This is a note from Asli who works at MEF IS. She has explained the Kurban Bayram holiday...
On Saturday the 04th November 2014 the entire Muslim world will start celebrating the second holy festival on the religious calendar.
Saturday is the first day of Bayram – we call it that way in Turkish – where all Turkish people will celebrate and enjoy the holiday for the next 4 days.
On Kurban Bayramı – or the Sacrifice Festival – unlike Ramazan Bayramı there has been no fasting before the festival. The common practice for this bayram is that all Muslims around the world are sacrificing an animal - usually a cow, hen, chicken or sheep - to share with all that are in need. Even though there is a difference in practice with Ramazan Bayramı the idea behind it is the same: To share the blessings with all around us and to cherish how lucky we have been to reach all we need.
The common feature of Ramazan and Kurban Bayramı is the candies! It is a tradition to give out candies during this time just like Ramazan Bayramı. In this respect we may call it very close to the “Trick or Treat” fun in Halloween except here we have no costumes or trick or treat. So be ready! You may have some pretty dressed children knocking on your door for some candy.
It is not only limited with candies but if you have nice Turkish neighbors and if you decide to visit them during Kurban Bayramı, I assure you will be served with all kinds of traditional Turkish food including Dolma (stuffed grape leaves with olive oil), börek and baklava!
I hope you all have a very good and relaxing time during this long Bayram break we have!!!
On Saturday the 04th November 2014 the entire Muslim world will start celebrating the second holy festival on the religious calendar.
Saturday is the first day of Bayram – we call it that way in Turkish – where all Turkish people will celebrate and enjoy the holiday for the next 4 days.
On Kurban Bayramı – or the Sacrifice Festival – unlike Ramazan Bayramı there has been no fasting before the festival. The common practice for this bayram is that all Muslims around the world are sacrificing an animal - usually a cow, hen, chicken or sheep - to share with all that are in need. Even though there is a difference in practice with Ramazan Bayramı the idea behind it is the same: To share the blessings with all around us and to cherish how lucky we have been to reach all we need.
The common feature of Ramazan and Kurban Bayramı is the candies! It is a tradition to give out candies during this time just like Ramazan Bayramı. In this respect we may call it very close to the “Trick or Treat” fun in Halloween except here we have no costumes or trick or treat. So be ready! You may have some pretty dressed children knocking on your door for some candy.
It is not only limited with candies but if you have nice Turkish neighbors and if you decide to visit them during Kurban Bayramı, I assure you will be served with all kinds of traditional Turkish food including Dolma (stuffed grape leaves with olive oil), börek and baklava!
I hope you all have a very good and relaxing time during this long Bayram break we have!!!