Also in Kenya, as of yesterday, Ramadan, the Muslim month of 'spiritual cleansing' that corresponds to the ninth month of the Mohammedan calendar, began.
On the Swahili coast of Kenya, Ramadan is always a celebration, as well as a month of prayers and diet.
Africa has also made this sacred occasion a time for socialising, with after-dark dinners in communal houses, with banquets of local gastronomic specialities often prepared by mothers and grandmothers in Arab neighbourhoods: in Mombasa in the old town and in Malindi in popular areas such as Barani and Shella. Ramadan is also very popular in the Lamu archipelago, where the Islamic faithful make up 70% of the entire population.
Ramadan kicks off depending on when the moon rises and is fully visible in Mecca and the cadence of this period varies from year to year. During this month, corresponding to the period when the Qur'an was revealed as a guide for men and clear proof of righteousness and salvation, Muslims are required to fast by abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking, having sexual intercourse during the day and limiting themselves to eating a small evening meal called iftar after a prayer that breaks the fast until the next morning. Abstained from observing Ramadan are children, the sick, people travelling, pregnant women, those breastfeeding or those who are menstruating.
During Ramadan, it is common practice for believers to go to the mosque to pray. In addition to the usual five daily prayers, a special prayer called Taraweeh (night prayer) is added during this period. On the 27th evening, which coincides with the belief that Muhammad received the revelation of the holy Quran on that very day, Muslims celebrate Laylat-al-Qadr (the night of power).
The end of Ramadan is celebrated, on the first day of the month of Shawwal, with a three-day festivity (Id-al-Fitr) that sees the reunion of friends and relatives, exchanges of gifts and family meals. The most virtuous, after celebrating, continue spiritual daytime fasting and prayers for another five days.