As in the rest of the Muslim world Turkey has entered the holy month of Ramadan (Ramazan in Turkish), with observing Muslims fasting between sunrise and sunset. The Lent does not only mean abstaining from food, drink, tobacco and sexual intercourse in the hours of daylight, but is also a time for spiritual and moral reflection. Intended to teach the fasting Muslim self-discipline and sympathy with the poor and hungry, this is also a time to be with family and friends, and eventually to celebrate.
Following the moon
Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar, representing the time when the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelations from God. Traditionally the Lent starts with the sighting of the first new moon in the ninth month of the Islamic year, and ends with the next new moon. Since the Islamic calendar is lunar, following the cycle of the moon, the date of Ramadan is different each year. In fact it arrives about 11 days earlier each time, this year the dates being from August 11 until September 9. Coinciding with an exceptionally warm summer in Turkey, it might pose an extra challenge for the many fasting Muslims here.
Life as usual
Still, not all Muslims in Turkey observe the Lent. Travelling in Turkey at this time you might meet some smaller obstacles like changing opening-hours and rush traffic shortly before sunset, as many Turks travel to their families to break the Lent with an evening meal together. However, even fasting Turks normally respect those who are not fasting, and especially in the big cities life goes on as usual. It is still polite to avoid eating and drinking openly in the streets to avoid tempting those who are fasting. Then, as the call of the minarets accompany the sinking sun at the end of the day, you might join the tradition and indulge in the sweet dates that are eaten to break the Lent of the day.
- To me, Ramadan is a chance to understand the poor and to experience how it is to go hungry, says Mehmet Engin Gursel. He is a Norwegian Turk, having moved back to Norway after a childhood in Turkey. He explains that it is important for him to fast, even if living in Norway brings about new challenges.
- There is a big difference between fasting in Turkey and in Norway. First of all, fasting in Turkey was a social event when I spent a lot of time with my family. We ate together, prayed together and went to the Mosque together. It was a great pleasure to me. Where I live now there are few Muslims and no Mosque, and people often react with surprise when they hear that I fast.
Mehmet Engin Gursel (left), with his two brothers Yilmaz and Evren. They all live, study and fast during Ramadan in Norway. Photo: Private
Northern challenges
Mehmet Engin studies civil engineering in Norway, and admits that the fasting makes it harder to concentrate on the studies.
- If I have an exam or an important class, I might not fast. I also avoided fasting when I was sick some days during Ramadan last year. To compensate, I sent money to my aunt in Turkey who distributed them to the poor.
In addition to the social aspect, practical issues might also make it more challenging to fast in a country like Norway. This is especially the case in the summer, when the days are longer in the northern hemisphere.
- Once my father fasted for 22 hours! Mehmet Engin exclaims.
- They followed the sunlight. As there was only two hours between sunrise and sunset in the Norwegian summer, this was the only time they could eat.
This was in the seventies, before modern technology made it easy to estimate and communicate fixed fasting times. Today Mehmet Engin can go to a webpage to see the official fasting times. The fasting in Norway might still be longer than in Turkey, this year starting with almost 19 hours without food the first days. Nevertheless, Mehmet Engin has no doubt that he will fast during Ramadan.
- It is important for me to fast. This way I have learned from my family to think about others than myself. And after all, it is only for a month!
Time to celebrate
Also in Christianity fasting has been, and still is, an important mean for inner purification and worship to God. Especially in the orthodox and the catholic churches the Lent is still practiced in various ways today. In Norway, being a protestant country, the Lent is not practiced anymore. One remnant still celebrated in schools and families is the Shrovetide (Fastelavn in Norwegian). This Sunday originally marked the beginning of the Lent, reminding how Jesus wandered for 40 days without food in the desert. Therefore, just as the dates for the Christian Easter vary from year to year, the Shrovetide varies accordingly. Today it is celebrated with the eating of creamy sweet buns and possibly a carnival, combining both Christian and older, pagan traditions.
Fasting or not, the Turks know how to celebrate. In fact the three-day holiday Eid al-Fitr, known as Ramazan Bayramı in Turkish, is the biggest Muslim celebration of the year. It marks the end of Ramadan and is celebrated in the family with food and presents, similar to the Christian Christmas-celebration. For those Muslims who manage to follow the fast during the whole month it is well deserved. But until then the early drumming in the streets will continue.
Hayırlı Ramazanlar!