SHAFAQNA- Ramadan, the fasting month of the Islamic calendar is an eagerly awaited time by all Sri Lankan Muslims, children and adults alike.
Though Muslims make up some 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s population of 21 million according to france24, due to their concentration in towns and trade, the Ramadan atmosphere tends to be felt by everyone. Ramadan for Sri Lankan Muslims, represents a time to fast and devote a particular focus to prayer, purification and charitable acts.
The majority of Sri Lankan Muslims attend prayers at mosques during the Ramadan period. In addition many rich Muslims distribute their Zakat (obligatory charity) money among the poor Muslims in this month.
Most Muslim children in Sri Lanka go to Muslim schools, where they get holidays for Ramadan. So for boys and girls, Ramadan is a time of joy and leisure where they form groups and play indoor games like Carom and avoid long exhaustive outdoor sports like cricket or footbal which they do during the rest of the year.
In a typical Sri Lankan Muslim household, everyone gets up before dawn at around 3 or 4 a.m. to have a meal, usually of rice and curry before beginning the fast. Right after Suhur gents and boys head to mosques for Fajar (Dawn) prayers while women pray at home. After a short nap men & women begin the day.
People who work leave for their jobs and shops. Everyone tries to engage in lot of Quran recitations during the daytime of Ramadan whenever they get time. Those left behind at home tend to household work while in the evening women get busy with preparations for Iftar (breaking fast) meal.
In the evening, working crowd returns home and eagerly await for the Adan call of the Evening (Maghreb) prayer to their fast.
Iftar events have become increasingly popular
For Muslims in Sri Lanka like Muslims around the world, the month of Ramadan means more than fasting from dawn till sunset. Visiting mosques and observing spiritual activities are key, while iftar, the meal at which the fast is broken, also makes Ramadan special.
While in some parts of Colombo restaurants break out fancy iftar menus, other areas witness an increase in the number of street food stalls come evening, and community iftar events have become increasingly popular, breaking down distinctions between class, race, and even religion, roar.media reported.
In a Muslim home, breaking fast is a special occasion every day. Special snacks are prepared or bought from shops like fried Patis, Rolls, Samosas and a special soup called, ‘Kanji’.
Kanji is a kind of gruel/soup prepared from rice, which is usually made and distributed by all Sri Lankan mosques to Muslim households.
After breaking fast and praying Maghreb (Sunset) prayers, people usually relax as a family or recite the Quran for about an hour or so until the Night (Esha) prayers.
People put on new cloths in Eid-ul-Fitr
Ramadan ends with the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr festival day. People put on new cloths and go to the mosque in the morning just after sunrise and pray in congregational Salah (Prayer) and then listen to a sermon.
Afterwards they give Salaams (wishes) and hugs to each other as a blessing and gesture of brotherhood and happiness.
The festival day in Sri Lanka is also a day of family unions where extended families living in different areas come to their parental houses and celebrate the festival with a grand launch , srilankamuslims told.
Undoubtedly the happiest on this special day are the kids as they receive “Perunal Salli” (Festival money) as gifts from parents and relatives, which fill their heart with joy.
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