Afghanistan In
Afghanistan, iftar typically begins with dates and water, followed by traditional dishes such as
shorwa (meat and vegetable soup),
mantu (steamed meat dumplings),
bolani (stuffed flatbread), and
qabuli palaw (rice with meat, carrots, and raisins). Kebabs and other grilled meats are also common, and meals often conclude with sweet dishes and desserts.
Bangladesh In
Bangladesh, a wide variety of foods is prepared to break the fast at Maghrib time. Some of the common iftar items from
Bangladeshi cuisine include piyaju (made of
lentil paste, chopped onions and green chillies, like
falafel),
beguni (made of thin slices of eggplant dipped in a thin batter of gram flour),
jilapi,
muri,
haleem,
dates,
samosas,
dal puri (a type of lentil-based
savoury pastry),
chola (cooked
Bengal gram),
kebab,
mughlai porota (stuffed
porota with minced meat, eggs and spices), variety of
pitha,
aloo chop,
singara,
ghugni,
amerti,
bundia,
nimki,
Pakora,
khaja,
batasa,
khabar tula,
Bengali sweets, Roasted
chickpeas and different types of fruits such as
watermelon,
apple,
banana,
papaya,
pear,
mango and
pineapple. Bengalis break their fast with all their friends and family and eat together in a banquet with their array of food; however, savoury items are eaten before the sweet. In the
Sylhet region,
Furir Bari Iftari is a common
cultural tradition among Bengali families. Drinks such as lemon
shorbot and yoghurt shorbot (made of yoghurt, water, sugar and
rooh afza) as well as
borhani and gurer shorbot (jaggery shorbot) are common on iftar tables across the country. People like to have iftar at home with all family members, and iftar parties are also arranged by mosques. People often distribute iftar in mosques for the people praying to eat, believing it is a good deed. After Iftar people pray
maghrib and later
Isha then many head straight for
Taraweeh prayers where 20 rakats are performed to finish one
Juz' of the Quran.
Brunei In
Brunei Darussalam, iftar is locally referred to as
sungkai. Traditionally this is held at a regional or village
mosque for those who have or will be performing the evening prayers. At the mosque, a mosque
buffet is prepared by the local residents at which all are welcomed to break their fast together. Before the iftar, the
beduk (a type of drum) must be heard as a signal to begin the sungkai. In the capital
Bandar Seri Begawan, the firing of several cannons at the central business district also marks the sungkai. The sungkai is generally a welcomed time of the day, so
Bruneians occasionally break their fast at restaurants along with their extended family. Additionally, only during the month of Ramadan, each district, with the exception of the Brunei and Muara district, hosts an expansive network of
tamu or Ramadan stalls where freshly cooked
local delicacies are sold more than other times of the year.
India In
India, Muslims break their fasts with family and friends, and many Mosques arrange free 'iftar.' Preparations for iftar commence hours before, in homes and at roadside stalls. Iftar begins by eating dates or drinking water, but this is only the opening of a rich meal. The spread of 'iftar' can be grand, with both vegetarian to non-vegetarian dishes and a variety of juices and
sherbets. Iftar usually is a heavy meal and is followed by a second, lighter dinner eaten before the night (
isha) prayers and the
taraweeh prayers. In
Hyderabad and nearby areas, people often break their fast with
Haleem because it has a rich taste and is quite filling. In other southern states (
Tamil Nadu and
Kerala), Muslims break their fast with
nonbu kanji, a rich, filling rice dish of porridge consistency, cooked for hours with meat and vegetables. This is often served with
bonda,
bajji, and
vadai. Muslims in the area of Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh serve the aforementioned rice porridge, here called Ganji, with boondhi in it during Iftar. Vegetarians break their fast with a dish called surkumba, which is prepared from milk, and this is particularly popular in certain parts of
Karnataka. In northern states like
Delhi,
Uttar Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh and
West Bengal, the fast is typically ended with fresh
dates, cut fresh fruits (sometimes served as
chaat) and fruit juice along with fried dishes like
samosas,
pakodas etc.
Indonesia kolak, one of various iftar desserts in Indonesia In
Indonesia iftar is called "buka puasa" or
takjil, which means "to open the fast". Markets sell various foods for iftar, including the date, which is popular, as well as unique
Indonesian sweet food and drink such as
kolak,
es kelapa muda,
es buah,
es campur,
cendol or dawet, etc. Most of them are only found easily in Ramadan. Iftar is usually begun by eating these sweets, as inspired by the Prophet's
Sunnah of eating dates. Maghrib time is traditionally marked by the
bedug, a traditional big Indonesian drum. After
Asr prayers, traditional markets will begin to open. The food stalls generally sell many kinds of items that are specifically for "iftar". Traffic jams often occur leading up to Maghrib time. Sometimes people invite groups of orphans to eat with them. After Iftar and maghrib prayer which is usually done at the homes, people go to the mosque for
Isha'a and
Tarawih prayers, which in Indonesia, is often accompanied by a short sermon known as "ceramah" before the Tarawih prayer commence.
Iran In Iran, neighbourhood iftar feasts are not customary; the (larger and more festive) meal is usually shared among family. A small selection of foods is prepared to break the fast and is summarily followed by a proper
Persian meal. Most common iftar items are: Chai (tea) with
zulbia and bamiyeh and other sweets,
dates,
halva,
Fereni,
Ash Reshteh,
Halim, Shami Lapeh,
Noon (bread usually
lavash or
barbari) and
paneer with
greens and fresh herbs. In shopping malls and public venues in Malaysia, the time of iftar is indicated by radios announcing the call to Maghrib prayers.
Maldives In the
Maldives, iftar is known as
roadha villun, which means "break fast". As usual, most Muslims break the fast with either dried or fresh dates. There are many exclusive restaurants and hotels providing special iftar and dinner packages for those who want to break the fast outside with the families and friends. All the mosques in the Maldives provide free dates and juice to break fast. At local homes, one will find various cold fruit juices (water melon, mango, passion fruit, pineapple) sweet (boakiba, pudding) and salty shorteats called hedhika (boakiba, bajiya, gulha, masroshi, cutlets), the latter made with mainly fish, curries, roshi and salads made with local greens, chilli, onion and lemon.
Morocco In Morocco, dishes traditionally associated with breaking the Ramadan fast include
dates,
harira,
sfouf, and
chebakia.
Nigeria Nigeria hosts what is by some way the largest Muslim community in
West Africa and
Sub-Saharan Africa. Iftar (known in the Hausa Language as
buda-baki and in the Yoruba language as
isinu) holds the same importance in Nigeria's
Sunni population as the rest of the Islamic world. Foods include
Jollof rice,
suya,
ọbẹ̀ ẹgúsí,
ewurẹ,
àkàrà,
dabinu/dabino,
ọ̀pọ̀tọ́, etc.
Pakistan s are a common Iftari snack in Pakistan. In
Pakistan, almost everybody stops to rejoice for a few minutes following the iftar sirens and
adhan (call to prayer). Preparations for iftar commence about three hours beforehand, in homes and at roadside stalls. The fast can be ended by eating dates, or simply by drinking water, if dates are not available. Many restaurants offer iftar deals, especially in the big cities like
Karachi,
Lahore, and
Islamabad. Iftar as a
meal in Pakistan is usually heavy, consisting mainly of sweet and savoury treats such as
jalebi (pretzel-shaped, deep-fried batter, soaked in sugar syrup),
samosas(minced meat and/or vegetables, wrapped in dough and deep-fried or baked),
pakora (sliced vegetables, dipped in batter and deep-fried) with ketchup or chatni, and
namak para (seasoned cracker), besides the staple dates and water. Other items such as
chicken rolls,
spring rolls,
Shami Kebabs,
fruit salads,
papad (sheets of batter that are then sun-dried, deep-fried or roasted until they have the texture of potato chips or crisps), chana chaat (chickpea salad), and dahi balay (or "dahi baray"—fried lentil dumplings served with yoghurt) are also very common. Amongst the
Punjabi,
Sindhi and
Mohajir households, iftar is often followed up by a regular dinner later during the night. Those in the north and west, including
Pashtuns,
Balochis, and
Tajiks, on the other hand combine dinner and iftar.
Laghman soup (noodle soup), locally called Kalli, is an iftar staple in
Chitral and parts of
Gilgit. After iftar, Muslims rush to the mosques to offer
Tarawih (an 8 or 20
rakat Muslim prayer during the month of Ramadan). Various television channels also stop their normal telecast and broadcast special Ramadan transmissions, especially at the time of Sehar and Iftar. The whole month of Ramadan is marked in Pakistan as a festive season when people make donations to the poor and give charity. Some organizations and companies also offer free iftar meals to the common people.
Russia In Russia, Ramadan is observed mostly in Muslim-majority states such as
Dagestan,
Chechnya,
Ingushetia,
Adygea,
Kabardino-Balkaria,
Karachay-Cherkessia,
Tatarstan and
Bashkortostan. In cities outside of Muslim majority republics with a significant Muslim presence, it has become a tradition to open Ramadan Tent, a public iftar event organised by
Russia's Mufti Council. In Dagestan, Muslims gather in Makhachkala Central Juma Mosque to break their fast and pray
taraweeh prayers. Dates and fruits are preferred to break the fast, followed by soup, bread, and different local delicacies such as
beşbarmaq,
kurze and others.
Singapore In
Singapore, iftar is called "buka puasa", meaning "to open the fast" (see the Indonesian section). It is usually accompanied with dates and sweet drinks such as Bandung, Chendol and Air Sirap. Singaporean Muslims usually eat an array of dishes ranging from rice and noodles. Many buy food from bazaars that can be found in different parts of the city state such as in Bugis, Kampong Glam, Geylang Serai and even in populated towns such as Tampines, Jurong East, Jurong West, Clementi and West Coast.
Sri Lanka Muslims in
Sri Lanka make
special snacks /appetisers at Muslim homes, such as
samosas, cutlets, rolls, kanjee,
falooda and many more dishes. They eat iftar with the family if possible. Muslims believe that giving to the poor is very rewarding. They eat a date and drink some water to break the fast or to perform iftar. Then they have the prepared meal. Some people like to prepare foods and give to the people performing iftar in the mosques.
Syria A very large percentage of Syrians are
Muslims, fasting the month of
Ramadan. Syria's streets are filled with its joyous citizens during this holy month. In
Syria, the fast is usually broken with a cup of water and
dates. There are loads of restaurants that provide special iftar and dinner for those who want to break the fast with their families and friends. When eating Iftar at home, a special type of pastry called "Burak" (برك in Arabic) is fried and enjoyed (there are cheese and meat varieties).
Tamarind Juice is traditionally drunk in the Iftar meal, and
fattoush is a popular
salad option along with
tabbouleh. After Iftar, families will visit the
mosque to play the
Taraweeh prayer. Syria's locals have a sweet tooth, and enjoy various types of
sweets like Awamat,
Knafe,
Halawet el Jibn,
Baklava, and much more.
Taiwan ,
Taiwan Islam is a minority religion in
Taiwan. During Ramadan, major mosques around Taiwan are filled with Muslims going to have their iftar followed by Tarawih prayer. Muslims in Taiwan usually break their fast with
dates and water.
Trinidad and Tobago In
Trinidad and Tobago, Muslims represent about 6% of the population. Iftar is traditionally performed in the social setting of the Masjid. Various food items showing the mixed ethnic nature of the country are usually available. Fare may include fried rice;
roti; curried chicken, goat, and duck; curried channa; and alloo (potato). Depending on the persons presenting the meal, it may even include such non-traditional items as macaroni pie. The meal is usually served with persons sitting at tables with the components of the meal brought to the tables.
Turkey of
Topkapi Palace where the
Ottoman sultan-
caliphs would break the fast with the
kandils lit. The lights in this example spell out holiday greetings. In
Turkey and
Northern Cyprus, the month of Ramadan is celebrated with great joy, and iftar dinners play a big part in this. In larger cities like
Istanbul all of the restaurants offer special deals and set menus for iftar. Most of the set menus start with a soup or an appetiser platter called
iftariye. It consists of dates, olives, cheese,
pastırma,
sujuk,
Ramazan pidesi (a special bread only baked during Ramadan), and various pastries called
börek. The main course consists of various
Turkish foods, especially the
Ottoman Palace Traditional Foods. A dessert called
güllaç is served in most places. Most of the fine-dining restaurants offer live musical performances of
Ottoman classical music,
Turkish music and
Sufi music. Most of the Ramadan celebration practices in Turkey have their roots in the traditions of the former
Ottoman Empire. At the
minarets of mosques, lights called
kandil are switched on from sunset to dawn. As soon as the sun sets, a traditional "Ramadan Cannon" is fired from the highest hill in every city as a signal to start eating the iftar. In
Istanbul, one of the more notable places to celebrate the iftar dinner is the Sultanahmet Square. Located near the
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) the
Sultanahmet Square hosts many activities, including mini restaurants opened during the month of Ramadan, special shows, and traditional Ottoman theatrical shows. At
Topkapi Palace the Ottoman sultan-caliphs would break their fast under the gilded
bower. The
Tarawih prayer is mostly practised in Turkish mosques as 20 rekahs, broken into 5 groups of 4 rekahs. Between each set of 4 rekahs, a hymn composed by the Turkish musician
Buhurizade Itri is sung by all people attending the prayer. The hymn is a prayer to praise the
Islamic prophet Muhammad. As Ramadan is also the month of
almsgiving, many people organise iftar dinners for the poor, students, guests, and foreigners. People can find Turkish food available in most mosques.
Ukraine In 2023, the president of Ukraine officially started the tradition of iftar. This is due to the fact that the indigenous people of Ukraine are
Crimean Tatars—Turkic-speaking Muslims (Crimean Peninsula).
United States and Canada celebrating Ramadan in the East Room of the White House. Iftar meals in the United States and Canada are often held at mosques, households, and Islamic community centres. On 9 December 1805,
President Thomas Jefferson postponed dinner at the
White House until sunset to accommodate an envoy from
Tunis, an event considered by many to be the first White House iftar. The first official iftar was held at the White House in 1996, hosted by First Lady
Hillary Clinton, and iftar meals were subsequently held annually at the
White House and hosted by the
U.S. president and the
first lady until 2016. President
Donald Trump did not host an iftar dinner at the White House in 2017, his first year in office, but resumed the tradition on June 6, 2018, hosting friends and diplomatic staff from many Muslim-majority nations. Beginning in 1996, the
United States Department of State held an annual iftar dinner for local and national community leaders and faith groups as well as foreign policy officials. This practice ceased in 2017, when Secretary of State
Rex Tillerson declined to host an iftar. The Pentagon continues its tradition of holding an iftar for Muslim members of the U.S. armed forces and special guests from other nations; the first such iftar under the Trump administration was held on 15 June 2017. The occasion has also been marked in
Jewish synagogues. In 2012, iftar was recognized with events at three synagogues in
Chicago,
Illinois. Canadian Prime Minister
Stephen Harper extended an invitation to Muslim leaders to break the Ramadan fast with him at the prime minister's residence in 2015. This was the first time the prime minister's office had hosted an iftar. == See also ==