A night time view of King Hassan II mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. Photo – Milamber’s portfolio via Flickr under Creative Commons License
Embracing the northwest corner of Africa at the gateway to the Mediterranean is the “Kingdom of Morocco.” Rabat is the political capital while Casablanca is the largest city.
Islam is the official religion of Morocco, representing the Muslim majority. Ramadan is considered as the exclusive time for inner reflection and understanding the plight of poor and needy. People are seen distributing food among the less privileged. This indeed sows the seeds of compassion as the whole community comes together.
The morning meal is called “Sobh” in Moroccan dialect of Arabic. People eat light meals like oatmeal, yoghurt, croissants, dates, bread and also drink plenty of water. Coffee, milk and mint tea are also consumed.
During Iftar the tables are laden with food. Dates reappear with different types of juice, milk, tea and coffee. People drink the typical Moroccan soup called “Hareera”, with honey-made Moroccan pastry called “Shabakia”. Hareera is a tomato-based soup, which is part of the Iftar menu every day during this month. A variety of breads such as Msemen and Rghayif (layered flat breads cooked in skillet like Indian parathas) are also part of the customary Ramadan diet. Olives, boiled eggs, cheese, marmalade and butter are also seen on Iftar tables. Moroccan tea biscuits, known as “Fekkas,” are also consumed.
After Iftar, families are seen rushing to the mosques for Taraweeh prayers. Fatima Ben Maryem, a French national of Moroccan descent, says that during this holy month different families prepare meals and send them to mosques for people who congregate for Iftar. Different families in the neighbourhood also come together and have a collective Iftar. Once the prayers are over, people head to cafes and relax till the wee hours of morning.
Written by Shirin Ashraf – Special to Times of Oman
