Breaking Fast Together in Ramadan is Unique Sudanese Families’ Tradition
21 March, 2023
Breaking Fast Together in Ramadan is Unique Sudanese Families’ Tradition
By: Al-Hidai Ahmed
Khartoum, Mar.20 (Sudanow)- Only one day remains after which Muslim nations are to receive the holy month of Ramadan (fasting month). The holy month of Ramadan begins when the moon appears in the form of a crescent and ends when it begins to appear in the form of a crescent too. The people of Sudan receive Ramadan with welcome joy and practice glorify Islamic rituals such as the recitation of the Noble Qur’an throughout Ramadan. Some Sudanese customs and traditions associated with this month and acquired the form of Ramadan’s traditions. The Sociologist Safinaz Al-Shafi from Sudan Academy for Communication Sciences, has affirmed this assumption, citing that the association of the Sudanese customs and tradition acquired with Ramadan traditions are seen clearly, at time when children and adults associated together to perform Tarawih in joyful processions. Tarawih is a tradition prayer which performs after Eshaa pray during Ramadan.
The Sociologist argued that Ramadan is a month of fasting, worship and popular rituals, explaining that Ramadan’s rituals are distinguished performance which could not be existing during the rest of the year. Those rituals she said are being touched and smelt few months before the advent of the holy month. She indicated that those rituals remain as distinctive cultural vessel for the Sudanese nation, preserving their identity and privacy against all manifestations of globalization. The Sudanese families in general are very keen for an early preparation to receive Ramadan. Generally speaking according, to Safinaz, the preparation of Abrei as special juice drink offered only during Ramadan or, the renewing of household utensils purchased by many Sudanese families is a symbolic means of love for the advent of the holy month. The Abrei is a locally prepared drink, made of sorghum with addition of spices. The sociologist Safinaz asserted that she is very keen to prepare Abrei as a family inherited process, believing that making Abrei is very interesting tradition despite the fact that the Sudanese families, are nowadays, suffering from difficult economic situation. The Sociologist went on describing the process of making Abrei as an interesting process in the sense that it creates a sort of social company and association with neighbors, noting that neighbors gathered together making Abrei in a joy atmosphere, honoring the holy month.
Another commentator, named Fathia Ahmed who moved with her family few years ago from Al-Damazin town in Blue Nile Region and settles in Khartoum considered making Abrei as basic for Ramadan. She said she usually travels few weeks before the advent of Ramadan to Al-Damazin city in Blue Nile Region where she had lived before, noting that her seasonal trip to Damazin has dual role. Firstly to prepare Abrei and secondly to meet her dearest old neighbors and recalled their happy old days, where they used to gather as friends and neighbors in a joy environment, blessing the advent of the holy month.
Likewise a group of household ladies who experienced fasting in abroad, described Ramadan in Sudan as has a beautiful taste which they said, is rarely could be found in other places in countries where they had their fasting experience. For us as women, argued the group that we like change, such as renewing household utensils and we like it more during Ramadan. The group adds that women like serving food and juice drinks during Ramadan in new utensils to celebrate the occasion of Ramadan in rejoice environment. Besides Abrei juice cold drinks such as Tebaldi, hibiscus, orange, Qamar al-Din grapefruit, lemon, tamarind all are served in Ramadan.
However, the majority of the Sudanese people prefer Abrei than the rest of other juice. Hajir Mohamed a Psychologist when asked said she prefers Abrei because it is delicious and it killed thirsty. According to a report posted on SUNA website that this magic drink (Abrei) was invented by a lady named Amna Abdel- Razik Wad Al-Fahal from the city of Berber in River Nile state in the year 1860. It was made from sorghum with addition of spices and now it is known as a drink juice bitter or bitter sweet only served in Ramadan, perhaps because it is costly and it requires, adding lots of components, commentators have said.
As for the main dish provided by the Sudanese families during Ramadan, porridge tops other served food. The porridge is made from flour, adding to it a cooked minced meat with onion or a cooked yogurt prepared in a local means of Sudanese cooking style and offered as a unique taste of Sudanese food. More other multiplicity delicious dishes, salads, pies, and sweets with a beautiful taste are offered too.
The Sudanese people breaking fast in collective manner as one of the distinctive customs of the Sudanese, where carpets are spread in the streets and in public squares, and each family comes with its breakfast food ready in the form of a symbiotic image of sharing the rich with the poor.
This symbiotic image attracts the attention of foreigners residing in Khartoum including diplomats. The Indonesian Ambassador in Khartoum, Sunarko, shared stories and experiences about the very unique and interesting traditions of Sudanese people's life during the month of Ramadan.
This is posted on the Website of Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Khartoum, Sudan. The Ambassador, said that one of the unique traditions of Sudanese families and communities that reflects the spirit of sharing during Ramadan is breaking the fast together which is held at breaking fast places, outside and in the yard, in vacant lands on the edges and corners of roads, at the end of alleys, even in open areas around Khartoum Airport.
During the holy month night prayers abound, and Muslims are to continue in reciting the Qur’an, glorify Allah seek forgiveness, perform night prayers, and do good deeds and each Muslim must try to take control of himself, as Imams are preaching people in mosques these days.
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