Ramadan Traditions Around the World

Ramadan is not only a month of fasting and spiritual reflection, but it is also a month of festivities when Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month with their families and communities.

Here are some unique customs and traditions that Muslims around the world practice to welcome the blessed month of Ramadan.

Ramadan Customs and Traditions Around the World

Egypt

The streets, neighborhoods, and marketplaces of Egypt are adorned with beautiful metal and colored-glass lanterns that light up these places during the holy month.

The colorful lantern is called fanous and these lanterns have become well-known for their intricate designs and beautiful craftsmanship.

Egypt also has the tradition of having a mesharaty, who is a person who wakes the people up for the pre-dawn meal.  

Türkiye

Muslim neighborhoods in Türkiye appoint drummers, dressed in Ottoman clothes, to wake these neighborhoods up for suhoor (the meal eaten before dawn).

Morocco

Morocco also has a person to wake up people for suhoor, who is called nafar. The nafar walks through the neighborhood singing melodious sprayers to wake up the people in the neighborhood. 

Iraq

Iraq is home to another exciting Ramadan tradition, which is a game called Mheibes. People in Iraq play this game after they have broken their fasts.

The game consists of two teams and each team will have from 40 to 250 players. The game involves the teams taking turns to conceal the ring.

The game starts with the team leader secretively passing the ring to someone, while the rest of the team members have to sit with their fists closed.

The other team has to guess which of the team members is concealing the ring, which will score them a point or help them win the round.

Mheibes is a pretty fun way to enjoy some quality time with family and friends during Ramadan.

Indonesia

Indonesians practice a cleansing ritual before the start of Ramadan called Padusan. The Javanese Muslims in Indonesia cleanse themselves in their local springs, which symbolizes a purification of body and mind before the Holy Month of Ramadan.

Another Ramadan tradition that Javanese Muslims practice is called nyekar, which involves them paying respects to the deceased family members before the start of Ramadan.

Javanese Muslims visit graveyards and pray for their deceased family members there as well as spreading flower petals on the deceased relative’s grave.

Albania

Roma Muslims in Albania announce the start and end of a fast with the recitation of traditional ballads.

While singing these ballads, they also play the lodra, which is a traditional drum covered in sheep or goatskin.

These ballads emphasize the Roma Muslims’ faith and devotion during Ramadan.

Cameroon

Muslims in Cameroon keep the doors to their homes open before iftar time, so if anyone does not have a place to break their fast, they can join them.

Maldives

Muslims in Maldives celebrate Ramadan by reciting religious poetry called 'raivaru'.

Kuwait

Kuwait is home to the Ramadan tradition called gergean, which involves children wearing traditional clothes and singing songs to celebrate the month of Ramadan. 

Children who are fasting are rewarded with sweets. 

UAE 

Children in the UAE dress up and stroll in the neighborhood, singing songs and gathering sweets. This celebration is called Haq Al Laila, which comes before Ramadan. 

The children chant, "Give to Allah and we will reward you and help you visit Makkah.”

Middle East

Various countries in the Middle East fire canons at sunset to announce the end of the day's fast. 

These are some of traditions practised in Ramadan around the world to welcome and celebrate this blessed month!

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