Loading ...Ramadan Vocabulary Guide
By: Nouha Elyazidi / Arab America Contributing Writer
The month of Ramadan is a holy month in Islam when Muslims practice fasting by abstaining from eating and drinking from sunrise to sunset. During Ramadan, you may come across Arabic words used to describe certain elements of Ramadan. Let’s identify and explore some of these terms!
Soum
Soum is the Arabic word for fast. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims participate in fasting, which is called soum.
Ramadan Mubarak
Ramadan Mubarak translates to “Happy Ramadan” and is something Muslims will say to each other during the beginning of Ramadan. Even if you are not participating in Ramadan, it is a nice thing to say to your fasting friends!
Iftar
Iftar is the name of the meal Muslims use to break their fasts. Iftar greatly varies from household to household and country to country. There are certain staples of Ramadan in different countries. Many will have multi-course extravagant meals for iftar with meats, salads, desserts, and fruits. Others have a more modest dinner with only one course. It simply depends on each family and their traditions/preferences.
Fajr
Fajr is the early morning prayer for Muslims that is prayed prior to the rising of the sun. Fajr marks the rising of the sun and is when Muslims should stop eating and drinking and begin fasting.
Suhoor
Muslims are prohibited from eating and drinking during the month of Ramadan from sunrise to sunset. Most people are familiar with iftar, the meal we break our fasts with at sundown, but there is another meal many Muslims eat as well. Suhoor is a meal consumed prior to sunrise. Many people wake up before the sun and eat/drink something. There is no set meal or custom for suhoor. Some will skip suhoor entirely, others will eat something light such as fruit or yogurt, and many eat leftovers from iftar, and that can be anything from rice and chicken, to shawarma, to soup, to anything else!
Maghrib
Maghrib is the second-to-last prayer of the day for Muslims and this prayer marks sundown. When it is time to pray maghrib, that means it is permissible for Muslims to break their fast and begin eating their iftar.
Taraweeh
Taraweeh is a prayer held during Ramadan that follows Isha, the last of the five daily prayers for Muslims. Taraweeh is an act of worship and a remembrance of God for those who partake in it. It is different from regular prayers because it is usually longer and typically features the longer chapters of the Qur’an.
Eid al-Fitr
The end of the month of Ramadan is celebrated by a holiday called Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr is a celebration that is filled with great food, lovely traditions, and celebrations of families and friends.
Check out Arab America’s Blog Here!
