differences
South East Asian iftar: Similar rituals, different menu
LANI ROSE R DIZON for Qatar Tribune.
DOHA Six days into the fasting month of Ramadan, the daily life ofMuslims in Qatar, as elsewhere in the world, has undergone a big change.
Those on fast keep off all kinds of eatables and drinks from dawn to dusk during which not a morsel of food or a drop of water is allowed past one’s lips. Even smoking is prohibited during the hours of fast that stretch from the daybreak until the sunset, everyday during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
As the sun sets in the west, Muslims break the day’s fast with eatables, water or beverages. The ritual of breaking the Ramadan fast is similar among the Muslims here coming from different countries but the gastronomic preferences vary because of the cultural differences and dissimilarity in food habits.
Large numbers of Muslims belonging to the South East Asian community in Doha are observing fast in the Holy Month of Ramadan based on the traditions passed on to them by their elders. Dr Mamasaw Balk, leader of a Filipino Muslim group in Doha (Philippine Muslim Association), said that while the most common practice was to break the fast after sunset with fruits, preferably dates, it has been a custom in his hometown of Maranao, in southern Philippines, not to eat anything cooked on fire. He said, “This is part of the tradition of the place I come from. Our parents have taught us that it is better to avoid eating anything which has been cooked on fire when breaking the fast. Instead, we drink water and eat fruits first, most preferably dates, just as the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had done before.” Dr Balk said that after breaking the fast with uncooked food, they would attend the Maghreb prayer and then proceed to eat the meal proper. For dinner, they are allowed to eat cooked rice, fish, meat and chicken to restore the energy lost because of the daylong fast.
Ahmed Zainal, second-secretary at the embassy of Malaysia, said that apart from fasting the whole day, a typical day during the holy month for Malaysians was no different from other days of the year. Therefore, unlike in Doha, there was no change of working hours in Malaysia, he added. “Most Malaysian families follow the Sunna, the practices attributed to the Prophet (PBUH), while breaking their fast.
Normally, we eat dates first followed by normal meals just like what we eat on normal days. After the fast break, we attend the Maghreb prayer. We wait to attend the next prayer called Isha, and then the Tarawih, a special and slightly longer prayer performed during Ramadan,” he said and added, “Piety is the buzzword during Ramadan when we spend a lot of time in prayers and reciting the Holy Quran”.
Arifina Eka Sari, third-secretary at the Indonesian embassy, said that breaking of fast was normally a family affair for Indonesians. “Come iftar time, and all the family members gather around eatables to partake of it. We like to break the fast first with something sweet first, dates being the most popular, and with other traditional sweets. Popular local sweets often found on the table are banana and sweet potato cooked in sweetened coconut milk. We eat sweets first before proceeding to the main dishes. But there’s no special dish for the occasion, it’s the same food we eat everyday. Toufu and tempeh are the usual type of food we can expect. After the meal, people go to the mosque for evening prayers called the Tarawih prayers,” Sari added.
According to Dr Balk, there were around 5,000 registered Filipino Muslims in Doha, who were mostly from Maguindanao and Maranao, of Tausug and Iranon origin, and some are from the Balik-Islam (Back to Islam). As for the Malaysian community, Zainal said there were around 1,500 registered Malaysian Muslim expatriates in Doha. On the other hand, Eka Sari said that there were about 27,000 Indonesian expatriates in Doha who come from different religious backgrounds such as Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and other faiths
LANI ROSE R DIZON for Qatar Tribune.
DOHA Six days into the fasting month of Ramadan, the daily life ofMuslims in Qatar, as elsewhere in the world, has undergone a big change.
Those on fast keep off all kinds of eatables and drinks from dawn to dusk during which not a morsel of food or a drop of water is allowed past one’s lips. Even smoking is prohibited during the hours of fast that stretch from the daybreak until the sunset, everyday during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
As the sun sets in the west, Muslims break the day’s fast with eatables, water or beverages. The ritual of breaking the Ramadan fast is similar among the Muslims here coming from different countries but the gastronomic preferences vary because of the cultural differences and dissimilarity in food habits.
Large numbers of Muslims belonging to the South East Asian community in Doha are observing fast in the Holy Month of Ramadan based on the traditions passed on to them by their elders. Dr Mamasaw Balk, leader of a Filipino Muslim group in Doha (Philippine Muslim Association), said that while the most common practice was to break the fast after sunset with fruits, preferably dates, it has been a custom in his hometown of Maranao, in southern Philippines, not to eat anything cooked on fire. He said, “This is part of the tradition of the place I come from. Our parents have taught us that it is better to avoid eating anything which has been cooked on fire when breaking the fast. Instead, we drink water and eat fruits first, most preferably dates, just as the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) had done before.” Dr Balk said that after breaking the fast with uncooked food, they would attend the Maghreb prayer and then proceed to eat the meal proper. For dinner, they are allowed to eat cooked rice, fish, meat and chicken to restore the energy lost because of the daylong fast.
Ahmed Zainal, second-secretary at the embassy of Malaysia, said that apart from fasting the whole day, a typical day during the holy month for Malaysians was no different from other days of the year. Therefore, unlike in Doha, there was no change of working hours in Malaysia, he added. “Most Malaysian families follow the Sunna, the practices attributed to the Prophet (PBUH), while breaking their fast.
Normally, we eat dates first followed by normal meals just like what we eat on normal days. After the fast break, we attend the Maghreb prayer. We wait to attend the next prayer called Isha, and then the Tarawih, a special and slightly longer prayer performed during Ramadan,” he said and added, “Piety is the buzzword during Ramadan when we spend a lot of time in prayers and reciting the Holy Quran”.
Arifina Eka Sari, third-secretary at the Indonesian embassy, said that breaking of fast was normally a family affair for Indonesians. “Come iftar time, and all the family members gather around eatables to partake of it. We like to break the fast first with something sweet first, dates being the most popular, and with other traditional sweets. Popular local sweets often found on the table are banana and sweet potato cooked in sweetened coconut milk. We eat sweets first before proceeding to the main dishes. But there’s no special dish for the occasion, it’s the same food we eat everyday. Toufu and tempeh are the usual type of food we can expect. After the meal, people go to the mosque for evening prayers called the Tarawih prayers,” Sari added.
According to Dr Balk, there were around 5,000 registered Filipino Muslims in Doha, who were mostly from Maguindanao and Maranao, of Tausug and Iranon origin, and some are from the Balik-Islam (Back to Islam). As for the Malaysian community, Zainal said there were around 1,500 registered Malaysian Muslim expatriates in Doha. On the other hand, Eka Sari said that there were about 27,000 Indonesian expatriates in Doha who come from different religious backgrounds such as Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and other faiths
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