Ramadan in Sudan (values and Meanings)

Report: Muna Al-Ahimer

Ramadan is a generous and great month that brings its boons and a great reward by almighty Allah for fasting until the time of breaking the fast.

Muslims prepare for it and look forward to it eagerly with love and make preliminary arrangements to receive Ramadan around the world.

Ramadan reception Customs:

In Sudan, Ramadan is usually prepared for and received a whole month before the month of Shaaban, where women buy the necessities for Ramadan breakfast like meat, onions and a number of spices and they dry up the onions and meat to be ready for cooking stew during the month of Ramadan where fresh meat chopped and dried up for a cooking recipe called (Al Nuaimia) and (Al-Taqlia) which is a kind of Sudanese stew eaten during Ramadan.

Likewise, the Hilu Mur (sweet bitter syrup) are prepared before the month of Ramadan, whereby it is prepared by adding water to the sorghum and cover it for a limited period of days, then it grows and is called (al-Zireia ) after germination they expose it to the sun for a period of days also until it dries up and these seeds are grinded, and then they ferment it for several days after adding a number of spices such as cinnamon, cumin, fennel, and other spices.

Then women in groups bake the Abrei (sweet bitter syrup stuff) and the baking is called (Awassa al-Abri,) meaning preparing it on a fire like pie, but it is burned until it dries, and then it is collected in layers and the sweet bitter juice is made from it.

Group breakfasts:

Usually children clean the vast areas in the neighborhoods and arrange them in a folkloric arrangement with stones and rocks and form a painting for the mosque or a place for prayer, by making a minaret on the ground with these stones and the ground is filled with clean stones and they sprinkle it with water, in preparation for breakfast.

They prepare the carpets made of fronds on the ground for people to sit on for iftar, as well as the water bowl for ablution and it is called (the jug). Usually everyone brings a breakfast tray outside and it is called (Al-Darra) or shelter and there are a number of little boys who benefit from the values of their parents.

The road Food and the values of feeding a travelling fasting person

When the time for breakfast comes, we find there are many fasting people who have no time to reach their homes and they are late on the road. Here are many meanings and indications of the generosity and noble values of the Sudanese people whereby they block the road to invite the travelers to have breakfast with them and it is called (the jug). Usually everyone brings a breakfast tray outside and it is called (Al-Darra) or shelter and there are a number of little boys who benefit from the values of their parents.

This is how the month of Ramadan comes with blessings and brings the people together in tolerance  and mercy.