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South Africa is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world, so there’s basically a cultural or religious celebration every second week.

With Easter and Pesach/Passover done and dusted, we move on to Ramadan.

Ramadan is the holiest time of the year for those in the faith of Islam, and even if you’re not a follower, I feel we should know something about what this very significant time of year means for Muslim people.

The cultural elements and religious motifs make for some stunning sights, too, but before we get to the impressive pictures, let’s get some of the facts out of the way.

LifeHacker outlines it all nicely:

Ramadan commemorates the time when the prophet Mohammad revealed the religion’s holy text—the Quran—1 400 years ago.

The word’s roots reflect the arid conditions of the desert, derived from the Arabic word Ramidha, which translates roughly to “intense, scorching heat”.

“Ramadan was named such because it burns the sins of the believers. Just like the blazing sun evaporates water from the surface of the ground, Ramadan burns away one’s sins. This spiritual heat purifies and moulds us to be better human beings.”

Ramadan takes place at slightly different times in each year, too:

Because Islam adheres to the lunar calendar—which functions in accordance with phases of the moon—Ramadan inches forward by 10 days every year in the Gregorian calendar, which is used by the majority of the world.

Traditionally, Ramadan begins on the first day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, and lasts 30 days.

This year, Ramadan began on Tuesday, April 13, and will conclude on May 12.

According to photojournalist Armand Hough, there’s a specifically South African tradition where maankykers (Afrikaans for “moon watchers”) gather at viewpoints to find the moon and determine when the holy month will start:

 

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A post shared by Armand Hough (@thehumansnarrative)

Although the timing may vary in each country because of the amount of sunlight in that particular hemisphere, Ramadan is generally celebrated in the same way across the world.

So how is Ramadan celebrated exactly?

Well, by partaking in a month of fasting (or sawm), worship, and community:

Fasting is one of the five pillars of the Muslim faith, along with profession of faith (shahada), prayer (salat), charity (zakat), and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj). During Ramadan, adherents fast from sunrise until sundown for the entirety of the month.

There’s also abstaining during this month – that means no smoking, caffeine, sex, or gossip – all seen as ways to spiritually and physically purify oneself.

The fasting aspect can be strict, but it does make allowances for those who are pregnant, the elderly, young children, and those travelling for pilgrimage.

For those who can fully participate, however, the daily schedule often begins with a predawn meal that has to sustain a practitioner until dusk, so it typically contains a lot of protein and drinking lots of water.

The day proceeds as normal, until “iftar” commences, which is basically a snack immediately prior to the evening’s first prayers. Then some people head to their local Mosque for special Ramadan services, which is often followed by a larger meal at someone’s home, usually involving family and friends.

The celebrations are drawn to a close with a culminating feast on the final day, called Eid al-Fitr.

This is the second Ramadan to fall during the pandemic, so on top of cultural restrictions associated with the celebration, partakers will also need to abide by COVID-19 restrictions.

As reported in the BBC, authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have asked people to “avoid evening gatherings during Ramadan, limit family visits, and avoid distributing and exchanging meals between homes and families”.

In the UK, where lockdown restrictions are loosening, only up to six people or two households can now gather outdoors, and restaurants will be able to serve meals outdoors.

Celebrations in Bangladesh will be severely limited as the government announced a strict lockdown for one week, starting on April 14.

How about those stunning images then?

Here they are, as seen on BBC:

This one shows people stocking up from a market in the Bangladeshi town of Barishal on April 13 before the week-long lockdown was imposed.

People enjoying a street celebration in the old town of Iraq’s northern city of Mosul on April 13:

A worker disinfecting a mosque to help stop the spread of COVID-19 on the first day of Ramadan in Peshawar, Pakistan:

A worshipper reading the Koran at his house in Panama City, Panama, before breaking his fast at the end of the first day of Ramadan:

What Ramadan looks like at the Diyanet Center of America in Washington, US:

More of South Africa, you ask?

Sure, The Citizen provides.

Here are worshippers starting Ramadan at the Nizamiye Mosque in Johannesburg:

Lastly, here’s the Head of the Crescent Observers Society (COS), Imam Yusuf Pandy, gathering with others for the annual sighting of the moon at Three Anchor Bay on April 12:

Feel free to wish fellow Muslim friends, colleagues and acquaintances with “Ramadan Mubarak” and “Ramadan Kareem,” which mean “blessed Ramadan” (or “happy Ramadan”), and “generous Ramadan,” respectively.

Oh, and Ramadan Mubarak from us to you!

[sources:lifehacker&bbc&thecitizen]