When is Ramazan?

The Islamic calendar is based on lunar cycles, not the Gregorian calendar, which is why the exact date of Ramazan changes each year. As a result, the Holy month of Ramazan falls approximately 10 days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar.

Ramazan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and only begins when the new moon is sighted, ending either 29 or 30 days later when the next new moon is sighted.

This year Ramazan begins on Monday March 1, 2025, and will end on Saturday, March 29, 2025.

What is Ramazan?

People, and certainly non-Muslims, associate this holy month purely with fasting (oruç). But Ramazan is more than that. Keeping Ramazan is one of the five pillars (basic duties) of the Muslim faith.

It is intended to bring Muslims closer to God and teach them about patience, spirituality, and humility. Hence fasting, to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, cleanse the inner soul and free it from harm. It also teaches Muslims to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate and encourage actions of generosity and charity.

Fasting

Fasting is the religious duty of all Muslims and it means not letting anything pass or even touch the lips. Starting from the twilight before sunrise (the first call to prayer) until the twilight after sunset, no food, drink, tobacco smoke, chewing gum or any other thing that involves the mouth is allowed.

Some people are exempt from fasting: children until the age of puberty, pregnant women, travellers, the elderly and people that are chronically ill.

Sahur

During Ramazan, Muslims wake up well before dawn to eat the pre-dawn meal or sahur. In some cities, Ramazan drummers will be on the streets to help the fasting faithful wake up on time to eat before the onset of the daily fast.

Sahur is the most important meal during Ramazan since it has to last until sunset. This means eating lots of high-protein foods and drinking as much water as possible right up until dawn, after which you can’t eat or drink anything.

Iftar

The day of fasting is over at sunset. The exact minute that it’s ok to eat iftar is signalled by the fourth call to prayer at dusk. Hungry people may start the evening with a light snack. This light meal, consisting of freshly-baked Ramazan pide bread, pickled vegetables, olives and other easily-prepared edibles is often enjoyed in a group with family members and/or friends.

More elaborate dinners are normally held later in the evening or at night, but some people just go for it right from the start.

Ramazan etiquette

Even though many Turks don’t fast for Ramazan, they are sensitive to those who are fasting around them. As a visitor, it’s best to be considerate by not eating in public during daylight, especially in rural areas of more traditional cities. Be patient with the hungry Turks you encounter – fasters can be a bit on the grumpy side.

Some restaurants which normally serve alcoholic beverages may not do so during Ramazan.

Ramazan greeting

Throughout Ramadan, it is polite to greet people by saying “Ramadan Mubarak” (“Hayırlı Ramazanlar” in Turkish), meaning “Have a blessed Ramadan.”

Celebrate with the locals

Various events take place during Ramazan so keep your eyes (and ears) open when you’re out and about in the evenings. Join in the festivities to celebrate the holy month with local people.

27th night of Ramadan  – Kadir Gecesi (Laylat al-Qadr)

The 27th night of Ramadan is called Kadir Gecesi, the Night of Power.

The greatest night of the Muslim year, this is the sanctified night when the history of Islam began, the night on which the first verses of the Koran are believed to have been revealed to Prophet Muhammed in Mecca in the year 610 AD.

The night is one of the most cherished in the religion of Islam. It is described to be better than a thousand months of worshipping

Muslims gather for collective prayers and recite the Quran together on that night.

“Whoever stays up (in prayer and remembrance of Allah) on the Night of Destiny, fully believing (in Allah’s promise of reward) and hoping to seek reward, he shall be forgiven for his past sins,” Muhammad is also quoted as saying.

The gates of heaven are opened wide, angels walk the earth and the demons of Hell are chained in their fiery pits.

It is also a night of forgiveness when good deeds performed are “better than the deeds of 1000 months which do not contain a Night of the Decree.” 

The anniversary of that night or the birthday of the Quran became the holiest moment in the Muslim calendar (Kadir Gecesi).

This year, Kadir Gecesi falls on the evening of Wednesday 26 March, 2025, beginning at sunset in the evening and lasting until the following evening.

Eid al-Fitr/Ramazan Bayramı (Şeker Bayramı)

The end of Ramazan is celebrated with a holiday, Eid al-Fitr, also known as Ramazan Bayramı or Şeker Bayramı. It starts at sunset on the last day of Ramazan and celebrates the completion of the holy month of fasting.

This year, Ramazan Bayramı will begin on Sunday, 30 March 2025 and end on Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

The half-day “preparation” (arife) holiday will take place on Saturday, 31 March 2025. Shops, offices, and many other establishments may be closed.

“Hayırlı Ramazanlar”

Further reading: Ramadan: Sacred time of reflection, renewal, connection

The post All about the holy month of Ramazan appeared first on Fethiye Times.

Serves 4

Time: 25 minutes prep, 1 hour 20 minutes cooking

Ingredients

• 4 (8-cm) round loaves of 4 (3-inch) whole wheat bread, tops cut off and reserved, hollowed out, the removed bread crumbed and dried
• 60 ml / 1/4 cup / 2 fl oz olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 (25-cm/10-inch) olive tree twigs
• 500 ml / 2 cups / 17 fl oz lamb stock (recipe below)

For the stuffing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 (240 g / 2 1/2 cups / 8 1/2 oz) medium onions, finely sliced
• 500 g / 1 5/8 cups / 1 lb 2 oz lamb, finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 100 g / 1 cup / 3 1/2 oz unsalted green olives, seeded, quartered
• 100 g / 1 cup / 3 1/2 oz walnuts, crushed
• 1/2 tsp dried chilli (red pepper) flakes
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley,finely sliced
• 4 fresh mint sprigs, finely sliced
• 2 fresh basil sprigs, finely sliced
• 2 dill sprigs, finely sliced

For the sauce:

• 250 g / 1 1/4 cups / 9 oz Greek yogurt
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, finely sliced
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2.

To make the stuffing:

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add the lamb and cook for 15 minutes. Add the spring onions, tomato paste, green olives, walnuts, dried chilli (red pepper) flakes, black pepper and salt and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the reserved breadcrumbs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, fresh mint, fresh basil and dill and mix.

Mix olive oil and garlic in a bowl, then liberally massage the insides and crust of the loaf shells with the mixture. Put the loaves on a baking sheet and bake in the hot oven for 20 minutes, until crisp. Remove from the oven, then tightly pack with the stuffing mixture and put the loaf lids on top.

Put the olive twigs into the bottom of a large saucepan and put the stuffed loaves on top. Pour in the stock and cook over low heat, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the pan lid every 10 minutes and ladle some of the stock over the loaves.

To make the sauce:

Mix the yogurt, garlic, parsley and salt in a bowl.

Place the stuffed loaves on a large serving platter, pour over the remaining stock and then the yogurt sauce.

Meat Stock – Et Suyu

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Makes: 2 litres (8 1/2 cups/70 fl oz)

Meat stock can also be made with goat, mutton or beef shanks. Dilute with hot water before use – a ratio of 1 litre (4 1/4 cups / 34 fl oz) water to 500 ml (generous 2 cups / 17 fl oz) meat stock is good. The meat can be enjoyed cold once the stock is strained off; it is widely used in omelettes, pilafs and soups. It can also be enjoyed as is, without straining. This recipe takes 1 hour in a pressure cooker with 2 litres (8 1/2 cups / 70 fl oz) water.

Ingredients

• 500 g / 1 lb 2 oz lamb shanks, on the bone
• 500 g / 1 lb 2 oz lamb neck
• 2 lamb bones, with marrow
• 1 (120 g / 3/4 cup / 4 oz) medium onion, quartered
• 70 g / 1/2 cup / 2 3/4 oz carrot, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 4 bay leaves
• 3/4 tsp salt

Directions

Put all the ingredients into a large casserole dish (Dutch oven) or stock pan, along with 4 litres (16 cups / 130 fl oz) water. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Skim off the foam on the surface with a slotted spoon. Simmer for 3 hours over low heat.

Strain the stock before using. Keep refrigerated and use within 3 days. Alternatively, freeze in ice cube trays or freezer bags and use within 2 months.

From The Turkish Cookbook by Musa Dağdeviren. Photography by Toby Glanville. Copyright 2019 Phaidon.

The post Recipe: Stuffed Bread – Ekmek Dolması appeared first on Fethiye Times.