A Brief Guide to Ramadan in Glasgow: From Fasting to Festivities
In Govanhill and the surrounding area, hundreds of people are currently observing Ramadan, one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. In this article, we delve into what Ramadan is all about, where you can go to break fast in Govanhill and how you can support your friends and colleagues during this month.
By Samar Jamal
What is Ramadan and how - and why - do Muslims fast during it?
Ramadan is one of the holiest months for Muslims. It is the month in which the Quran began being unveiled to the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Over the next 23 years, scriptures of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet, until the year of his death.
Muslims commemorate this month in a number of ways, including fasting from dusk, known as suhoor or sehri, until dawn, referred to as iftar or iftari. Muslims will abstain from food and water for 29 or 30 days. Between sunset and sunrise, people eat and drink normally. However, some people may choose not to keep a full fast and instead cut out certain foods or break their fast earlier. It is also a spiritual month of self-improvement, giving zakat (charity) and having self-restraint from negative practices such as arguing or gossiping. Overall the month is about improving one's taqwa (awareness of God).
This year in Glasgow, the beginning of the fast, suhoor, starts around 4:30am and iftar is around 6:30pm. These times shift by a few minutes each day as the month progresses and days lengthen.
Who participates in fasting?
Anyone who has reached an age of maturity is expected to fast. Exceptions to this include anyone unwell, pregnant, menstruating, travelling long distances or elderly. Several factors can make it difficult for someone to fast, not all of them visible, and it's crucial to acknowledge and respect individual circumstances to prevent anyone from feeling ashamed of their decisions.
How can non-Muslims support someone who is fasting/observing Ramadan?
You can always ask friends or colleagues who are fasting how best you can support them. Whilst everyone has different needs and preferences there are general guidelines to follow. It is advised that before asking you make an effort to understand what Ramadan is. When the month of Ramadan begins you can wish your friends a blessed Ramadan by saying Ramadan Mubarak. Additionally, you could host an iftar or ask to break fast together.
As an employer, you can try to schedule meetings or events so they aren’t at the same time as iftar. You could also ask if employees would like to work from home some days.
When is Ramadan celebrated?
Ramadan takes place in the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and each year it starts ten days earlier. Last year in Glasgow the holy month started on 23 March and this year it began on 11 March. This is because the Islamic calendar follows the lunar cycle for dates, unlike the Gregorian calendar used in the UK. The lunar cycle determines the beginning of a new month based on the sighting of the new moon and ends with the appearance of another new moon. Muslims will usually look to their closest mosque to confirm. Whilst Muslims will look to their local mosque for information, these mosques receive confirmation from a mosque from a Muslim country.
Disagreements often occur between mosques of when Ramadan starts and finishes, as not all will follow the same country. For example, some mosques in the UK follow the closest Muslim country; Morocco. Others will look to Saudi Arabia, where the two holiest sites in Islam are located.
In Glasgow, Muslims might look to Glasgow Central mosque whereas some people might look to mosques that are closer and they attend regularly. For example, those who live in Govanhill might look to Masjid-E-Khazra on Butterbiggans Road or Al-Farooq Education and Community Centre on Dixon Avenue.
How do Muslims observe Ramadan in Glasgow?
Ramadan is a month of heightened spirituality in which Muslims show devotion by praying and bringing themselves closer to God and his presence. Many Muslims try to read the entire Quran throughout the month. The entire Quran is also recited during Tarawih prayers, which are performed at mosques or homes a few hours after iftar meals. These special prayers are categorised as sunnah; practices and traditions of the prophet Muhammad that all Muslims are encouraged to follow. This means that whilst Tarawih prayers are encouraged they are not obligatory.
Who is Glasgow’s Muslim community?
A 2011 census identified that 5.4 percent of the population in Glasgow identify as Muslim. A 2011 research paper shows that a large number of Muslims are concentrated in two main areas in Glasgow’s Southside; Pollokshields and Southside Central. Here 27.8 percent and 15.7 percent of residents identify as Muslim. Many of these individuals are Pakistani and Bangladeshi, who have been in Glasgow for decades but the Muslim community is still diverse. In recent years there has been an increase in Muslims from Syria, Turkiye, Iraq, Kurdistan, Somalia and many more countries.
There are also different sects of Muslims; Sunni and Shia. Whilst both Sunnis and Shias fast during Ramadan, Shias break their fast when it is completely dark outside. Additionally, unlike Sunnis, Shias celebrate an additional holiday during Ramadan to mark Ali ibn Talib, son-in-law of the Prophet being martyred.
Read more: How Govanhill’s Muslim Community is Supporting Those In Need
Whilst there are general guidelines on what practices to follow to improve your journey to Taqwa, the month of Ramadan is as personal as a person’s relationship with their faith. As long as actions reflect respect and compassion for oneself and others, Ramadan can involve different practices that resonate with each person.
Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power) also takes place in the final ten nights of Ramadan. It is believed that it was on one of these ten days, that the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Jibrīl. During these last ten days, Muslims will make additional efforts to practise good deeds and pray – as it’s believed to be a particularly blessed time in which sins are pardoned, prayers are heard, and the yearly decree is disclosed to the angels, who execute it following the divine grace.
How do people prepare for Ramadan?
Just before Ramadan begins you might have noticed that local shops like Strawberry Garden in Pollokshields, and Kurdish Kobane on Victoria Road, were chockablock as Muslims were buying items for the holy month. Food plays a central role during Ramadan, with many individuals taking time to prepare traditional dishes in advance. For Muslims with South Asian heritage, this can mean samosas, which are then frozen and served as appetisers for iftar.
Dates are a common sight on dinner tables, valued not only for their Islamic significance, as the prophet would break his fast with dates but also as sweet and nutritious treats. These can be found in halal stores across Govanhill. The People's Pantry on Cathcart Road also stocks dates for its Muslim members during this month. Fasting can also be physically tiresome, so eating out for iftar is a much needed treat. Thankfully Govanhill and the nearby area are full of delicious traditional cuisines including Sheerin Palace or Deehra Lahore on Cathcart Road.
How do families and communities come together during Ramadan in Glasgow?
Ramadan can be a personal journey, but it is also a time spent with friends and family by spending iftar together. Muslims will do this by hosting iftar meals at home or going to their local mosque. Most mosques will prepare iftar meals that are available to attend for all Muslims such as Central Mosque which is hosting iftar meals throughout Ramadan. Other times a single person will take responsibility for iftar at the mosque and pay for the cost of food and drink for worshippers. In the Southside The Bowling Green, Muslims and non-Muslims are invited to three community meals on Friday 15, 22 and 29 March from 6pm. The meals are free but attendees are required to register their interest beforehand.
How is the end of Ramadan celebrated?
The end of Ramadan is celebrated with Eid al-Fitr, which lasts three days and translates to ‘the festival of breaking fast’. This is celebrated by attending the morning prayer at the mosque also known as the Eid prayer, wearing your best clothes, giving to charity, spending time with family and friends, giving each other gifts and sharing traditional meals. Non-Muslims can also join in with the festivities by offering their neighbours and friends sweet treats to commemorate Eid, many traditional South Asian sweets are available in abundance across Govanhill, including Glasgow’s Sweet House, located on Cathcart Road, freshly made Turkish treats from Party Cakes on Victoria Road or Cafe Portal on Govanhill Street.