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| "Ramadan Kareem" or "Ramadan Moubarak" are used as greetings during the holy month. |
I started out this month, the holy month of Ramadan,
with every intention of fasting.
Many of you might be thinking...Participating in Ramadan? What is that, what does that mean? Why?
First: What is Ramadan?
Ramadan
is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, a calendar that is lunar
based with each month aligning with the phases of the moon and lasting
29 or 30 days. Ramadan is the ninth out of twelve months in the Islamic
calendar and its dates change every year (because its based on the
moon). This year, although the dates vary depending on your geographical
location, Ramadan started June 5th. In Senegal however, it started the
6th and for some the 7th.
Ramadan
is the month that Muslims believe the Quran was revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad and it is also one of the five pillars of Islam*. During this
month, hundreds of millions of Muslims from around the world will
participate in a day long fast from sunrise to sunset (or dawn to dusk
as some call it) as they have for the last 1,400 years. Many non-Muslims
know that this "fasting" means abstaining from food and drinks,
technically nothing can pass through your mouth during this time. But
what many don't realize is that that is the easy part. Muslims are also
expected to abstain from participating in anything that is ill-natured
or excessive - this includes refraining from gossip and complaining -
this includes avoiding feelings of anger and lust - this includes lying,
stealing, cheating, etc.
Now
of course Allah is loving and merciful and there are always exceptions
to the sunrise-sunset rule of fasting. If you are traveling, sick, or
physically incapable of fasting, there are exceptions. If you are a
woman who is on her period, you are also exempt. However, you're
expected to make this time up later in the year.
Second: Ramadan is different everywhere
In Reykjavík, Iceland, for example, Muslims are expected to fast from 2:13 to 23:50, a total of 21 hours and 37 min of fasting. Then you have cities like Sydney, Austrailia where Muslims only fast for about 11 hours and 28 min.
A whole other side of this coin is the heat - although in Islamabad,
Pakistan the hours are shorter than in Raykajavik, (3:20-19:22 or 16
hours and 2min), it has been over 40ºC degrees (over 104ºF) every day of Ramadan.
In
Dakar, the sunny yet breezy capital of Senegal, Muslims fast for
roughly 14 hours with moderate temperatures in the mid 20ºCs (high
70s/low 80s in F).
In some predominately Muslim countries (eg: Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan),
it is deemed illegal to drink or eat in public in and going so can
results in deportation, a fine, or jail time. Beyond this legality,
there can sometimes be a strong social pressure - so even if you aren't
fasting, and there are no laws enforcing you to fast, you may have to
act as though you are. On the other hand, China has banned teachers, civil servants, and students in its mainly Muslim Xinjiang region from fasting during Ramadan.
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| Everyone including the youngsters take part in Ramadan. They might not be able to fast the entire month, or even full days -but they are slowly learning what it means to be a good Muslim, including how to pray. |
Third: Why? What is the purpose?
For Muslims to educate themselves in spirituality, humility, self-discipline and
patience. It is a month to get closer to Allah, cleanse your soul
(physically, spiritually and mentally), and practice selflessness. This
is also a time to put forward more dedication and time to Allah and the
Quran (you can find people reading it more) and put forward more prayers
than is customary because, as I've been told, Allah answers more
prayers during this holy month.
Fourth: Why me? Why did I want to do this?
Since
I spent last
summer in Florida participating in
the AFLI summer program
and preparing for my year in Senegal, I knew I would be in Senegal for
Ramadan 2016 and I told myself I was going to observe it while there.
Last summer I fasted every Friday (the holiest day of the week) just to
see what it was like - and even that one day a week was quite a
challenge.
I wanted to fast because I
also can benefit from the many purposes I listed above. Namely,
abstaining from "bad thoughts and temptations" and self-control, which
can be transferred into many aspects of life and overall help me become a
better human. Although many Muslims use the month to get closer to
Allah, I wanted to use the month to get closer to myself. Instead of
praying five times a day, I had planned to meditate five times a day.
And yes, I also wanted to fast in solidarity. I am living in a
predominantly Muslim
country and I knew many of my friends and colleagues would be fasting as
well, so I thought - why not!?
Ramadan 2016 Highlights:
As
I counted down until the start of Ramadan, the weeks quickly turned
into days and I wondered how to "prepare" myself. Turns out, after
asking several of my friends, there isn't much preparation at all. The
month comes and you fast, it's as simple as that. Or is it...
I had the opportunity to be in not one, not two but three predominantly Muslim countries during the month of Ramadan. I would like recount some of the most memorable events.
First thing's first, wolof vocabulary:
Koor: Ramadan (eg: Naka koor gi? - How is Ramadan?)
Metti: to hurt (ie: koor dafa metti wala yalla baax na - Ramadan, its painful but Allah/God is good)
Woor: to fast (eg: Yangiy woor? Waaw, mangiy woor. - Are you fasting? Yes, I am fasting)
Sukraa
Koor: literally means "Ramadan Sugar" but is the name of any and all
gifts given during the holy month (eg: Ana sama sukraa koor? - Where is
my Ramadan sugar?)
Ndogu:
Iftar (in Arabic) or break fast. (eg: Kaay ndogu - come and break fast)
Wori: to break fast (at the end of the month, not daily)
Korité:
Eid (in Arabic), holiday that marks the end of Ramadan
The
first week of Ramadan was relatively easy for me. I was in the office a
lot around other who were fasting and kept myself quite busy. A friend
of mine once told me that having ndogu alone was like waking up
Christmas morning alone. I appreciated the vivid and strong metaphor,
but because I have indeed working up on Christmas morning alone, I
wasn't afraid of breaking fast alone either.
Usually, those who are fasting will wake before dawn to drink plenty of water and eat one meal known as the Suhoor. I did this sometimes, but not always. Before dusk everyone will gather for Iftar (break fast) which is at sunset and locally known as ndogu. This is true for practically all Muslims but how people prepare and do Iftar usually varies.
In Senegal, the minuets leading to
ndogu are spent preparing the
meal.
The second you hear the muezzin begin the Adhan (call to prayer),
you break the fast with a date (because this is what Mohammad did).
Some people prefer to pray first and then break fast. I'm not sure why,
but I've been told you must have an odd number of dates. Next is the hot
drink (eg: coffee, hot chocolate, hot milk, etc) and a sandwich.
Depending on your preference and your income, your sandwich will have
butter, cheese spread, sliced cheese, sausage, beans, peas, hard boiled
eggs or a number of other things. Most traditionally I have seen butter,
sliced cheese, and sausage. Afterwards, you can drink some water - but
not too much, you need to save some room to eat more! The women of the
house will disappear and begin to cook the large meal of the evening
which will be served after Isha'a, the last evening prayer. This
meal could be a number of different things, ceebujen, yassa yapp, salad
with friends and chicken, etc etc.
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My ndogu one night when I broke fast alone.
It wasnt too depressing, dont worry. |
I celebrated the first ndogu (or iftar) with my old host family in Mermoz. Before heading to their house, I put together a little "Ndogu Gift-Basket" for their sukraa koor which was comprised of tea for attaaya, sugar, powdered milk, coffee,
and dates.
As
the first weekend of Ramadan came, I woke up with a massive head ache
and feelings super weak and dehydrated -- I decided to break fast for
the day. The following day I had a guilty conscious and felt as though I
had "failed" already. I tucked these feelings away and got back in the
routine of fasting. I cheated again by drinking coffee one morning and
another day by drinking water. Before I knew it, I had altogether
stopped fasting. However, I kept the spirit of Ramadan and I've learned a
lot this last month.
As I've mentioned
in previous posts, salutations and greetings are of the utmost
importance here in Senegal and this holds even more true during this
holy month. During Ramadan there is a familiar exchange added to
salutations:
Person A: Baal ma aq - Forgive me (for all of my sins, everything I have done)
Person B: Baal naa la - I forgive you
Person A: Yalla nañu yalla boole baal - Allah has assembled us together and forgives us all
Person B:
Amen - its optional to say Amen several times
In
addition, departures are extra long as everyone is saying prayers for
one another and their families. As I mentioned, I was told Allah answers
more prayers during the holy month so its seems like people are
constantly praying for one another and always followed by repetitive
"amens". Its beautiful! My favorite (or maybe the only one I've learned)
is "
Yalla nañu yalla sàmm" meaning, "may God protect us"
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| Having a later dinner of yassa ginaard (chicken) after ndogu at a friends house |
One evening, I knew I was going to be stuck in a taxi in traffic (there is always traffic) as the hour of
ndogu
arrived so I needed to plan ahead of time. I didnt want to wait to
break fast with my friends at a restaurant. I could safely assume that
my taxi driver was Muslim and I knew it would be rude to break fast in
front of him, so I decided to pack two sandwiches and some dates for the
two of us to share, you know, a little
sukraa koor. As the
minutes approached break fast, the taxi was at a standstill in traffic
and I sat in the front seat anxious and excited to share my gift and
break fast with this taxi driver. Suddenly, I saw several men with large
bags weaving in and out of traffic on foot passing things out. The
reached our taxi and gave us both a sandwich...next a man followed with
coffee. Although I have to admit I was a little sad to be "outdone" - I
was so curious and excited! "Who are these people? What are they doing?
Why are they passing out sandwiches?" The only thing missing was a date,
so I opened up my purse and passed one to my taxi driver. He was
pleasantly surprised. After I showed the taxi driver the sandwiches I
had packed, he explained to me that everyday the Baye Falls, a sub-group
of the
Mouride brotherhood,
collect money all day long in traffic so that they can provide coffee
and sandwiches to anyone who is stuck in traffic during ndogu. I found a
great video in French
that explains a lot. After hearing this, I was completely enamored. All
I could think was "Yes of course, this is Senegal" For those of you who
don't yet know this amazing country, let this be another reason to
visit.
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| I
wasn't able to capture my own photo of this wonderful break fast event
of sharing but these two photos are amazing and both belong to @ricci_s -
check out her Instagram for more photos. |
In
addition to countless precious moments spent "ndoguing" with friends
and family, I found myself much more forgiving and more generous this
month. Sometimes in a taxi, I would just let him keep the change (sure
this might sound normal in the US or elsewhere, but relatively unheard
of here - at least I've never heard of it). I made "Ndogu Gift Baskets"
for everyone in my office at work, the guardians of my apartment
complex, and gave small coins to the
talibé (young children often forced to beg on the street).
Generally throughout the month, shops opened a little bit later, people moved a little slower, and shops usually closed for
ndogu. Sometimes they would open back up, but usually you would have to wait until the next day. Although almost 96% of the population is Muslim, life carries on. You can still find people selling sachets of water in the middle of traffic under the hot sun (even though its highly likely they themselves are fasting), and people are still selling food on the road side for those who aren't fasting. It's really no big deal.
Ramadan in Turkey
Although
I was only here for a day, less than 24 hours in fact, I feel like I
was able to thoroughly enjoy the city. According to the CIA World
Factbook, Turkey is Muslim 99.8% Muslim and if I wasn't already aware of
the month of Ramadan, I dont think I would have actually noticed it
going on. Sadly I wasnt able to break fast and participate in
iftar while in Turkey, maybe one day I will have the opportunity.
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| Outside of the Blue Mosque aka the Sultan Ahmed Mosque |
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| Street food, Istanbul style. Even during Ramadan!! |
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| Inside of the Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) |
As
I said, business and life seemed to go on as usual, at least in the
capital, Istanbul. I saw tourist and locals alike wearing an array of
different types of clothing - from short shorts to niqabs and everything
in between. Nothing seemed to be running on "Ramadan time"
Ramadan in Jordan
Things
were much different in Jordan for the month of Ramadan. The official
working hours change from 10am-3pm, and you can often times find people
arriving later and leaving earlier than those changed hours.
Additionally, some people straight up dont work - they take vacation or
completely close up their shop. For example, the Christian alcohol shop
owners (only Christians can sell booze) are not allowed to sell alcohol
during the month, even at night. The CIA World Factbook says Jordan is
98% yet the main difference here is - Jordan's religions enter directly
into their state affairs. It is even
illegal to eat or drink in public during Ramadan until the sun sets.
Again, sadly, I was not able to participate in
iftar there but I had a good friend of mine give me the 4-1-1 on it. In his words: "There are different traditions here: some people prepare many types of
food and sit down and wait for Maghre (the evening prayer at sun set when you break fast), other people go to the Mosque
for praying and to read Quran before Maghre. Once Maghreb has come, they
eat dates, drink water, do Maghreb Prayer in the mosque then go back
to their homes and have Iftar. Its Sunnah (the verbally transmitted record of the teachings) to break your fast with dates
and water or yogurt, thats why most people do that. On the table there will
be different types of food like Meat, chicken, salads , soups and
rice. There are also drinks like lemonade and sweet things, we
mainly prefer qatayef (an Egyptian origin traditional dessert that is similar to a dumpling and popular mostly during Ramadan) stuffed with white cheese, coconuts with almonds,
and some times Nutella."
The end of the holy month of Ramadan is capped with "Eid-ul-Fitr"
AKA the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.
Here in Senegal, this holiday is called Korite.
Check back soon for an update all about it!
Ci suba, nungiy korite, inshallah
Tomorrow, we are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr, God willing.
One of the best surprises of the month...
My "sister" had her baby...
A Ramadan blessing!
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| Welcome to the world little one, Babacar Pierre Seck :) |
*Five
Pillars of Islam: 1. Shahadah: a testimony declaring belief in the
oneness of God/Allah and the acceptance of Muhammad as his prophet; 2.
Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day;
3. Zakat: paying some sort of tax to benefit the poor and the needy
(like charity); 4. Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan; 5. Hajj:
everyone (if possible) is supposed to take at least one pilgrimage to
Mecca (the holiest city).
Disclaimer:
I write this piece on Ramadan as a non-Muslim only sharing my
experiences and what I have learned from Muslims and other non-Muslims. I
do not speak on behalf of anyone. If you feel like I have
misrepresented something, please leave a comment. If you feel like I
have forgotten something important, please leave a comment. Remember, I
am only human and I am still learning :)
