Lent (also called Lent or Lent) is the forty days before Easter. Many people (Christians and non-Christians) fast in one way or another. They reduce or even stop completely with a certain luxury, such as meat, alcohol or nowadays also social media.
This period almost coincided with the Muslim fasting month, Ramadan, although fasting is slightly different for them. There is no drinking, eating, smoking or having sex between sunrise and sunset. Even though this seems intense, it is a festive month for many Muslims. People visit each other. This period ends with Eid al-Fitr, also called Eid al-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر, `id-al-fitr). Eid al-Fitr starts on Tuesday evening, April 9 and ends three days later.
In December I interviewed Zübeyde and Jakup Örs. Since April 6, 2022, they have lived in Hattem with their children Yahya, 13, and Oktay Mert, 10. While the story was about living and getting used to Hattem, about sugar and oliebollen, now we talk about this important period.
Yahya: ‘We don’t eat or drink during the day, because then we can feel better what it’s like to be poor.’ “But it starts with why Allah asks this of us,” adds Jakup. ‘It is one of the five important rules of Islam. Fast for thirty days without stopping. For Allah this is a special good deed of people. If we keep this up we will be rewarded later in heaven. Now on earth, during Ramadan we think how good we have it and how poor some people are. We are already sitting at the table ten minutes before dinner starts. We wait and therefore understand even better what food and drink means to us.’
Will you keep it up?
‘I just got home from school and worked out in the climbing gym. I find it difficult now,” said Yahya. And Oktay Mert says that he goes to play in the hallway with a few other children during the lunch break at school. Children do not have to fast until they are 15, but these two would like to fast with their parents.
Is it true that Muslims also give food to others?
‘We eat after sunset with family, friends or neighbors. We also give money to a Dutch organization. They know who can use the Ramadan package. It’s a kind of Christmas package with tasty things. You live not only for yourself, but also for others.’
Zübeyde works as a volunteer at the Bakery Museum. She made it there recently Ramadan Pad, a bread with sesame and black cumin. Zübeyde bakes these loaves for her family every evening. She brought this tradition from home.
How did her colleagues think of the bread?
‘Tasty. It was a very large loaf because they have a large professional oven there. They’ve all tasted it.’
One says that Eid al-Fitr starts on Tuesday evening (Yakup) and the other says Wednesday morning (Zübeyde). Yakup, the man of facts: ‘On Tuesday evening, Eid-al-Fitr starts after the last prayer, between 11 and 24 o’clock. That’s why one person says Tuesday evening and another says Wednesday morning.’
What are you going to do on Wednesday?
‘For the first time we rented a room where about forty people from Hattem, Heerde, Wezep and Oldebroek come. There we congratulate each other, have an extensive breakfast and the children receive presents. You are very welcome!’
Presents and you are free? There is cheerful nodding. Even though Eid-al-Fitr lasts three days, they have been given one day off. But that prospect also makes Yahya and Oktay Mert shine.
