Ramadaan Around the Globe 2021 (1442): Ramadaan and Eid Traditions
Written by Juber
What is the one tradition you look forward to the most during Ramadaan?
I would have to say dedicating a time of the day to sit down and study the Qur’an. It’s not something we can keep regular throughout the year, but in Ramadan, it feels easier and comes naturally to us. We usually do this before Iftar and it really helps us complete our fast strong, reminding us of the true purpose of the month.
Is this a tradition that you had grown up doing as a kid or is this a new tradition?
When I was young, my parents usually made an effort to sit down with me and teach me the Qur’an and other topics of Islam. But my father also regularly took me to special events in the local Mosque, which I thoroughly enjoyed as it gave me a chance to get out of the house. So I guess the tradition is the same, in that in this month we try our best to dedicate our time towards understanding something just a little bit more about the Qur’an in comparison to outside of Ramadan.
What do you typically eat for sehri (suhoor) and iftaar during Ramadaan?
For Suhoor, we usually have cereal (all sorts but mainly granola), fruits, dates, yoghurt and at times rice pudding. For Iftar, we have a range of foods. We have lentil curries, moroccan soups, pilau, meat and chicken curries and the good old pakoras and samosas. We do sometimes experiment with different cuisines and may try mexican dishes such as fajitas, burritos and even enchiladas. This year we tried a new dish which we have never made before called chicken nambali. We also try to dedicate several days in between where we eat only vegetarian food, so that we can take a break from all the meat and chicken.
What are some of the eid traditions that you do in your home?
Apart from the things that everyone does such as dressing up, cooking the best food you can find and visiting family, we also make it a point to go out on the day. Whilst I know the question is about what we do at home, going out for the day is very important for us. It can get quite overwhelming with all the food and the many visits, and therefore escaping from all of that for some hours can be a great way to relax and take a break. One other thing that we do on Eid is buy gifts for the family. We try to buy gifts for as many people as possible even if its something small. I think gifting is quite uncommon on Eid. We wanted to combine the joyous occasion with the concept of gifting so that there is an added joy to the day.
Is this a tradition you have grown up with or is it something new?
I picked up both traditions after I got married so you could say its something new. My wife and I decided to think about alternative ways to celebrate Eid. We decided that gifting is a great way of making others happy and escaping for the day to somewhere new is a great way to gift ourselves.
Is there anything else you would like to add that may be relevant to this topic?
Ramadan is such an uplifting and reflective month and it’s the easiest time to work on one’s spirituality. But the challenge begins once the month is over. I hope that I and others can maintain what we have picked up in Ramadan throughout the rest of the year.
Jazakallah for your contribution to this Ramadaan series of 2021 (1442). Ameen to this beautiful dua. This is always the struggle after Ramadaan but Inshallah we will all be able to keep the good habits we have formed throughout the year.
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