These preparations in the month of Ramadan, when Muslims consider sacred and worshiping is carried out, continue from the first day of Ramadan in Anatolia until the Feast of Ramadan.

Ramadan drums and manias are among the traditions identified with Ramadan and the purpose of this tradition is to awaken people to suhoor who want to fast. Someone who volunteers to play the drum with a few people wanders the whole village or neighborhood, accompanied by manias, collects a tip by knocking the doors at the end of the month of Ramadan.

One of the common Ramadan traditions is iftaar meals. Iftaar meals, which are given for the purpose of charity, allow everyone with low income or rich meals to eat the same food for a month. Iftar tables are very rich with its varieties of soup, meat dishes, baklawas, pastries and drinks. In the iftar dinner, which is started with the throwing of the Ramadan ball, fasting is usually broke with olives, dates or water. During the month of Ramadan, bakeries make “Ramadan Pita” and the most popular dessert ‘Güllaç’.

Ramadan is another aspect of entertainment month. During the month of Ramadan, various entertainments are organized from Taraweeh prayer to suhoor. As in the Direklerarası and Feshane districts of Istanbul, in the cities, the streets are usually turned into fairgrounds, and concerts are organized with the Karagöz performances. Today, some events such as iftar tents and Ramadan night entertainment are carried out with the support of municipalities as a requirement of city life.

More than a billion Muslims celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the month when the Quran was announced, guides people through its teachings throughout this month. Due to the lunar calendar, Ramadan starts every year 11 days earlier than the previous year. The month of Ramadan requires fasting and praying from sunrise to sunset. Complying with the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars in Islam. It aims to teach people self-control and at the same time provides insight into the situation of those with insufficient financial means.

Iftar meals are the result of a fasting day as a tradition that started when Mohammed went from Mecca to Madinah. After sunset, food is eaten and soft drinks are drunk next to it. Special meals are prepared for “Iftar meal”. In 2020 Ramadan evening of April 24 in Turkey will be dealt with first start feasting.

According to Islam, patients and passengers are exempt from fasting. If these situations persist during Ramadan, the Muslim can compensate for this by giving food to a poor person between sunset and sunrise during the month. If the person heals or their journey ends before the end of Ramadan, days that can be fasted can be added after the end of Ramadan.

Muslims also have to give zakat. The wealthy are expected to donate a certain amount of money according to their wealth after their basic needs are met, named as ‘Zakat’. This money is given before the first prayer time (Eid Prayer) on the first day of the three-day Eid al-Fitr, which determines the peak of the fasting month.

The three-day Ramadan Feast is a special time for all Muslims. Everyone wears the best and newest clothes they bought, especially for the feast. They go to the mosque, visit relatives and friends, and have a good time with guests. These visits give people who have not been able to meet with each other for a long time. Eid al-Fitr is the time to enjoy each other's friendship and good luck that God has given us.

When is Ramadan 2020? When will The Fast start?

The countdown has started for Ramadan, which are the most valued months of the entire Islamic world during the year. According to this year's Religious calendar, three months will begin on February 25, 2020. The first day of Ramadan corresponds to Friday, April 24, 2020. Ramadan, which counts down 10 days every year, will end on Saturday, May 23 of this year.

Ramadan Foods

When Ramadan and Iftaar is mentioned, our most traditional and delicious dishes come to mind. Thanks to our deep-rooted history and traditions, we have delicious food from the Ottoman times. We are not only talking about food but also soups and desserts eaten as you eat are included in this happiness. Let's list our traditional recipes that have been frequent guests of iftaar meals since the Ottoman Empire.

Ramadan Pita

Ramazan Pita is a traditional soft leavened Turkish bread. Round and rather flat in form, and having a weave-like patterned crust, Ramazan Pita is made of wheat flour with yeast and topped with sesame and Nigella sativa seeds.

Date

It’s a must-have with olive, white cheese and Ramadan Pita on Iftaar Table.

Almond Soup If Ramadan coincides with the hottest day of summer, Turkish people cannot do without soup. For stomach, which was empty for a long time, could not be a better supporter than soup.

Ayran Aşı Soup (Buttermilk Soup) It is a flavor that is generally consumed as a cold soup and often consumed when Ramadan begins to coincide with the spring and summer months.

Arabaşı Soup (Spicy Chicken Soup With Starch Paste) Arabaşı soup is one of the main dishes that come to mind when winter comes and the weather gets cold in Anatolia. Arabaşı is a very satisfying and healing soup with its paste swallowed without chew and plenty of meaty water is in an important position in the kitchen of many cities such as Konya, Karaman, Kayseri, Yozgat.

Yaprak Sarma (Stuffed Grape Leaves With Olive Oil The olive oil leaf wrapping, which we have already prepared and kept in the refrigerator, it comes to tables such that no one looks for the main dish.

Beef Bacon Beef bacon is one of the tastes that we started to see more with Ramadan.  Mostly, Turkish people love it as in Paçanga pastry and take their place on the table before the main meal.

Alinazik Kebab Alinazik, which is one of the delicious flavors of Gaziantep, is actually a meal that Yavuz Sultan Selim admired during his visit to Antep. This recipe consists of eggplant and meatballs are the leading ones. This meal is one of the best suited to iftar meals.

Rice With Butter As we counted such delicious food, we can’t leave them alone. We chose the best fit for iftaar meals. This rice with butter may even make you forget the Ramadan pita.  

Tulumba Dessert The tulumba dessert, which you will prepare everything from dough to sherbet with your hands and worth all the effort you give, comes to put a sweet spot on the Ramadan tables.

Güllaç

Güllaç is the first to come to mind when it comes to Ramadan's indispensable. If a lot of walnuts are added to it and it is made with real rose water, it will not enough to eat. If you make a big tray, a big tray ends at once.