Ramadan and Iftar

Alisha posted below about going for iftar yesterday, so I'm providing a bit of explanation here for those who are not familiar with Islam. We are here for the last half of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Observant Muslims fast from food and water during daylight hours, eating and drinking only at night. In Istanbul in the summer not having access to water is very difficult. Breakfast is at around 3:30 am because the sun rises a bit after 4 am. From that point until 8:25 pm, most of the population here is fasting. At the time of the call to prayer at 8:25, there is a big meal to break the fast. This is a special time for families, who gather together to appreciate all they have. The meal for the breaking of the fast is called iftar, and we were honored last night to be invited to join our friends Ali and Betul and their children Zeynep and Emre for iftar. Ramadan is a special time in Istanbul and an occasion for sharing what one has with others and for remembering the poor. An important part of Ramadan here is giving to the poor and to neighbors and those in need. In the late evening, restaurants and shops often pass out food to passersby, and families take gifts of food to one other. We are close to Sultanahmet Square, which is a heart of the Ramadan festivities in Istanbul. Thousands of people come to the square in the late afternoon and set up picnic blankets on the lawn. As sunset approaches, they lay out their food on their blankets, and all around there is a stillness as thousands of people wait for the signal that they can have a drink of water and begin to eat again. When the call to prayer comes there is a collective sense of relief and festive sharing, laughing and talking. Many families go into the mosque for prayer, but many also stay outside and partake of their food. I have at times been offered extra food by complete strangers during this time. Once everyone is done eating, the festivities begin. There are shadow puppet plays, music, and a parade with a janissary band. The mosque is lit up with tiny lights, and the Bosphorus bridges have a mini light show. There are demonstrations of handicrafts and traditional Turkish arts, and people stay in the square until late at night, often waiting until after the last prayer of the night to go home. This morning we will be going to the Sultanahmet mosque so I can give a brief introduction to the layout and features of a mosque and so the students will have the opportunity to see the incredible architecture. This is the most "touristed" mosque in Istanbul, with a section set aside for visitors (so they don't disturb worshippers). Most mosques do not have this feature, and we will be going to other, more traditional mosques as well, but this is a good beginning, because it has a system designed to keep visitors from being any more obtrusive than they already are. After we go to the mosque, we will split into two groups to learn Turkish marbling. I think the students will really enjoy this, and I get to help with both classes, so I will enjoy seeing what they produce. Tonight we will go to a restaurant for iftar. This will also be a new experience for most of the students, because it will be their first chance to sit in a restaurant full of people, all waiting for sunset. I think they will find it interesting and enjoyable. We will post pictures of our adventures tonight or tomorrow, and you can expect another blog post from one of the students as well. Until then, happy Ramadan to you all, and as you eat and drink today I encourage you, like the Muslims of the world, to think of those who don't have enough food or clean water to have regular meals or stay hydrated safely, and to be generous with what you have.