Ramazan

RAMAZAN

muezzin’s clarion call from morning shade:
Allah is great
no food nor drink till sun’s rays fade
I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah
waves of heat ripple from concrete streets
I bear witness that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah
behind curtains the weak or faithless eats
Make haste towards worship
rewards in heaven for good deeds, seventy-fold
come to the true success
Allah, the God of Abraham, of Jesus, it is told
prayer is better than sleep
fast and pray, alone or in groups
Allah is great
at sunset, a meal of pita, olives, soups
There is no deity but Allah

-- 01 Ramadan 1430 (AH)

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan (Ramazan in Turkish), a period of fasting, prayer, and penitence for all who follow Islam. From sunup to sundown, the devout will let no food, drink, even gum or tobacco smoke pass his or her lips.

My thanks to my friend and fellow Christian zwisis, a Zimbabwe expat currently living in Turkey, for her vivid description of the first day of Ramazan in the city of Izmir. Her words inspired this poem.

Note: the italicized verses are an English transliteration of the Adhan, or “call to prayer”, chanted from every mosque five times daily: fajr (dawn,) dhuhr (midday,) asr (afternoon,) maghrib (sunset,) and isha’a (night.)