Also, if a neighbor or friend does not have enough food, Muslims show charity by sharing with them or by donating money.
One of my friends, Madam Ishetu, told me how she showed charity during Eid. "This weekend was the end of Ramadan," she said. "So, we cooked lots of food and shared the food with our neighbors." It reminded me of how my family shares cookies, chocolates, and sweets during Christmas!
Ramadan and Eid are connected to the way Ghana sounds. At every mosque, there is a man called a muezzin. He use megaphones to call Muslims to prayer in Arabic. The sound echoes across town-- I wake up to the sound of it every morning! Then, throughout the day, Muslims are called to prayer four more times over the megaphone. When men and women pray, they wear long gowns and kneel on prayer mats. The women wear hijabs, or head coverings.
In other words, Muslims organize their day around their calls to prayer. During Ramadan, the azan tells them when to start and when to break their fast. Hearing the azan is more common in Northern Ghana than in Southern Ghana. Southern Ghana is mostly Christian. Northern Ghana is mostly Muslim.
What do you think, travelers? If you also celebrate Ramadan, does Ramadan in Ghana sound similar or different to your traditions? I had a blast learning about this tradition, and I hope you did, too! Until next time!
