, will be organizing the iftar banquets indoors.
"We will organize banquets after the Magreb prayer inside the mosque,"
Ibraheem Youssef, an official with the Abu Hanifa Mosque, told IOL.
"Dates and yogurt will be offered before the prayer and those present will have a chance to break their fast eating inside," he added.
"Of course we would have liked to have this banquet done outside the mosque but it is too dangerous and suicide bombers may use this moment to carry out sectarian attacks," cautioned Youssef.
"We were lucky in the past years as violence was in low levels but we cannot thrust and it is better to guarantee some security for our Muslim brothers."
Iraq has plunged into a vicious circle of violence that claims the lives of innocent civilians on a daily basis since the 2003 US-led invasion.
Local aid agencies are too afraid of being targeted to cooperate with mosques.
"Our life would be much easier if we could share with the mosques the delivering space for food items," said Mayada Zuhair, an aid worker and activist in Baghdad.
"But if we do that, we can seriously put ourselves in danger. If we help a Sunni mosque we can be targeted by Shiite militants and vice-versa," she fears.
"For this reason, our activity decreases a lot and sometimes we have the items to help but cannot reach to the place for security reasons, leaving locals suffering."
Sheikh Tahir Abdul Kareem, a Shiite religious leader in Baghdad, called all sides of the conflict to stop fighting and attacks during Ramadan.
He urged them to channel all their resources into helping desperate families, who are victims of this violence.
"It [Ramadan] is a time of happiness and charity not fighting," stressed Sheikh Kareem.
"I call on all parts to join hands in helping their brothers who are in need and are fasting on an empty stomach to please God."
Hindus helping fasting Muslims in India’s Bihar camps
Patna, India – Ramadan 08, 1429/ September 08, 2008 – Setting an example of communal harmony in relief camps in flood-hit north Indian state of Bihar, Hindus are helping Muslims keep Ramadan fast by sharing their meager resources. “What is interesting to note that Hindus are helping Muslims to keep fast by providing whatever possible in relief camps,” said Bihar Disaster Management Minister Nitish Mishra. The majority of Muslims in relief camps were observing fast while sharing everything with others. Several NGOs are providing food to Muslims observing fast outside government control relief camps. “People, mostly Hindus, are arranging fruits, sweets and dinner for Muslims observing fast outside relief camps,” said Ranjeev, an activist in Saharsa district.
For the first time, we have been left with no option but to observe the fast in the relief camp after getting displaced by Kosi river flood. It is an opportunity to show our faith in God,” said Shakila Bano in her 50s, a resident of a village in Araria district. Halim Ahmad, in his 30s, a small time businessman, admitted that keeping fast is difficult and challenging without proper arrangement of food and clean and hygienic environment to offer prayers. But most of the Muslims in relief camps are observing fast, he said. Muhammad Sultan, another displaced Muslim, said that the lack of traditional food and clean space to offer prayers put us in trouble. “But it is not an excuse to ignore fast in Ramadan.”
It is estimated that over 700,000 to 800,000 Muslims were badly affected in flood-hit areas, particularly in Araria and Purnia where Muslims account for 40 percent. In Madhepura, Supaul and Saharsa Muslims are up to 20 percent of the total population. The Bihar government has directed all flood-affected district authorities to make special arrangements for Muslims observing fast. Official sources said district magistrates have been asked to ensure adequate food to all Muslims who are observing fast.
Makkah – Ramadan 08, 1429/ September 08, 2008 – The squares within and outside the Haram Mosque of Makkah witness in Ramadan the biggest ever Iftar in the world. More than 12,000 meters of tablecloth are stretched daily for Iftar along the Mosque area for worshippers to end their fast. Officials in charge of the Iftar in the Holy Mosque say its daily cost amounts to about one million Saudi riyals. Iftar does not take more than 15 minutes - from the time that people stretch the tablecloths out to the clearing of the remaining food. The area where people take Iftar is cleaned as fast as possible in order to leave room for people to perform Maghreb prayers.
The meal is served by various benefactors who are assisted by cleaning boys. The Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques divided the squares around the Holy Mosque into various sections and assigned them to charity givers willing to provide Iftar for worshippers. Iftar offered by these benefactors are made of dates, juice, milk, and cakes. Dates and Zam Zam water are served first before Iftar. The number of dates consumed daily by worshippers in the Haram Mosque is estimated to be more than 5 million. With about 1.2 million worshippers attending Maghreb prayers in the Holy Mosque, that huge number still only equates to three dates per person. In the meantime, more than two million bottles of Zam Zam water are consumed by worshippers during Iftar.
In the Tawaf area inside the Haram Mosque, the Iftar tablecloths are not stretched until the last moment in order not to block the way for worshippers who want to finish the Tawaf rituals before Maghreb prayers. Iftar inside the Mosque differ from that served in the outside squares. It is not allowed to bring any food other than dates and coffee into the Holy Mosque to maintain the cleanliness of the Haram area.
BAGHDAD — Many families have left aside their sectarian differences and are celebrating the holy fasting month of Ramadan in unity, sharing prays and food.
"We don’t have too much to share but it is enough to show others that we are more into peace than disputes over power in Iraq," Salman Abdul-Muta'al, a 40-year-old resident of the capital Baghdad, told IslamOnline.net.
"It is amazing to see our children playing together without worries about their sects or religious differences," he added.
"Before our meetings, I tell my children they shouldn’t talk about religion as division among Sunni and Shiite but remember that Islam is only one and they are all together despite what others think."
Iraq's Sunnis and Shiites were divided in determining the start of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar.
Sunnis started the fast on Monday, September 1, while Shiites began a day later
"The differences are only political," insists Feiraz al-Raffi, 43.
"For years, we lived in our country without worrying about our sects. We need to show everyone that we are the same Iraqis as before and there isn’t a better time than Ramadan," he maintains.
"Together with other Shiite and Sunni families, we share our daily meal, happiness and problems, showing our children the true Iraq, trying to erase from their minds the differences created by isolated groups in our country."
During Ramadan, adult Muslims, save the sick and those traveling, abstain during daylight hours from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and suns.
They mark the period by asking forgiveness for their sins, performing good deeds and helping the poor.
Safer
A decline in car bombings and attacks is allowing many families, who had been forced out of their homes, to return and live in peace with their neighbors.
"We are happy that we are able to share happiness with other families without the fear of being killed because of that," Omar Rawi, a 47-year-old Sunni resident of Masour district, told IOL.
"We know that it hasn’t ended yet but at least, with some religious protection, we feel more secure and comfortable."
Local imams have used their Friday sermons to urge militants to respect Ramadan and respect families from different sects.
"I’m not a rich man but we do the possible to give some charity to families in need and now I can do that beside a Shiite friend who isn’t worried about our sect differences but only in how to help the ones nearby," said Rawi.
Bahira Mohammad, a 36-year-old mother of three, is happy that her neighbor are back after two years.
"My neighbors returned to their home a week before Ramadan and it was another big motivation for me during this holy month," she told IOL.
"They are close friends to us and we were sorry to see that good people like them had to live such a hard situation," she said, recalling how militants forced her neighbors from their home two years ago.
"But now to show my happiness, we are sharing our daily meal, making our home prays together and remembering the good old days we shared since they first moved here nine years ago."
The general security situation in Iraq has improved compared to earlier months but isolated attacks are still being reported, especially in the capital Baghdad.
A total of 430 Iraqi civilians, soldiers and police officers were killed nationwide last month compared with 1,860 during the same period last year.
Government security departments said that they expect a safe Ramadan compared to earlier ones since the 2003 US-led invasion.
"This Ramadan we can see a low level of violence and in response, more families from different sects are returning to their normal way of living way," said Col. Mohammad Abdallah, a senior officer in the Ministry of Interior.
"We have increased security for this period but despite that, security levels have improved and we expect a calm and safe Ramadan. We hope this situation continues for latter months."
Religious identification has become much higher after the 1990s. The trend is explained partly by the war and partly by a new political and social system following Yugoslavia's break-up. Before the war, urban Muslims preserved religion in their homes only. Religion had been pushed out of the public sphere. Then freedom arrived and people opted to express publicly their religious identity
Daria Sito-Sucic SARAJEVO, (Reuters)
Mela Softic stopped drinking alcohol a month ago as part of her preparations for Ramadan fasting that began last Monday. "This is the only religious holiday when I obey all the rules," said Softic, a 24-year-old junior marketing manager, joking that she was a "Muslim on batteries" since she behaved as a true believer only once a year. Softic belongs to a new generation of urban Bosnian Muslims who embraced their faith during and after the 1992-95 war, in which the Muslims suffered the greatest losses.
They come from families of moderate Muslims, most of whom were secular during the socialist era, when Bosnia was part of the former socialist Yugoslavia. Obeying an Islamic taboo, many do not eat pork, which is seen rarely in Sarajevo butchers or on restaurant menus. But outside Ramadan, the majority still drink alcohol. "All my Muslim friends are fasting," said the blue-eyed woman with a carefully coiffed bare head and smart business outfit. The Bosnian capital Sarajevo had been known for its peaceful co-existence of Muslims, Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians as well as Jews over the past five centuries. But since the war it has become a predominantly Muslim city.
The return to religion can be felt in all spheres of life, not least because Muslim politicians and Islamic clerics have promoted Muslim values. "Religious identification has become much higher after the 1990s, and some studies have shown that nearly 90 percent of population in Bosnia identify themselves according to their respective religion," said Zilka Spahic-Siljak, coordinator of religious studies at the University of Sarajevo. She explained the trend partly by the war and partly by a new political and social system following Yugoslavia's break-up. Before the war, urban Muslims preserved religion in their homes only as part of their family tradition and culture, but religious customs were rarely observed. "Religion had been pushed out of the public sphere before the 1990s and then freedom arrived and people opted to express publicly their religious identity," she said. Softic said all Muslim students in her high school fasted during Ramadan and that it was something of a trend which students of other faiths respected. "I know many people of other faiths who really respect Ramadan, and I find it great," she said. "I have Catholic and Orthodox friends who don't drink during Ramadan." In nearby Albania, where religion had been virtually erased under the Communist dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, the majority Muslim population is still overwhelmingly secular but imams and Islamic scholars say more young people are coming to mosques. "In my 10 years here, I see more people coming every Friday and there are even more during Ramadan," said Ahmed Kalaja, the imam of a mosque in central Tirana where young and middle-aged believers prayed or sat talking after prayer. Albanian Muslim scholar and journalist Agim Baci said even people who do not pray regularly observe Ramadan. "I have been observing Ramadan for 11 years and I have seen the number of practitioners rising. I have seen youth come en masse. They are engineers, journalists, lecturers," said Baci. He said most people fast only during the Night of Kader, which falls towards the end of Ramadan and marks "when the Koran came to our sky. Even Christians observe it in Albania for luck because it is believed that the night is more important than 1,000 months (of praying)." The exception to the trend is Kosovo, a province which declared independence from Serbia in February after being a U.N. protectorate for nine years.
The majority of Kosovo Albanians are secular Muslims and people drinking beers during Ramadan are a common sight in bars in the capital of Pristina. Sociology professor Ismail Hasani said there were no reliable figures on the number of believers in Kosovo but added he had not observed any increase in religious sentiment. Enver Bajrami was the only one fasting among a group of six people sipping coffees and smoking in a cafe in Pristina on a recent sunny day. "Everybody in my family is fasting except my two-year-old daughter," Bajrami said. "This is the private matter. I respect decisions of other people. I have never asked anyone why they were eating or drinking on Ramadan." In Bosnia, organizing iftar dinners at sunset has become a matter of prestige among Muslim politicians and businessmen alike, and a social event for common Muslims. Muslims traditionally break their daylong fast with dates before going on to a full meal. During the 15 hours of down-to-dusk fast, Muslims must not eat, drink or smoke. So when they break their fast they take easily digestible foods such as soups, dairy-based dishes and stewed fruits.
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The Muslim Hands charity is preparing to provide help to thousands of poor people and orphans in France during Ramadan. (IOL photo)
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Popular attraction: Muslims queuing up to collect their portions of the famous ‘bubur lambuk’ at Masjid Jamek Kampung Baru in Kuala Lumpur Monday 
Ahmet Özhan Famed classical Turkish music singer Ahmet Özhan has said celebrations of the holy month of Ramadan in Turkey have improved over previous years. 
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