{"id":2664,"date":"2011-08-12T08:30:07","date_gmt":"2011-08-12T12:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tuckers.cc\/brian\/?p=2664"},"modified":"2011-08-12T09:32:53","modified_gmt":"2011-08-12T13:32:53","slug":"iftar-the-new-most-important-meal-of-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/tuckers.cc\/brian\/iftar-the-new-most-important-meal-of-the-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Iftar: It’s What’s For Dinner"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ramadan is most prominently marked by the fasting that occurs from sunrise to sunset. Those who are fasting – and even those who aren’t – are able by law to leave the workplace two hours earlier to rest and prepare for the evening. At dusk, people leave their homes to join friends and family at mosques, residences and restaurants to pray and break the fast.<\/p>\n

Iftar is the meal that breaks the day-long fast, which is approximately 7 in the evening this year (it gets a minute or two earlier each day based on sunset). After about 90 minutes, the special sixth prayer of the day during Ramadan only – Taraweeh – is performed. Gatherings continue afterwards at suhoor, a time for relaxing and more food and drink; it lasts into the wee hours to take advantage of the time before sunrise. Traditionally, these activities have taken place in tents.<\/p>\n

We experienced our first iftar last week. Megan fasted for the day to try and understand a little of what Muslims experience – a meal has never tasted so good! Check out the highlights of our iftar evening…<\/p>\n