Ramadan Around the World

Every year, around 1.9 billion Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset during the holy month of Ramadan. Although the fast is the same everywhere, the traditions that surround it are wonderfully different from country to country.

In Egypt, the streets fill with colourful lanterns called fawanees. The tradition is said to go back more than a thousand years. Children carry small lanterns and sing traditional songs, while huge ones decorate shops and balconies.

In several Arab countries, including Lebanon and the UAE, a cannon is fired at sunset to announce that it is time to break the fast. Today the cannon is mostly symbolic, as people check the time on their phones, but crowds still gather to watch it.

In Malaysia, Ramadan bazaars appear in the late afternoon. Hundreds of stalls sell grilled chicken, rice dishes and colourful desserts. Families walk from stall to stall choosing food for iftar.

In Saudi Arabia, many families eat dates and drink Arabic coffee to break their fast, followed by dishes such as sambousa and lentil soup. Volunteers often hand out free iftar meals to drivers stuck in traffic at sunset. Mosques organise large meals for anyone who needs one.

Wherever people celebrate, Ramadan shares the same spirit: patience, gratitude and spending time with family and community.