by Susan Klatz Beal

Created on: April 29, 2009   Last Updated: December 19, 2011

Ramadan is celebrated in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is the most sacred of all months in the Muslim year. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims are obligated to fast from dawn to dusk. They cannot eat, drink, smoke cigarettes, have sex or partake in anything associated with the senses.

Fasting ends at sunset, and depending on where one is in the Muslim world, it may be marked by the traditional call to prayer. The proper time to break the fast is twelve to fifteen minutes after sunset. If fresh dates are not available, one can substitute dried dates. If no dates are available, then the fast is broken by drinking water. Traditionally, the dates will be eaten before the sunset prayer, and the meal to break the fast will occur after the prayer.

The traditional evening fast breaking meal is called Iftar, and the literal meaning of the word Iftar is break fast. It is essentially the same thing as futuur (pronounced fitoor) and it is the opposite of suhoor (or suhor) which is the meal that is eaten before dawn and before the start of the fast.

Depending on the country people are in, the tradition people may choose to break their fast as a community event, by going to the mosque and sharing the meal with their religious community, or they may opt to do it as a family event for which families may sometimes invite some of their extended family to join them.

The traditional meal to break the fast begins with the eating of an odd number of dates. Soup may also be eaten, or this can be eaten after the prayer. This may happen before the Maghrib prayer. After sunset prayer, people will join together for a meal. The things that are served vary from country to country.

IFTAR IN IRAN

In Iran, Iftar foods will include dates, of course, herbs, other sweets, halva (a kind of sweet treat made from ground sesame seeds and sugar. It is sometimes flavored with other things such as pistachio nuts, almonds, vanilla and chocolate. Other things that might be served are flat breads, paneer and chai tea.

IFTAR IN BANGLADESH

In Bangladesh, there is typically a lot of food served for Iftar. There may be lots of sweets, dates and watermelon. Other foods might include Dhal Puri which is a pastry made from lentils, and Haleem, a very rich Persian dish made from meat, lentils and wheat. It is flavored with various spices and cooked all day. Chola (cooked chick peas,) and Muri, a spicy toasted puffed rice snack that is flavored with onion, chili and garlic are also traditionally

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