The reception of the month of Ramadan in all countries is met with unprecedented appreciation and preparation by the Muslim communities scattered across Europe and Western countries, especially Germany, France, and Australia, each of which has its own unique rituals during the holy month; spiritually in worship and materially in the preparation of foods and meals, which vary from one country to another.

 Ramadan in Germany

The German government allows a significant degree of freedom for Muslims there to practice their religious duties and express their beliefs and ideas, including what is done during Ramadan. Under this umbrella of freedom, Muslim communities welcome Ramadan with warmth, anticipation, and eagerness. Interestingly, Muslims in Germany rely on media reports to confirm the sighting of the Ramadan crescent, without anyone going out to seek the legal sighting (the crescent).

Considerable Attention to Suhoor

The pre-dawn meal (Suhoor) is given considerable attention by Muslims in Germany, as it is akin to breakfast for them; suhoor typically consists of eggs, milk, cheese, and some drinks that help them carry out their daily work there. As for iftar (the meal to break the fast), each Islamic community maintains the tradition of preparing the dishes they were accustomed to in their home countries, commemorating those lands and reminding themselves of family and loved ones. Muslims also continue to make some types of famous sweets from the Islamic East, such as Qatayef and Kunafa, among others.

 20 Rak'ahs of Taraweeh

As for the Taraweeh prayers, they are performed in congregation at the Islamic centers located in major cities, in addition to the Turkish mosques spread across many cities and villages. According to what is customary among Muslims there, they usually perform 20 Rak'ahs of Taraweeh prayers, and the centers and mosques are not obligated to complete the Quran during these prayers. Muslims there also celebrate the Night of Decree with great significance and focus intensely on the belief that it falls on the 27th night of the holy month. It is known that the percentage of Muslims in Germany is around 5 million, coming from various nationalities, although Turks make up the largest proportion.

 Muslims in France

Ramadan in France closely resembles the lively neighborhoods found in Arab and Islamic countries, where a Ramadan atmosphere prevails amid a bustling mix of nationalities and ages, and vendors display sweets and special items for the holy month. Women offer pastries on the streets in various shapes and flavors, while stores display food items related to Ramadan, such as Chaabia and Zalabia.

What troubles Muslims in France the most is the lack of the call to prayer (adhan), in addition to the long working hours, as they go about their day as usual, which affects fasting in general and leads to fatigue. Mosques organize numerous collective iftar tables where hundreds gather at the time of the adhan. They also collect zakat (charitable donations) while monitoring the number of needy individuals to distribute these funds appropriately during Eid al-Fitr.

 Community Iftar in Australia

Despite the small number of Muslims in Australia compared to others, representing only 2% of the population, their collective participation during Ramadan creates a vibrant spiritual atmosphere there. In major cities like Melbourne and Sydney, communal iftar and suhoor gatherings are organized. Sydney, particularly in the Lakemba area, has witnessed one of the largest annual gatherings, attended by a million Muslims in one year.

Muslims are keen to head to this area throughout the holy month, and the streets are filled with many shops and restaurants that offer traditional dishes, desserts, and drinks such as Nabulsi kunafa, shawarma, and boiled corn.

 Quran Schools in Indonesia

In Indonesia, there is a tremendous preparation to welcome Ramadan, with Quran reading and study taking center stage in all Islamic centers, especially among students, as it is one of their greatest interests. "Al-Mujtama" contacted Abdul-Ma'zoor Ali, a Quran teacher in Indonesia and a religious advisor in local media there, who emphasized that Ramadan fills our days with acts of worship to enhance the piety towards God, such as performing obligatory prayers in congregation, Taraweeh prayers, night prayers, and Duha prayers, among other acts of worship. He explained that the number of worshippers in mosques increases during Ramadan, as they spend their time after Taraweeh prayers reading the Holy Quran and studying Islamic lessons.

Regarding the rituals of welcoming Ramadan, he noted that the favorite foods for Iftar in Indonesia include dates, sweets, snacks, and traditional Indonesian dishes. He also mentioned that some people give alms after the Isha or Taraweeh prayers, and forms of charitable work increase, such as giving charity, Zakat, and communal Iftar, in addition to the communication between families, which improves during Ramadan due to the communal Iftar with the entire family.

As for wearing special clothing to welcome the month of Ramadan, he clarified that there is no specific attire; however, some people buy new white clothes and modest Islamic clothing that cover the body, emulating what the righteous used to do out of respect for Ramadan, as he described.

 Harees in Kuwait

In the Gulf region, Ramadan has special rituals among the conservative Gulf society that is keen on preserving their heritage, especially regarding traditional dishes. For example, in Kuwait, the dish "Harees" takes the lead on the Ramadan table, which is famous during this month. Harees is made from crushed wheat mixed with meat, and when served, it is sprinkled with powdered sugar, local ghee, and ground cinnamon. Following Harees is the dish "Tashreeb," which is present on Iftar tables in Kuwaiti homes; it consists of pieces of fermented or thin bread served with meat broth, which usually contains two types of vegetables: pumpkin and potatoes, along with dried lemon.

 Ramadan Oddities

Ramadan is also not without oddities, especially concerning the sighting of the moon, which has also affected Western cities. "Al-Mujtama" contacted Dr. Mustafa Abu Amara, a professor of Hadith at Al-Azhar University, who revealed a strange habit practiced by some Muslims in Boston, USA, during his visit there. Some rely on sighting the crescent moon with the naked eye to commence fasting and mark the first day of Ramadan.

Abu Amara warned that this arises from extremism or confusion between means and ends, as the means are a way to ascertain the obligation, which can be achieved with modern devices. Additionally, moonsighting through modern devices occurs through the eye as well, not through any other body parts.

Abu Amara called for serious awareness regarding such strange phenomena among Muslim communities in Western society. He also noted another strange phenomenon in one Arab country, where the call to prayer is not heard in mosques for determining the time for Iftar or the cessation of eating, to the extent that he would wait for nightfall to confirm the advent of evening for Iftar!