Iranians celebrated the first day of Ramadan, what they call “The Spring of the Quran,” where mosques are filled with people and everyone attempts to read the Quran by the end of the month – a tradition that is similarly shared in Egypt. While Ramadan is similar in all Islamic countries in the world, what distinguishes Iran is that each governorate has unique rituals and traditions. Ramadan is a joyful holiday in Iran with many participating in various traditions, like mosque cleaning in the last week Sha'aban, the month before Ramadan, Saad el-Ekhany, adviser to the Office Care of Iranian Interests in Cairo told Youm7. The “Month of Spring of the Quran” gives Iranians the opportunity to strive for greater piety, engage in acts of charity and participate in religious events. Ramadan is not complete without listening to the calls to prayer by Rahim Zadeh Ardebili, the famous Iranian Muezzin, said el-Ekhany. Iranians are also fond of Quran recitations by Egyptian Muezzins, especially Sheikh Abdul Basit Abdul Samad. Iran and Egypt share the tradition of the “Mesharati,” a sort of town crier who wakes citizens with a drum, alerting them to dawn's imminent arrival and urging them to get one last bite to eat before the day's fasting begins. In the city of Isfahan, residents break their fast to the sound of a cannon, which is located in one of the squares in the old city. There are certain Ramadan staples found on every Iranian table, including a special Okra dish, Ashe Rishta, a creamy pasta laden soup and Zubleya, a form of latticed bread. Sweetshops and patisseries do roaring business during Ramadan. As a Shi'ite nation, Iran celebrates several special days in Ramadan, including Laylat al-Qadr, the anniversary of the night the Quran was revealed. Muslims believe the revelation of the Quran occurred in two phases, the first phase being the revelation in its entirety on Laylat al-Qadr to Gabriel in the lowest heaven, followed by the subsequent verse-by-verse revelation to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel. Laylat al-Qadr is found on the last ten odd nights of Ramadan; all are celebrated by prayer and religious observances. Iranians also celebrate the 19th, 20th and 21st of the month, signifying the dates on which Imam Ali ibn Abu-Taalib, the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammed, was struck down by a poisoned sword and died a martyr. The Iranian government has been able to combine ancient folk tradition and modernity to keep pace with the times. Imam Khomeini decreed the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan "Jerusalem Day,” a day on which millions of fasters take to the streets and denounce Israel and its atrocities. Openly breaking your fast in Iran is punishable by law, as it is believed to be an offense to others and to Islam. “Criminalizing such behavior is highly unjust because Tehran is full of travelers and sick citizens who cannot fast,” said Taieba Khatebi, a political science researcher at Tehran University. “You shouldn't be punished if you have a drink of water in this heat.” “If the person has a problem and cannot abstain from food or drink, the problem should not be addressed by the government … people can respect the sanctity of this month without government interference,” Khatebi added.
