Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is a time of fasting for Muslims. Each day during this month, Muslims all over the world abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, from dawn until the sun sets. The family usually
get together everyday for their "Iftar".I visited different families and places from Syrian refugees, to wealthy families to document how each home, place, and family have their Iftars.
The Mourad household break their fast in their home by eating a date and drinking water, in Beirut, Lebanon. (R-L) Rasha, a stay home mother, and her children Bashar, 12, and Jana, 10, and Samar, Rasha's sister-in-law who visited for Iftar. Bashar and Jana fast for the whole month of Ramadan, and have done for the last four years. The usual Mourad Iftar consists of soup, pizza, fried cheese sticks, Fattouch (Lebanese salad), and a different Lebanese dish everyday. Rasha was in the kitchen for seven hours preparing the Iftar from scratch.
Iftar is prepared by the Sheikh's wife and her sister in law, at the Daouq
Mosque in Beirut, Lebanon. During this Iftar, anyone from the public can come and eat, usually, the needy, or Syrian refugees come for Iftar at the Daouq mosque. A Syrian refugee from Hama holds her daughter and says aprayer before they break their fast. The Iftar begins with a date and a glass of water. The Daouq Iftar is made up of soup to begin with, orange juice,Fattouch (Lebanese salad), rice and minced meat. All the food that has not been eaten the same night will be used for the day after.
The Jaroush family meet for an Iftar at "Tia Sara's" (center right) home in Bekaa, Lebanon. Although her daughters, son and grandchildren lead busy lives between Beirut and Bekaa, they make an effort during Ramadan to have Iftar all together. The dishes and juices on the table are made by each family member.The Jaroush Iftar was formed of Fattouch (Lebanese salad), homemadeLemonade, spicy and mild Fajitas, oven baked herbed chicken with roasted potato, and Lebanese dish, Labbaniye.
A large Mourad family gathering took place on the apartment rooftop, all the
food was prepared by the grandmother and her maids, in Beirut, Lebanon.Family greet each other at the Iftar gathering, where approximately 100 family guests arrived, this month of the year is heavily focused on breaking your fast with your family. This Iftar consisted of Lebanese dishes such as
soup, stuffed vine leaves, a variety of salads, several meat and rice dishes.
The Daher family wait to break their fast at their grandmother's home in Beirut, Lebanon. Almost every day for the month, Souraya, the children's
grandmother cooks an Iftar meal for approximately nine people. Although, the children leave the table early as they prefer their mother's cooking of hamburgers, fried chicken, and lasagna. The Daher Iftar is made up of soup, spinach stuffed dough pyramids, chicken almond rice, Fattouch (Lebanese salad), fried cheese sticks, and lamb in pastry puffs. Daily, the Daher family
give their doorman an Iftar meal.
A Syrian refugee family have their Iftar meal in their temporary home in Beirut, Lebanon. The family of five, who were previously a family of six from Idlib lost their eight-month pregnant daughter in Syria from a bomb that hit their home, they spent their last Ramadan in Syria having Iftar to the sound of bombs droppingin their neighbourhood. This family's Iftar comprised of soup, rice- stuffed Zucchinis and aubergines, green peppers, and Fattouch (Lebanese salad), all of the food that has not been eaten the same night will be used for the day after.
Lebanese Muslim Scouts have their Iftar at the charitable Makhzoumi feeding tent in Beirut, Lebanon. Every day, the Makhzoumi Foundation feeds 316 needy people, the leftovers are given to the poor on the street. The scouts
volunteer to help give out the food to the needy. For Iftar, the Lebanese Muslim Scouts ate Loubieh bi Zeit (Lebanese dish of flat green beans), rice and chicken, soup, and spinach stuffed dough pyramids.
A large Mourad family gathering took place at an apartment, all the food was prepared by the grandmother and her maids, in Beirut, Lebanon. This month of the year is heavily focused on breaking your fast with your family. This Iftar consisted of Lebanese dishes such as soup, stuffed vine leaves, a variety of
salads, several meat and rice dishes.
Fruit and Vegetable street vendors have their Iftar meal in their temporary home in Beirut, Lebanon.