The fasting system has a history of more than 1,400 years. It was established by Muhammad in the second year after he moved to Medina (623 AD). Islam believes that the 9th month of the Hijri calendar (also known as Ramadan) is the month when Allah revealed the Quran to Muhammad and the world. This “Spring of the Quran” is a great, auspicious and noble month for Muslims. In this month, Turkish Muslims will fast for a month according to Islamic tradition.
The beginning of Ramadan is marked by the appearance of the new moon, and the end is also the same. When you see the new moon on the first day, you can fast; when the new moon appears in the next month, Ramadan ends. If the moon is covered by dark clouds, it is counted as 30 days in August. At the moment before the beginning of Ramadan, the Islamic leaders will look up at the sky on the minaret of the mosque, waiting for the appearance of the new moon. It should be noted that the time to see the new moon is different in different regions, so the time to enter Ramadan in different Islamic countries is also different. During the month of Ramadan, Islam stipulates that from sunrise to sunset every day, adult Muslims must strictly abide by the tradition of fasting, except for special groups such as patients, travelers, infants, pregnant women, postpartum women, and soldiers in combat, so many normal activities of people will be restricted during the day. Muslims cannot eat, smoke or drink during the day, and even various business activities will be slowed down. During this month, Muslims will go to the mosque to pray and study the Koran during the day. They will have a “fasting meal” before the sun rises, and then they cannot eat again during the day until after sunset, when they start to eat “breaking the fast” mainly with traditional Islamic snacks. During Ramadan, the activities of Turkish Muslims are mainly concentrated in the evening. After eating “breaking the fast” every day, the lives of local Muslims begin to become lively. They begin to visit relatives and friends, entertain and consume, and it is as lively as the New Year in my country.