The month of Ramadan has begun, with many Muslims in Türkiye starting the 29-day fast that will take place from Thursday, March 23 to Friday, April 21. Muslims in Türkiye and across the world will fast from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, which in Türkish is referred to as "Ramazan."

Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, self-discipline and renewal. Thus, it is considered the holiest month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The dates, therefore, are set by the sighting of the moon and move by 30 days each year.

On April 21 to 23, Ramadan Bayram, also known as Eid al-Fitr, will begin, which is the three-day national holiday that follows the fast and is referred to as Ramazan Bayramı in Turkish. It is also colloquially referred to as "Şeker Bayramı," which means the Feast of Sweets, because there is a tradition of children being gifted sweets by family members and neighbors.

In some neighborhoods, kids even knock on their neighbor’s doors, similar to Halloween in the U.S. sans the costumes and during the day. But, it is handy to have a selection of treats or chocolates to offer to the visitors on Eid, which is also a central custom of this very important holiday in Türkiye.

Traditions of Ramadan fast

The Ramadan fast begins with sahur, the last predawn meal before the start of the daily fast. This meal ends before dawn and in some neighborhoods in Türkiye, the custom for strolling drummers to bang a beat intended to wake people up so they can eat this sacred meal before sunrise is still being practiced. The meal served in the morning is similar in most regards to a Turkish breakfast, however in this case there are also soups, compotes, and dried fruits and nuts. This is because, throughout the day, those adhering to the fast will not intake any food, water or other vices such as cigarettes.

That is until sunset when the special Maghrib prayer is read and iftar, a dinner to mark the breaking of the daily fast, begins. While sahur begins with the beating of drums, iftar in some areas also begins with a cannon blast! The iftar is the most highly anticipated meal and most times it looks like a feast that is shared amongst family, friends, neighbors and even strangers. Villages, towns and cities across Türkiye also have iftar tents set up where people can attend and break the fast with members of the community.

While the iftar meal is also generally a huge spread of soup, meat stews, beans, vegetable dishes, rice and desserts, the meal traditionally begins by partaking in three dates just as the Prophet Muhammad would do. The Prophet Muhammad would also share his meal and recommended others to do the same as a charity, which is the essence of many Ramadan tents set up in various neighborhoods. Charity by giving to those less fortunate is highly practiced in the month of Ramadan.

All about almsgiving

Just like fasting, giving charity, referred to as zakat, is almsgiving and a pillar of Islam. If you are wondering what they are, here is the list: Declaration of Faith, Prayer, Almsgiving, Fasting and Pilgrimage. Zakat must be paid by those wealthy enough to do so, which in Islam means that they have reached "Nisab."

The Nisab is an amount of wealth determined each lunar year but is roughly equivalent to 80 grams of gold. If the calculation of all of your possessions is that or more, according to Islamic doctrine, you are obliged to pay zakat, which would customarily be 2.5%, or one-fortieth, of your entire wealth. This zakat is then given to the needy and while in Türkiye it is not mandatory, some countries have made this form of charity payment required by those who have reached Nisab, similar to paying taxes tax.

While zakat can be paid at any time of the year starting when someone accumulates that amount, many prefer to do so during the month of Ramadan, which is considered a time when its rewards are greatest.

The Ramadan fast also has its own form of almsgiving referred to as Zakat al-Fitr. This practice is aimed to enable poor people to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, which is the holiday celebrating the end of the fast. Every year, this donation is calculated with this year’s amount being $3.67 (TL 70) to be paid traditionally in an equivalent amount in food products, which, for example, could be, grains, pulses or dried fruit, but of course, the "fitre" as it is referred to in Turkish can also be paid out in money.

Ramadan boxes, bread

This is also where the handy Ramadan boxes could come into use besides just being gifts or a part of your grocery shopping at this time of year. You may have noticed these big boxes sold at supermarkets, which are filled with all the ingredients one would need for a fast-breaking feast. They can include ingredients such as soup mixes, rice, dried pulses, nuts and of course, dates.

Last but not least is the tradition in Türkiye of the "Ramadan pidesi," which is a light and bubbly round flat bread with baklava-shaped indents and sprinkled with nigella seeds. For some reason, which I guess is to keep it special, this beloved flatbread is mostly only baked during this time of year and at specific times of the day. To ensure the pide is piping hot when the bell tolls for the fast-breaking evening meal, people will flock to the closest bakery, which most times can end up with a line out the door.

Be mindful

While luckily, this year’s month of fasting falls in spring, when the weather is much more forgiving for a 29-day daylight fast, versus the sweltering summer season, it is still important to know that many of the people you interact with in Türkiye are fasting. As it is a difficult feat to refrain from water and food, this means that services might be slower and people may feel more weary than usual. Also pay in mind that for those observing the fast, the sunset will be a critical time in which people need to get home or somewhere to break the fast. While it changes by minutes throughout Türkiye, this will be around 7:30 p.m. for the next month.