"Ramadan, to me, is a time of celebration like American
Thanksgiving, for 30 days in a row,” Roberta Olson Ozgunduz, an American
married to a Turk who has been living in Istanbul since the 1980s, told SETimes
on Thursday, July 26.
Ramadan is the holiest month in
Islamic calendar.
In Ramadan, adult Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and
sex between dawn and sunset.
The sick and those traveling are
exempt from fasting especially if it poses health risks.
After sunset, a special atmosphere
colors Istanbul with illuminated mosques and crowded restaurants offering
special Ramadan menus.
Sharing Muslims iftars, non-Muslims
find such customs colorful, with delicious dishes specific to Ramadan.
"It is always a nice feeling
because when breaking the fast with Muslim friends even when I don't fast is
still very special, and it makes everybody feel a part of the same family,”
said Ozgunduz.
"So, it is one of my favorite times
in Turkey.”
Fasting is meant to teach Muslims
patience, self-control and spirituality, and time during the holy month is
dedicated for getting closer to Allah though prayers, reading the Noble Qur’an
and good deeds.
During Ramadan, Muslims dedicate
their time during the holy month to become closer to Allah through prayer,
self-restraint and good deeds.
It is customary for Muslims to
spend part of the days during Ramadan studying the Noble Qur'an.
Turkey celebrated the start of the
holy fasting month on Friday, July 20.
Socializing
Capitalizing on the holy fasting
month's spirit of sharing, Ramadan offered non-Muslims a better opportunity to
foster relations with their Muslim neighbors.
"Ramadan is for us to socialize,
blend with other religions of the society, and to understand them,” Ceki Baruh,
a Jewish resident of Istanbul, said.
For Baruh, sharing iftar with her
Muslim friends is always a celebrated event.
"One of my favorite activities is
to share Iftar with my Muslim friends and live that enthusiasm,” she said.
"And if I can, I try not to eat
during those days in order to bring a value to my activity.
"We should also emphasize that
during Ramadan, the representatives of different religions in Istanbul organize
joint dinners to celebrate the holy spirit of that month.”
Muslims make up approximately 99
percent of Turkey's population, but the country is also home to several ancient
Christian communities and Jews.
They include nearly 70,000
Armenians, 20,000 Greek Orthodox -- mostly based in Istanbul -- and 20,000
Syriac Christians, who speak a form of Aramaic, the language of Jesus.
