With the diversity of cultures and traditions, the customs and traditions differ among Arab peoples, but they all agree on celebrating the holy month and reviving its days and nights by reading the holy Qur'an, indulging in acts of worship, maintaining kinship ties and doing charitable deeds, all of which represent authentic Ramadan customs and traditions.
In the State of Qatar, the celebrations to welcome the holy month of Ramadan begin early, through Al Nafla, which is an old traditional habit of giving and sharing, celebrated on Sha'ban 14, to rejoice at the approaching month of Ramadan.
Young and old participate in Al Nafla, where families prepare traditional dishes and share them with neighbors and the needy.
People break their fast on dates and laban (salted yogurt drink), perform Al Maghrib prayer and then return to a table full of special Ramadan dishes. Some of the most famous dishes on the Qatari Iftar table include Harees, which is made with mashed meat and wheat, olive oil and cinnamon, as well as Threed, which is crispy flatbread with soup made of lamb, chicken or vegetables only.
After the Taraweeh prayer, the men meet in the Qatari majlis, where they gather with friends and relatives. There is also an occasion called Ghabga night, where all kinds of dishes are served around midnight or in time for the Suhoor meal. On Ghabga night, women gather for about 2-3 hours, where they dress-up in traditional clothing, chat with their friends and relatives, and share delicious treats that they have brought to Ghabga.
Qatari people are keen to participate in Ramadan banquets set up by governmental and popular charitable organizations for the needy.
As for Garangao, it is a celebration held by Qatari and Gulf families on the night of the half of Ramadan, in honor of the children and to reward them for completing the fasting of half of the holy month, and to encourage them to continue and persevere in fasting.
On Garangao, children take a tour in the neighborhood after Ishaa prayer, knock on doors, and sing the song of Garangao, where they are received by beaming adults who delightfully distribute various types of candy and nuts on them.
Garangao is an old traditional custom that the people of the Gulf, especially Qataris, are still committed to reviving. Although its celebration has taken on a more modern character in recent years, this celebration has become a habit that government and private institutions have been keen to revive.
Saudi people celebrate Ramadan by buying large quantities of different types of dates to store them in refrigerators, in order to eat them with coffee or for breakfast. Saudi Arabia is distinguished by the spread of iftar sa'im tables in Macca and Al Madina.
In Egypt, manifestations of the celebration of the holy month spread, and the streets and mosques are decorated, and the decorations for the month of Ramadan have special rituals, so children strive to make them in the best shape, so that every street is distinguished by its own decoration.
The Ramadan lantern is one of the most important aspects of celebrating the holy month, so no house in Egypt is devoid of the Ramadan lantern, just as the songs of the month of fasting spread everywhere, and they are heard in every street.
There are many manifestations of celebrating the holy month in Algeria, as each region has manifestations in celebrating according to its culture.
In Morocco, the month of Ramadan is called in the local dialect 'Sayyidna Ramadan' (Our Master Ramadan) a euphemism for its preference over the rest of the months of the year. In the past, women used to gather on the rooftops of houses waiting to see the first crescent of Ramadan, so that they would ululate with joy at the arrival of a dear guest. (MORE)
Source: Qatar News Agency