Ramadan down under

However, despite the short fasts and near freezing temperatures, it has been iftar (fast-breaking dinner) that has provided a sense of warmth and spirituality to Ramadan. To celebrate the hospitality of this blessed month, Australian Muslims opened their doors and laid their tables for welcome guests, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, to share the breaking of their fast.

In recent years, iftar meals have expanded from being a Muslim-only tradition. Iftar invitations have extended from neighbors to local clergy, academics, councilors and politicians. Interfaith and intercultural programs have increased as more people were convinced of the need to build relations with different faith and culture groups. In the state of Victoria, the Australian Intercultural Society (AIS) led the way for large-scale iftar dinners. This Ramadan, they organized and co-organized iftar dinners with federal and local members of Parliament, Victoria State Police, consulates, universities, banks, telecommunication corporations, churches, schools and neighborhood groups.

The most important iftar dinner this year was hosted by the governor of Victoria, Professor David de Kretser, and his wife, Jan, at the historic Victoria Government House in conjunction with the AIS. The guest list was impressive and attendees included Turkish Consul General Dr. Aydin Nurhan; the consuls general of the US, Indonesia, Oman and Lebanon; the national president of Australian Defense Reserves Association, Jim Barry; Minister Assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs James Merlino, MP; Chairman of the Victorian Multicultural Commission George Lekakis; vice chancellor of Deakin University Professor Jane den Hollander; Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne Dr. Philip Freier; Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart; the editor-in-chief of The Age newspaper, Paul Ramadge; the director of editorial policy for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Paul Chadwick; Mufti of Australia Sheikh Fehmi al-Imam; and the president of the Islamic Council of Victoria Ramzi El Sayed -- to name just a few.

The program began with the adhan, the call to prayer, and recitations from the Quran. Governor de Kretser thanked the AIS for initiating these iftar dinners and making them a model to be emulated by other organizations, corporations and groups. He noted that iftar dinners helped contribute to social cohesion and multiculturalism in Australia. “The things that bring us together are more than the things which keep us apart,” the governor noted.

Keynote speaker Paul Ramadge spoke of his trip to Turkey, which was organized by AIS, as “eye-opening” and shared some of his memories with the guests. One of his most vivid memories was when he dined in the family home of a Turkish man in Izmir who had lost six relatives in the Battle of Gallipoli. “When I arrived, he greeted me with one hand firmly in mine. When I left, he said farewell with two hands firmly holding mine,” Ramadge explained.

The AIS Annual Awards were given to their well-deserved recipients later in the program. The Fethullah Gulen Peace Award was given to Paul Ramadge, presented by Governor de Kretser. The Social Understanding in Academia & Education Award went to Professor Joseph Camilleri, director of the Centre for Dialogue at La Trobe University. The Building a Better Society Award was awarded to Ramzi El Sayed of the Islamic Council of Victoria. The Social Harmony in the Public Services Award was received by Dr. Helen Szoke of the Victoria Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and Turkish Consul General Nurhan. The Social Responsibility in Media Award was given to Rebecca Matthews of the ABC.

To close the program, Executive Director of AIS Orhan Cicek thanked Governor de Kretser and Jan de Kretser for hosting the dinner with the AIS and also thanked the guests for attending. After the program, Professor Greg Barton of Monash University called Orhan Cicek “iftar abi,” or “the big brother of the iftar,” for leading these interfaith and intercultural dinners in Australia.

*Dr. Salih Yücel is a lecturer at the Center for Studies in Religion and Theology, Monash University, Melbourne.

100 tons of lokum made in Safranbolu for Eid

One-hundred tons of lokum, Turkish delight, have been produced in Karabük’s Safranbolu district ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The dessert -- Safranbolu has its own famous variety of the specialty -- is extremely popular. Turkish delight has been made in Safranbolu since 1942, and today seven firms produce it in the district; about 100 families depend on this industry for their livelihood. Safrantat Production Manager Eda Yetimoğlu explains: “Safranbolu Turkish delight has earned its place in Turkey and even the world for its quality and taste.” she said.

Prayer rug a mobile place of worship

Known in Turkish as a “seccade,” rugs used by Muslims while performing the obligatory prayer five times daily are a common sight in Islamic lands -- and increasingly in use by Muslims in non-Muslim-majority nations. Muslims bow, kneel and prostrate on the ground during ritual prayers, and for this reason it is essential that the prayer area be clean. They are not a requirement for prayer -- and in mosques that are already clean, for example, largely unnecessary -- but they are a strong tradition. Usually just large enough for a person to fit comfortably during all the motions of the prayer, the rugs are often made of silk or cotton.