Ramadan in Istanbul

Hello friends,

About Ramadan

We are in the first week of Ramadan. Ramadan(Ramazan in Turkish) is a holy month for muslims. In these days, muslims fast and have extra deeds to be better muslims and take care of their actions. Fasting is a total abstinence of food and liquids from dawn to sunset during the entire month of Ramadan. Married muslims also have to refrain from intimate relationship from dawn to sunset during this period. Muslims can still enjoy all of these things during the night time, from sunset to dawn. We usually eat a meal right after sunset called “Iftar” and another light meal right before dawn called “Sahur” (Sahoor). The purpose of fasting is to acquire the concept of Taqwa. Taqwa might be defined as self control, self-restraint, self-discipline, self-obedience, self-training, self-consciousness, self-education and self-evaluation. Fasting does help the person to improve himself physically, biologically, mentally, psychologically, and spiritually. I wish all muslims to get those benefits.

Ramadan is one of the months of the muslim calendar( hijri calendar). Muslim calendar accepts Prophet Mohammad ’s hegira ( immigration) from Makkah to Madina as beginning and it is a lunar calendar. There is 11 days difference between lunar calendar and solar calendar. Thus, Ramadan month comes 11 days earlier every next year. These days have long daytime when we compared to winter days but no matter Allah helps believers. So Ramadan is not a stable time , it comes in different seasons and in different months in solar calendar. Furthermore, if Ramadan is starting in August in this year, it will start in August again 33 years later.

Ramadan time in Istanbul

There are some traditions that I would like to mention to you in Ramadan time in Istanbul and Turkiye.

I like to spend Ramadan time in Istanbul. Becuase I believe and see it affects the city in a good way. During Ramadan time, bakeries make a different kind of bread and it is special for this month. It is name is “ramazan Pidesi” in Turkish and it means “Ramadan Bread” in English. I don’t think people in Turkey eat Ramadan Bread in non-Ramadan time. Also, it is not important for me in non-Ramadan time but in Ramadan it becomes special for many people. Date is also comes to tables only in Ramadan time despite of its placing on the shops throughout the year.  As last for Ramadan Bread, if you got to a restaurant for fast-breaking meal in Ramadan or around that time, probably Ramadan Bread will be take place on the table as bread.

Ramadan drum is also a nice tradition. Drummer, who is a guy, plays drum as much as noisy he can at sahur( time at somewhere after mid-night and before dawn) to awake people for having meal, that meal is a deed of Ramadan. Ramadan drum is a tradition that comes from Ottoman Empire time. As you see, in that time people were living in small houses.People at home could easily hear the sound of drum and wake up. Also, everyone doesn’t have the alarm clock like us today and there weren’t a lot of alarm clocks that  is “made in China” :) . Nowadays, sound of drum can still  be heard and car alarms and dog barkings accompany Ramadan drum too due to its affect. So, that makes it funny.

A few days ago, something made me laughing at about 3:00 am, I got up at that sahur time by hearing the sound of drum and went to window to watch the drummer. But, I saw it was first time, there are two guys on a scooter and one was riding and rear one playing the drum. It was unusual and funny.

People generally visit famous or important mosques in Ramadan time. So, Sultanahmet Square, Eyup Mosque and some other places are full of people during Ramadan. Iftar tent has also been a tradition in Istanbul and some other cities in Turkiye. Local municipalities set up those tents to serve meal to poor people or people who aren’t able to reach home on time. There are also many Ramadan food traditions and other religious traditions but I won’t mention about them now.

Cilck for 2009 istanbul ramadan schedule

Please leave your comments regarding Ramadan in Istanbul, many thanks.

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7 Responses to “Ramadan in Istanbul”

  1. Hi Friend,

    I found your webpages with comments about Istanbul and Ramadam (Ramazan?). Well done; informative and useful as well as personal. Thanks.

    I have a question. I will be heading to the airport tomorrow to travel to Istanbul; so maybe I won’t see your reply. My fault, but I just found your site.

    However, I will ask anyway and hope for the best.

    What is expected of a non-Muslim visitor to Istanbul during Ramadan? I am not Muslim, but wish to show respect for the Muslim.

    Thank you.

    Mike

  2. [...] This post was Twitted by myistanbulguide [...]

  3. ali says:

    Hello Mr. Ciborowski,
    Thank you for your comment about web-site. I hope I can do better.
    For your question, first of all I appreciate you approaching “wish to show respect”. As a non-muslim, people will not expect you to not to eat, drink or others. But, if you empathy towards fasting people, they may be thirsty or hungry or need to smoke, especially if he/she is a teenager. Someone shouldn’t make it harder for them. If you take care of your eating, drinking, smoking (if you smoke) when fasting people around, it would be best of you. Publicly, you will see not all people fast. Lastly, people won’t expect you to not to drink or eat, but if you take care of them, they will muchly appreciate it. I hope, you can read this before leaving. I wish a nice trip.

  4. Aaminah says:

    Salaam Alaykum. I would LOVE to spend Ramadhan in Turkey some time, InshaAllah. Sounds BEAUTIFUL. Cok guzel. MashaAllah. Thanks for the info.

  5. ali says:

    Alaikum Salaam. I am glad that you like the article. I either like to spend Ramadan in Istanbul very much. Insha Allah, May Allah give you that you wish.

  6. Mohamed Hassan Maidin says:

    Salaams, Are the mosques in Istanbul traditionally opened throughout the night during Ramadan or at least the last ten days?

    Inshah Allah, I hope to be in Istanbul for the first ten days of Ramadan and may be the 21-23rd of Ramadan.

    Wasalaam
    Mohamed Hassan Maidin

  7. ali says:

    Alaikum Salaam,

    Mosques are not open during night in Turkey. They get closed after isha prayer and opened 1-1,5 hour earlier before fajr prayer in Ramadan. In 27th night of Ramadan( which is widely accepted as Qadr Night in Turkey), there are some mosques open like Sultanahmet Cami (Blue Mosque), and Eyup Sultan Mosque. These mosques are designated by Religious Affairs body of Turkey. Also, there are some mosques which are open for last ten days of Ramadan (maybe you ask for itiqaf), but they are not certain yet. Diyanet( Presidency of Religious Affairs of Turkish Republic), probably will issue a statement about mosques for itiqaf in next days.
    Experiencing Ramadan in Istanbul would be wonderful, I hope you enjoy it.

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