Observing Ramadhan Rituals in Taiz [Archives:1999/51/Culture]

Haifa Yahia Qanber,
Taiz
God has imposed on His able creatures the requirement of fasting during the month of Ramadhan. Fasting this month is the fourth pillar of Islam. However, Islam has forgiven those who are old, unhealthy or travelers. Pregnant or breast-feeding mothers are both required to fast, but they have to fast when they get well. Actually, this religious obligation is not purposeless, rather it has important benefits. By fasting, the well-to-do feel for the poor and hence dispense with alms and embark on philanthropic deeds. Likewise, modern science has proved that fasting is good for health; it can cure a lot of diseases, such as stomach aches, diabetic diseases and so on. Furthermore, fasting is spiritual worship wherein a person announces his entire loyalty to Allah. It is a chance for us to purify our souls for our misdeeds and faults, approaching His mercy and forgiveness. This lofty month encourages us to give up and cast away any misunderstandings, abhorrence and aversions which might have occurred before.
In point of fact, this sacred month has a special loftier position in the hearts of all Moslems. It reminds us of a great deal of unforgettable incidents. That is, in this month Allah revealed his truth to prophet Mohammed (blessing and peace be upon him) through Archangel Gabriel. In addition, Ramadhan brings in the memory of several well-known victories. It also reminds us of the Islamic conquests which Moslems accomplished while they were fasting.
Ramadhan Distinguished Rituals:
As a matter of fact, Ramadhan is marked with special and distinct social as well as religious rituals. It makes the life of people delightful and pleasant. For us it is an honorable guest visiting us only once a year. It has special dishes. It also has special songs and hymns. Even children welcome it gleefully and gaily with songs and cheers. They knock at the doors of the people in the neighborhood singing for Ramadhan, and thus people dispense with either some money, chocolates or cereals. Thus, every family has to get ready for this venerable month. Women begin to clean and decorate the houses, and prepare rooms for chatting in the evening. They also have to get up different types of foodstuffs and sweets. Similarly, markets become full with all the requirements and needs of this month.
It is worth mentioning that the established style and way of life is totally changed during Ramadhan. We are to prepare and get used to particular sorts of food and sweets or even buy them from the distributing shops, which only open during this month. Such plates and dishes include ‘Shafoot’, a mixture of bread with yogurt, salads, ‘fattah’, a mixture of bread with either broth or honey as well as ‘bagia’, ‘sambosa’, ‘zabiba’ and so on. For sweets, we have ‘mohalabia’, pudding, vermicelli, ‘konafa’, ‘roani’, ‘moshabak’, ‘toranba’, ‘baklawa’ Éetc.
How to Fast and Breakfast:
People in Ramadhan abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. When they hear the canon launching, they know that it is the sign informing them to break the fast. People break fast by having a light meal called ‘fatoor’, which usually consists of dates, juice, coffee, soup, ‘bagia’, ‘sanbosa’Éetc. Then, men go to mosques for communal sunset, evening and nightly prayers (Salatt Al- Traweeh). After that they come back home to have a very heavy and delicious meal, consisting of many miscellaneous types of dishes. Those who do not have families, as well as the poor, take the dinner in the mosques, which is usually prepared by some charitable families. People become much more generous during this month, so they can invite a good number of people to their houses for dinner.
Spending the Night:
After dinner, men may go out to chew qat, recite parts of the holy Qur’an and prophetic hadith (history of the prophet Mohammed). At the same time, women chat together, chew qat and talk about the sorts of food they are making for Ramadhan. Their pleasant evening goes on till midnight. Young boys who do not chew qat can stroll in some parks or loaf in the streets or watch Arab satellite TV channels, which compete with each other to present the best programs and serials during this month.
When the time of Al-Sahoor ( a meal to be eaten before starting the next day’s fasting) is about to arrive, women serve this final meal for the night. And when the canon launches, it is an announcement that we should stop eating and drinking. Otherwise, our fasting will not be accepted. However, it should be remembered that the atmosphere of this month differs from the countryside to town. In the village, people actually spend their days on the farms. They are also not very concerned with diversifying their dishes. Some of them, particularly the old, go to sleep after finishing the nightly prayers and recite some chapters of the holy Qur’an. But some spend their time watching TV and chewing qat.
When the Day Turns Night:
On observing streets, shops and other institutions in the day of Ramadhan, one feels that the day has turned night. Everything is dead and silent. This lasts for most of the first part of the day. However, at night everything is full of life and vitality. Streets are congested with cars and people.
As I said earlier, in this sublime month the people and rich Moslems have to help the poor and needy people, and they have to pay alms (Zakat Al-Fiter) for that is also one of the five pillars of Islam.
Receiving Eid AlFiter:
As people bid goodbye and farewell to Ramadhan by shedding tears and special songs, they begin to prepare themselves well for receiving another new guest, that is, Eid Al-fiter. Women are engaged in making special foods and cakes and sweets. People buy juices, chocolates, nuts, almonds and raisins to serve on the morning of Eid Al-Fiter to visitors and quests. Further, before the Eid Al-Fiter they rush into the markets to buy new sets of cloths for themselves and their children for receiving this glorious occasion.
Similarly, women and girls embroider and decorate their hands and feet with henna and ‘knedab.’
Ultimately, we all pray to God, asking His mercy and forgiveness. Ramadhan mubarak to all.

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