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For the past three years, Aman Ali, 27, a comedian from Ohio, has spent Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (it began this year on Friday), visiting a different mosque every night.
With Bassam Tariq, a photographer, he has documented their journeys on their blog, 30 Mosques in 30 Days (30mosques.com). In 2009, they covered mosques in New York City. The next two summers, they hit all 50 states, going from the East Coast to Anchorage, Alaska.
Here are excerpts from a conversation on traveling during Ramadan.
Q. Before starting your blog, you spent Ramadan in Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Egypt. Is that a good time to visit countries with large Muslim populations?
A. It’s a fantastic time because the celebrations after sunset, when the fast is broken, are so vibrant. In Mecca, people set up picnics on the ground of Masjid al-Haram, the mosque surrounding the Kaaba. And in open-air markets around Marrakech, Morocco, sellers open their booths and invite you in to share their meals. I remember walking through Jemaa el Fna, the city’s largest square, and a mosque had set up a tarp outside its doors and passed around dates, bowls of lamb soup, lentils, mint tea. You couldn’t pass by without joining them. Even when tourists explained they weren’t Muslim, they’d insist, “Sit, break bread with us, have this, have that.”
Q. Any practical concerns for travelers during Ramadan?
A. Tourists, of course, are not expected to fast – even Muslim travelers are exempted, according to tradition. Restaurants get very busy this time of year, so I suggest calling ahead for reservations and avoid making them the hour that fast is broken. After abstaining from food and water all day, people get a little testy, so it’s a courtesy for you to let them eat right away. Businesses may close a bit earlier or shut briefly for prayers during the day.
Q. For non-Muslims interested in visiting some of these mosques, do you have any recommendations?
A. I suggest calling ahead so that there’s someone who can show you around. There’s no strict dress code – jeans and T-shirts are fine – but avoid closefitting clothing, and some mosques might prefer non-Muslim women to wear headscarves, which they’d provide. Friday, Saturday or Sunday evenings have the most activity, and Ramadan is the best time to visit.
– New York Times
