RamazanSept. 25th cooking
perfectly round pancakes
for iftar
Sunday was the first day of Ramazan, and the break fast is at sunset. No food or drink and such during the day time until the sun goes down. The usual word for the first meal is iftar which means "breakfast.' May God grant us peace in the world and love in our hearts cooking
iftar
sounds of rain
rain washes away
the sheep's blood
neighbor's iftar
Sept. 27th azan on the radio
the newstand
outside Starbuck's
sliver of new moon
above the avenue
iftar at Starbuck's
between the buildings
the new moon blinks
waiting for the call to prayer
Oct. 1st stray little kitten kids looking for scraps one hour before iftar kid's tete a tete solemn debate what to do with the stray kitten Deniz snapping pictures kids on the front steps deciding the kitten's fate soft sunny afternoon street full of kids in an hour iftar serious old man hurrying home for iftar stops to say selam the kids stray kitten our street Oct. 3rd a half moon in a clear sky a week already gone in Ramadan Oct. 5th call to prayer
one last sip of tea
with cream
Right now is the month of Ramazan, and fasting starts about 1 and a half to 2 hours before sunrise (like at the first light before dawn) and goes until sunset. During the Month of Ramazan, Morning and Evening calls to prayer tell you when to stop and when to start eating again. First light is called imsak, which means something like "shut your mouth" MSK in Arabic means "to hold and keep it." This year I am basically all alone for the first time in my life during Ramazan (you know: life in the big city) so my dearest friend right now is my tea, first sip with the evening call to prayer and the last with the morning call to prayers. Nothing like an old friend! To make the day go. I can't get any really special teas here, only commercial brands, but one company sells a Ceylon and a Darjeeling which I have found are very special anyway. I have also found a very nice jasmine tea which I put in my omelets for break fast and for last meal (sahur). Really super! clear sky tonight counting the minutes tomorrow the moon is full Ramazan starts with the first sliver of the new moon and ends that way too. So the full moon means the month is half over, two weeks to go. pouring the hot water fills the whole house with the scent of tea the scent of tea fills the house waiting for the call to prayer Oct. 23th 3id mubarek Today is 3id ul Fitr, Ramazan Feast Day The end of Ramazan is the end of the holy month of the fast, and its name in Arabic is literally Feast of Eat peace and love and blessings and joy for all God's creatures and all of God's universe and prayers for peace. *azan is the call to prayer: iftar is immediately after the call to prayer at sunset |