Ramadan & Eid Traditions: How We Celebrate

ramadan

You may wonder, how do Fargo Muslims celebrate Ramadan? Or, what is Ramadan

Ramadan

Ramadan is a very special month for Muslims because it is when our holy book, the Quran, was revealed. Ramadan is a holy month that comes with much joy.

It is also a month when we believe the devils are chained, and any good deed you do gets more reward. During this month, Muslims do extra acts of worship. And we fast from predawn to sunset by abstaining from food, drink, and intimacy.

Those exempted from fasting are pregnant women, lactating mothers, the elderly, and the ill. Kids start fasting fully from the age of around seven, but younger kids might try to fast half a day, until noon. 

We also abstain from gossiping, getting angry, and doing other negative behavior. Muslims will also give to charity. We make the effort to help neighbors, friends, and family, and feed others.

At night, most Muslims will attend extra prayers at the mosque (called Taraweeh). And another important aspect of Ramadan is reading and reciting the Quran. Most Muslims try to finish one complete reading of the Quran this month.

To share how Muslims here at Fargo celebrate Ramadan and Eid al Fitr, two Muslim Fargo Mom writers, Jessica and Wasifa, are sharing their traditions and family rituals.

Jessica Nix

How does your family observe Ramadan?  

Since my daughter is young, I haven’t really started many traditions yet. However, one thing I do is decorate the home with streamers, balloons, and other festive items. Also, many families have a special food they prepare only for this month and it can vary by country and culture.  

This year my family is celebrating Ramadan in my husband’s home country of Ghana. So it’s common to break our fast with “Hausa Koko,” a millet-based porridge, and then “Koose” which is a deep-fried bean fritter.  

“Hausa Koko”
“Puff puff” on the top and “koose” on the bottom
Muslims usually break fast with dates and water.

Our family celebrates Eid al Fitr usually by buying new clothes for that day. Then we go to the Eid prayer. We usually go early, because my husband likes to help direct traffic with parking, and I like to enjoy listening to the Takbir (which is praising Allah and thanking him). After the prayer, we come home and eat. I have started a tradition of making an egg bake each year.

However, in my husband’s culture, they usually cook rice with a meat stew on Eid day.

In Fargo, we usually just spend the day at home. We call family on the phone. Most Muslims will visit family and friends. Honestly, the first day of Eid is laid back for us and includes a nap in the afternoon.

I also want to start the tradition of giving our daughter gifts on that day. So she will grow up knowing that this is a holiday and it’s important. I want to make sure the day is special for her. 

ramadanWasifa Ahmad Hasan

How does your family observe Ramadan and Eid?

Since I moved to Fargo nine years ago, I have struggled to create a tradition and cope with the culture here. In my country, Bangladesh, the fasting time is shorter because we have earlier sunsets there, around 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. However, the more extended sunset here in North Dakota means we have to fast at least three to four hours more. 

In Bangladesh, we used to break our fasts with water or juice and dates. I still follow this for my family. After that, we follow up with a few snacks and then do our prayer. Generally, after the prayer, we rest, relax, and then have our dinner.

In Bangladesh, during Iftar (the act of breaking fast), my mother used to make delicious salads, chicken or beef wraps, soups, or sometimes “Peyaju,” a deep-fried lentil fritter, and “Beguni,” deep-fried eggplant. It all depended on the day and her workload.

Although I do not prepare fried foods for Iftar, I miss my mother’s food, especially around Ramadan.

As a family, we always eat together during Ramadan. My daughter is six years old, and she understands the practice better now. We make a countdown calendar towards Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr means “the feast of breaking the fast.” My daughter loves to cross each day after the Iftar. Ramadan & Eid traditions

Two to three days before Eid, my daughter and I like to clean the house and decorate it. My daughter is in charge of most of the décor and she likes to put up balloons, her drawings, and fairy lights. We also make cards and give small gifts to each other.

For Eid, Muslims attend a special Eid prayer at the Mosque. Women have the choice to complete their prayers at home, and I like to say my prayers privately in my home. This is something my daughter and I always do together.

I love to cook something special for my family and friends on Eid day. My daughter always loves “Biriyani.” It’s a South Asian dish made with long-grained rice (like basmati) flavored with fragrant spices such as saffron and layered with lamb, chicken, beef, or vegetables, and a thick gravy. We also bake a cake or make some conventional Bengali sweets. We wear our traditional clothes and enjoy the special day with our loved ones.

No matter what the food or rituals are, I have been teaching my daughter the value of patience, acceptance, thankfulness, and empathy throughout the month of Ramadan. So that wherever she goes, she can take these valuable traditions with her and pass them on to her kids one day.

About the Authors

Wasifa Ahmad Hasan
Wasifa is a makeup-loving dentist and lifestyle blogger. She has been living in Fargo and calling it home with her husband and daughter for the last 6 years. She has been working as a blogger, chronic illness advocate and beauty consultant for a decade on her blog. She writes on the beauty segment of Area Woman Magazine, provides consultation for North Dakota International Pageant winners and actively works with different brands to promote their business and reach out to more customers. Her purpose is to empower and encourage women to live their best lives with physical diversities and embrace their true natural selves. She is passionate about building a strong community of women where all the beauty professionals and enthusiasts in Fargo-Moorhead area can converge. When she is not working, you can find her watching baking shows on Netflix or trying a new recipe with her daughter. You can find her on Instagram and her blog.
Jessica Nix
Jessica is an American Muslim convert who became a first time mom in the middle of quarantine. She loves to spend her time reading, going out for walks and bike rides in the summer, and loves trying all the new restaurants within Fargo-Moorhead. She is currently working on her Islamic teacher certificate for Ribaat institute. She lives with her Ghanaian husband and daughter in Moorhead.
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Wasifa Ahmad Hasan
Wasifa is a makeup-loving dentist and lifestyle blogger. She has been living in Fargo and calling it home with her husband and daughter for the last 6 years. She has been working as a blogger, chronic illness advocate and beauty consultant for a decade on her blog. She writes on the beauty segment of Area Woman Magazine, provides consultation for North Dakota International Pageant winners and actively works with different brands to promote their business and reach out to more customers. Her purpose is to empower and encourage women to live their best lives with physical diversities and embrace their true natural selves. She is passionate about building a strong community of women where all the beauty professionals and enthusiasts in Fargo-Moorhead area can converge. When she is not working, you can find her watching baking shows on Netflix or trying a new recipe with her daughter. You can find her on Instagram and her blog.

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