Eid Al-Fitr “Smaller Eid”, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Today is the first day of Eid Al-Fitr.
Eid Mubarak to all of you and your families. May your life and loved ones be blessed with Peace, Prosperity, and Happiness on this auspicious occasion.
Suhour and Iftar are two elements of Ramadan that have great significance to Muslims.
Suhour is an Islamic term referring to the meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims before fasting, before dawn during or outside the Islamic month of Ramadan. The meal is eaten before fajr prayer. Suhour as the morning meal is matched by iftar as the evening meal, during Ramadan, replacing the traditional three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner), although in some places dinner is also consumed after Iftar later during the night. Being the last meal eaten by Muslims before fasting from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan, suhour is regarded by Islamic traditions as a benefit of the blessings in that it allows the person fasting to avoid the crankiness or the weakness caused by the fast. According to a hadith, The Prophet Muhammad said “take suhour as there is a blessing in it”.
In Syria, Suhuor consists of dishes which are usually served for breakfast in regular days. Makdous Al-Bathenjan, Jebneh (Cheeses), Halaweh Tehiniyeh, Jams (if Ramadan in summer like these days so mainly the jams are: apricot jam, cherry jam, rose petal jam, strawberry jam. And if Ramadan in winter so mainly the jams are: eggplant jam, and pumpkin jam), Honey, Dibs w Tehineh (mixture of grape molasses with tahini), Laban (Yogurt), Labneh (Strained Yogurt), Olives, Cucumber and Tomatoes, and other food such as Foul Mdammas, boiled eggs, fried eggs, Manaqish, and Ma’arouk Ramadan are all suhoor table staples that we’re used to and love. Food is eaten with Arabic flat bread and served with tea.
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In Aleppo, Nisf Sha’aban is celebrated by making Ma’arouk Nisf Sha’aban (it is also called “Bariosh Nisf Sha’aban”) and Sambousek Lahmeh (meat pies). The recipe of Ma’arouk Nisf Sha’aban is the same to Ma’arouk Ramadan, but what makes it special is that it has to be formed into the shape shown in the photo above.
Let’s make Ma’arouk Nisf Sha’aban:
Sha’aban is the eighth month of the Islamic calender, it is the month before Ramadan.
Nisf Sha’aban or Mid-Sha’aban is the 15th day of the eighth month (sha’aban) of the Islamic lunar calendar. Laylat Nisf Sha’aban is the night preceding the 15th day of Sha’aban. The most important event at the fifteenth of Sha’aban was the changing of the qiblah which was ordered by God from Masjid Al-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa Mosque) in Jerusalem, to Masjid Al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque) in Mecca.
In Syria, it is a tradition to celebrate Nisf Sha’aban every year. In Hama, special sweets are prepared for this occasion, these sweets can’t be found on other days of the year, they are Ma’amoul Abiad, Makbouseh, Mahia and Bashmina. In Aleppo, the food prepared for Nisf Sha’aban is different, the occasion is celebrated by making Ma’arouk Nisf Sha’aban (recipe next post) and Sambousek Lahmeh (meat pies).
More pictures with details:
