Today marks the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, 1429. I wish all those who are muslim and following my blog sincere Ramadan Greetings. And whether muslim or not, this is a good time for all of us to reflect on who we are, how we live, how we wish to be perceived and especially, how do we treat those who are less fortunate and suffering.
Ramadan is always a time of reflection for me to take stock of myself and my life. It is also a time to remember the true spirit and meaning of Ramadan. It is NOT the time to change the days into night and night into days. It is not the time to troll the malls after the fast has been broken. It is however the time to remember the teachings and examples of the Prophet (PBUH).
This is also the opportunity for the muslim readers to share what Ramadan means to them. How do muslim readers from different nationalities and locations celebrate Ramadan? What is most special about Ramadan for you? And for those who are not muslim, this is an opportunity for you to ask your questions about Ramadan.
Ramadan Kareem to one and all!
Ramadhan Kareem to all..
Nice post. But, I think because it is so hot and everything is closed during the day, I will be joining the Saudis this year on switching the days and nights. It’s already 1 a.m. and I’m still awake!
Ramadan Kareem everyone…
Ramadan Kareem to all!
Ramadhan Kareem everyone – May Allah accept all our fasts and supplications during this blessed month.
@American2saudi
Staying up all night is one kind of fun even the Mutawwa can’t take away from you
Ramadan Kareem to you too Carol! Thanks for such an enlightening post : )
Has anyone else noticed Ramadan begins on THREE different days this year?
Salaams Carol and Everybody!
Ramadhan Mubarak!
Ramadan Kareem to all.
I have a question about Ramadan. Are you supposed to pray more then 5 times a day during this month?
David,
The requirement for Ramadan is the same 5 times. However, there are special prayers at night that are not mandatory and goes on for hours. This is called Traweeh prayer. A person can come in at anytime during the prayer and join in and leave during breaks if he wishes to. It is designed to gain more Hasanat. In the final 1/3rd of Ramadan there is an additional late night prayer that follow the same rule of not being mandatory. Most Muslims will try to do more worship during Ramdhan as it counts for more. Also, most will try to read the Quraan daily during the month.
Ramadan Kareem
May we start this month with the sincere desire to cast away our baser selfish desires…and finish having accomplished that goal. May every step you take…be a walk with God.
Ramadan Kareem to everyone and remember it is a month of fasting not feasting… not every day anyway.
Thank you all for the postings with Ramadan greetings and blessings. Perhaps we can keep this post active throughout the month of Ramadan sharing experiences on fasting and traditions which I’m sure will be informative for those who are not Muslim.
I’ll be happy to start….. for breaking our fast, we will begin in a very traditional manner putting a carpet on the floor and serving arabic coffee and dates. After we’ve had our fill, then we’ll switch to the regular table where I’ll serve a somewhat different meal than when it is not Ramadan. The meal will always include sambosa and fuol and an arabic salad. We rarely make rice during Ramadan unless it is specifically requested. We end the meal with a nice dessert and Saudi tea.
And in response to David’s question, my husband will always go to the Taraweel prayer during Ramadan. Like Saudi in US said, it is not mandatory but for many muslims it just feels right to be there.
The first Taraweel prayers I did…I had no idea of the marathon I had just signed up for…without any lead up training schedule…lol. I was absolutely shattered by the time I hobbled home…ouch…..I love praying in the mosque during Ramadan.
I’m not aware of many women who go to the mosques here in Riyadh for Taraweel. I do know though that in Makkah my dear mother-in-law always goes for the taraweel at her local neighborhood mosque.
And you’re right coolred, for the unintiated the taraweel will feel like it goes on and on! I’ve watched it on TV being broadcast from the Grand Mosque (Haram).
For my perspective on Ramadan, please visit my blog at siwashindubai.blogspot
For a daily blog/forum about Ramadan, Dubai Properties has one http://www.dubai-properties.ae/ramadan
The spelling of Ramadan is like this and not Ramadhan. And Taraweeh prayers can be shorter. I like to attend a mosque in Dubai which finishes it in 45 minutes. Only during the last 10 days do I attend another mosque.
Ramadan Kareem to all:)
May Allah accept your fasts and prayers.
This is my first Ramadan among other Muslims, so I am particularly excited.
My inlaws go to taraweeh every night, and I hope to join them inshallah. I’ll just remember to stretch beforehand!! It can be quite the workout.
Siwash, thanks for your comments. There are many here for whom English is not their first language and as such may write words differently…but as long as we all get the meaning that is what matters most!
Umm Sumayah, Mabrook! I am sure you will find your first Ramadan in KSA to be a very specia time and one that will go much faster and easier in KSA than if spent in places that are not predominantly Muslim.
ramadan kareem 2 all muslims all over the word.
Ramadhan Kareem to all muslims!
I´m from Spain and I have lived in Cairo for 4 months.
I´m going to visit Jeddah in 2 weeks and I would appreciate any information about Ramadhan there, people habits in this time, meals at the hotels and restaurants. For example, is there room service all day?
It is a good time to visit the country?
Thank you very much and congratulations for your blog
Hi Ceilia and thank you for the Ramadan greetings!
Well, it depends on ones reason for visiting to determine whether Ramadan is a good time to visit KSA!
In regards to Ramadan, there are “Ramadan Hours” Kingdom wide with banks, businesses, and many organizations working shortened Ramadan hours. Most five star hotels will serve meals through room service. I cannot say whether restaurants or a restaurant (at the hotel) would be open during the day (fasting time). No public restaurants outside of the hotel will be open until after iftar – breaking of the fast.
Like anywhere in the Kingdom you will find so many people going out after iftar. The streets and malls will be jammed. Another thing to keep in mind is that particularly during Ramadan, ATM machines may run out of cash and bank networks are so congested that one may not be able to use credit cards or ATM cards when shopping. It is better to have a reserve of cash during Ramadan.
Thank you for your comments and wishing you all the best.
@coolred38
your post me of my first Taraweeh prayers at a mosque in Jeddah. Not only was I not prepared for how physically exhausting it would be – but on my first day, I had opted to pray in the outer courtyard of the mosque (since it is right next to the sea & I was envisioning cooling sea breezes!) & almost passed out from suffocation (humidity + abaya). . I can laugh in retrospect!
Thank you!!
I´ll tell you about my days there!
Assalamu’alaikum
Wishing all muslim to have meaningfull ramadhan
Ramadan Kareem to all of you!!! I am from Bosnia and Herzegovina and I wish Ramadan brings joy and happiness to you and your families!!!
Ramadan Kareem to all.
We just had fatoor so I have little energy to write much more today.
Ramadan Kareem to everyone. I hope that all have enjoyed a beautiful and peaceful first day of Ramadan.
I’m now already planning what I will fix for tomorrow night’s iftar. To continue sharing the differing traditions of Ramadan and how families practice, my family (read the husband!) appreciates something new, different and homemade every night to include the soup, main dish and dessert. Fortunately I always enjoy a good challenge…. so now that my hunger is abated I’m busy thinking up what I’ll serve for the next night that has no repeats!
Actually, in regards to repeats, fuhl is not only allowed but mandatory each night of Ramadan!
I’d like to hear more how others practice Ramadan.
Salam all!
I know that during Ramadan certain dishes and sweets are made and served that wouldn’t normally make their way on the table. I wonder why this is so, some foods are so yummy they should be made year-round!
So far, I’ve been having a very relaxed fasting, husband and moi started fasting a few days ago and he’s been doing all the cooking! I tell him I love his food (I really do : P ) and he doesn’t mind playing the cook!
We’ve been eating Saudi dishes, kabsa, saloona, and some other good stuff! Our fast is broken with dates, they’re a must! What follows is soup and then the main dish. For dessert I’d eat kunafa and qatayef any day but so far haven’t had any! So it’s usually ice-cream, pudding or a cake or something, (anything to satisfy that sweet tooth!)
One thing I need to work on is making food for two. I don’t mind leftovers (in fact I like them) but the other dear half doesn’t and so you’ll find by the end of 3 or 4 days so much leftovers that we’re forced to make a meal out of them and eat away!
I’ll write back when I start cooking : P
Salam Alaikum Tee,
Wow – that is really nice that your husband is cooking thus far! When you’ve mentioned dishes, I do not recognize saloona. What kind of dish is it and what part of Saudi does it originate from?
Re Saudis and not liking leftovers, I guess that’s pretty typical! You’re always welcome to email me and we can compare ideas on how to use leftovers but at the same time let our husband’s believe it is a new fresh meal!
It does seem like during Ramadan the “sweet tooth” is more sensitive! And just like with other faiths and special holidays, certain dishes are made only during Ramadan. I guess that is so it gives us all something to look forward to!
Ok another question. I’ve heard that the Quoran is going to be read out loud from the Mosques 24 hours a day until it has been read all the way through. Is that true? And if so will it be read out loud here in Riyadh or only in Mecca and Madinah?
To the best of my knowledge reading of the Quran from the mosques 24/7 until completed is a fallacy. However there will be the special “Taraweel” prayers we have been discussing which can go for several hours and include readings from the Quran.
Ramadan Kareem Bedu!
I broke my fast yesterday by plucking an apple from a tree while I was riding by, anxiously watching the sun going down the horizon as we rode on, and taking my first bite as it was completely gone.
Had the leftovers from my fridge as dinner.
Awwww….that is a nice healthy way to break a fast!
For those who are not aware, Aafke, a non-muslim, is fasting on behalf of me this Ramadan since I’m unable to do the traditional fasting due to the medications I have to take.
So I think we all should visit http://clouddragon.wordpress.com and give her lots of support each day and have her tell us about her first Ramadan fasting experience!
aafke….that sounds movie like…riding by…plucking an apple…or better yet…a commercial for some sort of heavenly shampoo…lol. vey cool!
ehm, coolred, that apple was stolen from somebodies tree!
Although… the branches were hanging over a public road… I think that makes them public property.
Anyway, it was a lovely apple, and it wàs very romantic!
in that case…just be happy you werent born a century ago in the old american west…you might have been enjoying that stolen apple on the back of your galloping horse while buckshot was whizzing by your ears as some irate farmer let you know how they deal with thieves in them there parts…lol…which makes the apple all the more sweet…right?
LOL!!!
Hello hello : )
So I cooked today, felt sorry for my guy! I steered clear of the traditional. Lasagna and soup and nobody can complain with a yummy salad!
So yea, and we’ve got lots left so we’ll have to do something about it in the coming days.
I asked about the saloona and was told it’s mainly a dish made in countries like the Emirates, and the East of Saudi. It’s some kind of stew, with either meat or chicken and a mixture of spices. It’s really nothing special, but yummy nonetheless!
I’ll email you for sure, I just CAN’T throw food away so yea something has to be done! With certain foods I add new ingredients and it gives them a fresh taste!
Your iftar sounded great! I did something different for iftar yesterday. After the initial breaking of the fast with dates, arabic kawa and Vento, I made what I guess you could call a roast beef stew and served it over mashed potatoes. It was accompanied with vegetable soup, corn and fuhl so it was an easy meal overall to prepare. Now I’m trying to figure out what to serve tonight that is different and appealing.
The saloona sounds good and I also enjoy the wide variety of spices that are available here.
Assalamoalaikum everyone.
Ramadan / Ramadhan kareem/mubarak.
Re David’s question about reading of the Noble Qur’an in the mosques: Allah swt started revelaing the Qur’an in Ramadhan and continued to do so over the next 20+ years. Angel Gabriel used to review/rehearse the entire Qur’an during Ramadhan with Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). The Prophet started the tradition of reciting it during the taraweeh prayers with his followers and Caliph Umar revived this practice. In some countries like Pakistan and India in almost all mosques immediately after ‘isha prayers in 20 rakah taraweeh prayers the imam (hafiz – knows Qur’an by heart) recites out loud in excess of 1/30th of the Qur’an every night and finishes the entire Qur’an on the 27th night. The same is the case in Haramain (the 2 holiest mosques in Makkah and Madinah) and some other mosques around the Muslim world. This may take 1+ hour. The alternative, to make it easy for those praying, is to do only 8 rakah and recite only a small portion (again starting from the beginning on first night and progressing a little every night, but not finishing during the month). Salatul lail (night prayer) are additional prayers late in the night where the recitation continues, usually in the last nights of Ramadhan. Taraweeh is a beautiful tradition that helps Muslims go through the entire Qur’an at least once every year and keeps us focused on the message of Allah to mankind. Individual reading during the day or night specially in your translated language if you are a non Arab helps to earn more hasanat – during Ramadhan and all year round.
I hope this helps.
Salam Alaikum AK.
Welcome and thank you for your explanation.
Ramadan Kareem to you too!
Salam everyone
Ramadan Kareem
I would like to go to the mosque for Taraweeh in the last ten days, Does any one know any mosque spacious enogh to take ur kids as well in Dubai?
Thanks
Salam Alaikum Sara,
Ramadan Kareem. I hope perhaps one of my readers may be able to answer that one for you.
[...] each and every day of Ramadan a Muslim should not forget the true spirit of what Ramadan is about. This includes reaching out to those who have less and are in need. [...]