Medo

We wait Ramadan from year to year.
We are going to have a new Ramadan in 20 days from today; Friday, July 31st, 2009

Crecent

First, Ramadan is an Arabian month. It starts by the nisance of a new crecent in the sky. We watch the nisance of the crecent of the new month near the sun set of the 29th day of the previous month "Shaban"; If we see a new crecent, this means the start of the new Arabian month Ramadan. If not, we complete Shaban month to 30 days.

Second, Ramadan is a great month for worship. Shortly after Muslims confirm the start of Ramadan, All Muslims allover the world pray a special pray called Taraweh not found except in Ramadan. They pray it after the pray of Eshaa (=sun light disappearance pray). This pray is done every night till Ramadan ends.

In Ramadan, Muslim women also like to pray Taraweh.


Muslims fast Ramadan. Fasting starts from the appearance of the lights of the sun and ends at the sun set. This can be marked by the calls for the two prays Fajr Pray (= dawn pray) and Maghreb Pray (= sun set pray). In the past, not all Muslims were able to hear these calls. So, Muslims used canons to mark these two times. After the invention of loud speakers, calls for these two times from mosques are sufficient now and henth the use of canons decreased till they are not seen these days.

In the past Muslims hired men (called "Mesahrati") to awake themselves up to eat before the start of fasting. The hired men used drums to arose people to eat. If their voices were nice they could sing too. Rarely we can see a Mesahrati nowadays.

In Sahoor meal before start of fasting a day, the rich can eat meat. It is the best for not to feel hungry allover the day.

The poor can have beans in their Sahoor. It is cheep and one does not feel hungry the whole day. It is delicious too if well prepared.

Rich Muslims also like to have beans in their Sahoor if they get tired of meat or beside it, for beans delicious taste.

In Iftar (= meal after end of fasting) Muslims eat some tamrs (= dried dates) then go to pray Maghrb Pray.

Because they may feel thirst, they like to drink liquorices.

They can have some sweets like Konafa.

Muslims may be invited to have Public Iftar in Mosques or at generous people.

Egyptian Pope also may invite you to an Iftar in Ramadan.

And of course you can have your Iftar at home.

Third, Ramadan is a month for joy and fun for children.They carry Fawanis and go to visit their relatives to celebrate them the new Ramadan and sing them folklore songs. The relatives in rerurn celebrate the children by giving them money and candies.
There are many types of Fawanis: "traditional Fanos with candles"

and "electrical Fanos with batteries"

Children love Ramadan and they decorate their streets to welcome it. Either with papers and textile,

or by lights.

And in these lights, people take tours the whole night till the time of a new Sahoor.