Ramadan in Turkey (Ramazan)

Today marks the start of the holy month of Ramadan in Türkiye, a time for reflection, fasting and prayer. If you are cruising in Türkiye during this time, here’s an overview of this holy month in normal circumstances, and a brief run down of the government restrictions in place due to the pandemic during 2021.

About Ramadan in Türkiye

Ramadan (known as Ramazan in Türkiye) is very significant for Muslim’s as it marks the time that the Quran was thought to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe that during Ramadan, abstaining from eating, drinking, sexual activity, smoking, and gossip during daylight hours helps bring them closer to God. They use this time to focus on prayer, reflection and meditation, giving thought to others, those in need, and charity. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam, the others being a declaration of faith, daily prayer, charity and taking a Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.

When is Ramadan in Türkiye?

Ramadan falls on the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, the start is 11 days earlier each year according to the lunar calendar. The first day always begins with the start of a new moon. For that reason, sometimes start days vary by a day or so from country to country. This year (2021), Ramadan begins on April 13th and runs until May 12th. This year Ramadan falls during the Spring, when the days are long, meaning fasting hours are lengthy. It takes a lot of determination, strength and commitment to complete Ramadan.

Does everyone in Türkiye fast?

No. The elderly, ill, people suffering from mental illness, menstruating or pregnant women, children, and those travelling are not required to fast. Although, strictly, all Muslim’s once they reach puberty should fast, the reality is that many choose not to. Some, especially in cosmopolitan or tourist areas, or those working long hours in the blazing heat when Ramadan falls during summer, may not fast or sometimes choose to give up a pleasure instead – alcohol, cigarettes, sugar, or sweets.

The Ramadan Drummers

During Ramadan in Türkiye, you may be woken by the sound of drums before sunrise. In many areas, before the advent of iPhone wake-up calls and fancy alarms, traditional drummers walked the city streets to wake up the residents in time for breakfast. These drummers can still be seen and heard in many places today and are usually rewarded by gifts, money or hand-outs from locals who appreciate their early morning efforts.

‘Suhoor’ – The breakfast before sunrise

The breakfast enjoyed before sunrise is known as suhoor meaning “of the dawn” or “pre-dawn”.  It’s usually high-protein and carbohydrate packed and includes bread, cheese, olives, salad, meat and fruit. The last sip of water is consumed 5 minutes before the call to prayer, and then people tend to head back to bed. The next meal is iftar, served at sundown.

‘Iftar’ – The dinner that breaks the fast.

Those observing Ramadan traditionally break the fast as Prophet Mohammad is said to have done, with a sip of water and a date following the sundown call to prayer. The meal that follows is known as iftar. The sundown meal is something of a feast consisting of large portions of the family favourites, all laid out on the table with everyone sat around patiently awaiting the first cries of the ezan (call to prayer). In some areas, local councils put on large-scale iftar meals where the whole community gathers to sit and enjoy the evening feast together. Often foreigners and non-Muslims are invited to these special meals to gain a better understanding of Muslim culture. The evening is then spent enjoying each other’s company, eating and drinking juice, ayran, cay (tea) or water before retiring to bed in readiness for the early morning wake up call.

What happens at the end of Ramadan in Türkiye?

Ramazan Bayram (Şeker Bayram in Türkiye or Eid al-fitr in Arabic countries) is the 3-day celebration marking the end of Ramadan in Türkiye. It’s a national holiday meaning schools, banks and government buildings are shut (although most restaurants, hotels, bars and shops in tourist resorts do remain open). Some families sacrifice a goat or lamb to mark the occasion, but more often, sweets are given out. Şeker means ‘sugar’ in Turkish and Bayram refers to any national holiday in Türkiye, religious or otherwise. On the run-up to Şeker Bayram, you will notice the shops and supermarkets are filled with sweets and chocolates. Buckets of different flavours greet you as you walk through the doors, and there’s every flavour of Turkish delight and lokum on the shelves. Boxes of chocolates and sugary sweets are the gift commonly given to friends, family and visitors to mark the event, and for the kids, it’s a bit like Easter – they have an excuse to fill themselves silly with the cakes, chocolate and sweets dished out.

Will Ramadan affect your cruising in Türkiye?

Under normal circumstances, no, as long as you remember to do all your banking or official paperwork before Şeker Bayram starts. It is, however, worth remembering that not eating or drinking for many hours, especially when the days are long, is incredibly hard. Most Turks are not vocal about their fasting, and not all Turks fast. But those that do observe Ramadan normally do so with dignity, they carry on their daily duties as usual. If you do come across a local looking lethargic late afternoon, spare them a thought, they are probably waiting for the sundown call to prayer so they can finally drink a glass of water and eat before returning to their usual energetic selves.

Ramadan in Türkiye 2021

Unfortunately, Ramadan in Türkiye will look different in 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic. Although the vaccine is being rolled out quickly, cases do still exist and measures still need to be taken to curb the spread of Covid-19.

For this reason, the Turkish government has imposed a number of restrictions during the month of Ramadan. These measures do change frequently, so please check with us if you are looking to cruise the Turkish coast before May 12th. At present, the following applies:

• A daily curfew is in place between 9 pm and 5 am, plus full weekend curfews in effect throughout the Ramadan period.
• During Ramadan, cafes and restaurants will not be open for diners, there are however permitted to operate take-away and delivery services.
• Gatherings for the Ramadan pre-dawn and fast-breaking meals are prohibited
• The special Tarawih prayers will not be allowed in mosques
• All people in Türkiye should wear masks in public and observe a social distance

Ramadan ends on May 12th and is followed by the Eid al-Fitr celebrations lasting three days. It is thought that these restrictions will remain in place during this time.

Hopefully, this has given you an idea of what to expect if you are cruising during Ramadan in Türkiye. We do appreciate that 2021 is another difficult year for many. With that in mind, we wish all of you luck and health during Ramadan and hope to see you in Türkiye very soon. If you would like like more information on cruising in Türkiye, please contact us.