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Religious and National Holidays in Turkey

6/19/2010

Religious Holidays

Kurban Bayrami (the Festival of Sacrifice)

This is the most important religious festival of the year and a four day holiday in Turkey. Falls on November 27th 2009 (estimated).This is a four-day festival when sacrificial sheep or other animals are slaughtered and the meat distributed to the poor, in memory of the ram sacrificed by Abraham in place of his son. According to Islamic rules, every Muslim who is wealthy enough must sacrifice a farm animal for God. The meat from the animal is then shared – one third saved for the household, one third shared between friends and neighbours and the final third given to the poor. 

Beware if you are squeamish however. While the Turkish government has recently made it illegal to sacrifice the animals in public places such as playgrounds and parks – advocating professional abattoirs instead – this is not always enforced. You can therefore see people slaughtering sheep, goats, even cows, in gardens, streets, backyards and even on balconies during the festival, mostly on the first day. They then cut up the animal in full view for the ritual sharing of the meat. 

There are strict rules on eligibility for sacrifice – the animals have to be at least one year old and in good health. You will see a build up of sheep near town in the days before the festival as their owners bring them down ready to be sold. In recent years some families have begun to make charitable donations instead of the sacrifice.  

Many shops, banks and businesses may be closed for the duration of the festival. Supermarkets usually remain open but on restricted hours. Travel is also hectic at this time, as people visit friends and relatives to celebrate. This is also the time of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca so both international and domestic travel is intense. Try not to travel at the beginning and the end of the festival and make sure you have enough money to tide you over in case the ATMs run out of cash.

More on Kurban Bayram

Turkish phrases to use at Bayram

 

Ramazan Bayrami (Seker Bayrami)

Ramazan Bayrami is the three-day festival to celebrate the end of Ramazan. Children are bought new clothes and proudly display them as they walk through town. It is customary to visit friends and relatives at this time – starting with the older generation first. Those who cannot visit in person send cards or telephone their loved ones. Candies and sweets are eaten during these visits (seker means sugar in Turkish); special food and delicacies are prepared and given to neighbors and friends. Children tend to love Seker Bayram as it is customary for their elders to give them money or little gifts when they visit.

 

Ramazan in Turkey (aka Ramadan in most other places)

Ramazan marks the month in which the Qur’an was revealed to the prophet Mohammed and is celebrated by 30 days of fasting, considered to be one of the highest forms of Islamic worship.

In 2010, Ramazan is estimated to begin on August 11th and last until September 9th. The date is based on the Muslim lunar calendar and changes slightly each year. The start of Ramazan is based on the sighting of the new moon and other astronomical calculations; for this reason it can vary slightly from country to country.

It is known as the month of charity and generosity, with Muslims encouraged to go out of their way to help others less fortunate than themselves. 

Fasting is mandatory only for healthy adults – children and the sick are exempt - and is intended to increase self-control. Nothing is allowed to pass the lips of a faster from sunrise to sunset. This includes food, drink and tobacco. Observant Muslims also refrain from sexual intercourse during daylight hours. 

This can be a great time to be in Turkey; foreigners are welcome and a carnival atmosphere prevails, with stalls and restaurants offering Ramazan banquets in the evenings. 

There can be some disruption however. Those same restaurants may now require reservations, may not sell alcohol at any time (it is polite to accede to their wishes), official businesses such as banks may close early and roads can be very busy late in the day as fasters rush home for their post-daylight food.  Your sleep will almost certainly be disturbed as drummers circulate through town in the early hours – 2 or 3am - to wake up fasters ahead of Suhur, their early-morning meal.

The thinking behind Ramazan is to allow the faster to appreciate and give thanks for the pleasures in their life (by taking them away temporarily); to feel compassion and empathy towards the poor (by tasting the pain of hunger), and to bring the faster closer to Allah by spending time reading the Qur’an.


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