Sunday 7 October 2007

21 Ramadan

We came to Iran during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that constitutes one of the five pillars of Islam. In the theocracy fasting between sunrise and sunset is institutionalized on a stately level. This makes travelling more difficult as all the restaurants are closed during the day.

On the 21st day of Ramadan the city of Isfahan was shrouded in black. Various religious processions were gathering in front of numerous city mosques, led by turbaned Mullahs with long mantles. Dozens of men and women were crying. ˝A mourning procession,˝ a friend informed us. ˝For Hazrat Ali˝, ˝Prophet Mohammad son-in-law, shias’ first martyr˝ who died 1346 years ago. The noticed sadness was genuine. This is Shiite power, faith so strong that emotion for an Imam who was killed more than a thousand years ago is so of this day as if for a brother who had died yesterday.
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are also small children forbidden to eat and drink during the day in Ramadan?
What time is sunset and sunrise for you? Here it´s starting to get so dark now, so it wouldn´t be too hard I think to fast when daylight..

It was so nice talking to you the other day, I really miss you!

Pussar och Kramar

10 October 2007 at 23:26
Anonymous said...

Hej Tina!
No kids shouldn´t fast, they usually start around the age of fifteen. Old, weak and sick people shouldn´t eighter, one girl told us it is actually a sin to fast if it is bad for you medically. The strangest thing for me about this is that the people who fast can not even drink water during the day. Some people wake up around four o´clock in the morning to eat and drink, some only eat once a day in the evening.
Anyway today is the end of Ramadan. Now we can eat in public again!

13 October 2007 at 12:59

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