Eid Prayers and Traditions

Muslims begin Eid al-Fitr with a special prayer known as Salat al-Eid. Unlike regular daily prayers, there is no audible call to prayer for this service. Worshippers gather in mosques or open spaces to perform two units of prayer (Rakat), followed by a sermon in which the imam prays for forgiveness, mercy, and peace for all.

It is customary to wear new clothes for the occasion. On the way to the mosque, many Muslims eat something sweet, such as a date, and recite a short prayer known as the takbeer.

Eid is a time of gratitude, with Muslims giving thanks to Allah for the strength and self-discipline they demonstrated during Ramadan. Key elements of the celebration include giving to the poor (Zakat al-Fitr), exchanging Eid greetings, and spending time with family.

Family, Reflection, and Traditions in Türkiye

A central part of Ramazan Bayramı is visiting family, particularly elderly relatives, and showing respect by kissing their hands. Children often go door to door, greeting elders in exchange for sweets and small gifts of money.

Many families also visit the graves of loved ones, paying their respects and reflecting on those who are no longer present to share in the festivities.

Şeker Bayramı – The Sugar Feast

In Türkiye, Ramazan Bayramı is also known as Şeker Bayramı (the Sugar Feast) because sweets and traditional desserts play a major role in celebrations. Shops and supermarkets are often stocked with chocolates and treats in preparation for the holiday.

On the first day, the emphasis is on sweet foods. Baklava and şerbet (sweet syrup-based drinks) are commonly served, alongside treats such as muhallebi (rice pudding) and şeker pare (sweet biscuits). In addition to desserts, a variety of savoury snacks like nuts, seeds, and pulses are also enjoyed.

Key Information for 2025

This year, Ramazan Bayramı will be celebrated from Sunday, March 30, to Tuesday, April 1, 2025.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced that the Ramazan holiday will be extended to nine days for public employees. As part of this decision, public sector workers will be on administrative leave from April 2 to April 4, following the official holiday period.

During the holiday, government offices, schools, post offices, banks, and some supermarkets will be closed. Travel can be particularly busy, especially on the first and last days, as people either return to their family homes or head off on holiday.

How to Greet Someone During Ramazan Bayramı

The most common greeting among Muslims on Eid is “Eid Mubarak”, meaning “Blessed Festival”. The appropriate response is “Khair Mubarak”, which conveys good wishes in return.

In Türkiye, you may hear people say:

“Bayramınız Kutlu Olsun” – “May Your Feast Be Blessed”

“İyi Bayramlar” – “Good Holidays” (a simple and widely accepted greeting)

“Ramazan Bayramınız Kutlu Olsun” – “May Your Ramadan Feast Be Blessed”

Whatever the greeting, the spirit of Ramazan Bayramı is one of joy, generosity, and togetherness.

Article updated on 27 March, 2025

The post Ramazan Bayramı – the sweetest holiday of all appeared first on Fethiye Times.

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.

We are delighted to say that the article raised enough in donations to be able to give the children of Adıyaman a treat for Şeker Bayramı.

Thank you to Bee Harrison for the update and Songul Bozkurt for the photographs.

A joyful day for the children of Adıyaman

Today is National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı) a public holiday in Turkey commemorating the foundation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, on 23 April 1920.

No better day than to share our Şeker Bayram photographs of the children we visited previously in the tent city. The camp is growing now and there are lots more children to treat. This time it was a happy day, the sun was shining and it’s lovely to see the kids dressed up for Bayram.

We were able to help out with donations we received, supplying desserts, sweets and balloons, along with Adem and his wonderful kitchen along with my sister-in-law, who all did an outstanding job, I just wish I could have been there. Thank you to all and I think the balloons went down a treat, although we will probably need to supply toothbrushes after all that sugar!

We still have enough in the pot to help out for another occasion, so will update you. Part of Özlem’s Turkish Table donations will help children in the Antakya area where Özlem is from. So, all in all, it’s been a great success, the children will continue to need support and a little bit of joy, if you wish to help you can purchase Özlem’s book here in Turkey, this is still ongoing and the book is available at Sumak Café, Üzümlü. All proceeds will be donated to help the children of South-eastern Türkiye.

To all our donors, we really would not have started this without you and to everyone who helped us achieve what we accomplished – Thank you!

If you wish to help or donate, please contact us via:

Sumak Café, Üzümlü: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sumakcafeuzumlu

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blossomhill_uzumlu

Email: info@essenceofturkey.com

The post A joyful day for the children of Adıyaman appeared first on Fethiye Times.