On 15 August 2011, I was invited by the Imams of a local mosque in Amman to join them for iftar.
In an effort  to absorb more of the cultural nuances of Jordan, I decided to participate in the fasting aspect of Ramadan. This entails no food or drink from dawn to dusk. I made this decision relatively early in my time here, knowing that I would be in country during what is the socio-cultural/religious highlight of the year here. In the evening, when practicing Muslims break their fast, it is called iftar—the meal to break the fast. And, in the mornings, early, early, early, there is what is called sahour—basically a small meal to prepare the body to be food and beverage free for roughly 14 hours.
This being said, one of my colleagues here at the office—Mahmoud Al Arab—was speaking with the imams of one of the mosques near his home in East Amman. He mentioned what he was doing in regards to VolunTourism Jordan and, as you might have guessed, my name came into the conversation. He then proceeded to mention that I was fasting during Ramadan and this piqued the interest of the Imams. So, to shorten the story, the Imams invited me to the mosque to partake in the iftar following the sunset prayer.

It was my first time in a mosque. Although I did not understand the Arabic, although I picked up the word Allah on more than one occasion, nor have a been versed in the movements of the Islamic prayers, I was touched by the sincerity of those who greeted me and “welcomed” me in what may have been the only English word they knew. Just prior to prayer, we sat cross-legged before a long white strip of plastic that featured a plate filled with dates spread every fifth person or so and a set of two cups—one filled with water, the other with buttermilk. Dates are viewed as one of the traditional means of breaking the fast prior to the sunset prayer, followed by the iftar.
So it was that some 50 – 75 lads and gentlemen sat down before these two cups, proceeded to drink each while consuming 3, 5, or 7 dates apiece. The two long strips of plastic, the cups, and plates of dates were then quickly removed and the prayer began.
By this time, nearly 100 lads and gentlemen were standing shoulder-to-shoulder, feet-to-feet uttering the name of Allah and going through their movements on the way to completing three rotations and finishing the prayer. It took roughly ten minutes.
As an observer of these happenings, I can but only offer that the energy in the space changed. Accustomed to being in sacred places the world over, I have come to appreciate each one, particularly when those present make a sincere effort to practice their practice, whatever that may be. Evidently, the members of this mosque were making the effort as there was a definite change in the feeling and the quieting of restlessness that accompanied their movements. I was not the least bit uncomfortable in my position as observer and it felt as though the members of the mosque were equally satisfied with my presence.
After the prayer, we moved to an outdoor patio area where mansaf was served. This is a traditional Jordanian dish and features white rice, roasted almonds, and quartered chicken served over very thin bread, almost the same thickness as a crepe. Over this is poured warm yogurt.
As a vegetarian, myself, I was allowed to bring my own “meal” – cashews, almonds, and pineapple juice for my iftar. As you might imagine, after fasting for 14 hours, the food is consumed rather quickly. In a matter of fifteen minutes, most of the members had eaten and were on their way to their respective homes.
However, a cadre of 10 or so, began to gather round to pry the Amriki (that’s me) with a number of questions. Would you like to know what they asked?
Mahmoud served as interpreter, and here is what he offered.
What do you think of Jordan?
Answer: I think it is a beautiful place with a rich history and magnificent landscapes.
What do you think of Jordanians?
Answer: I think they are an amazing people. Everything runs smoothly, however, until they are confronted with an obstacle. These is when they do one of three things—deny it exists, find the quickest way around it, or become incensed because it will not go away. (Not that this is unlike other cultures, of course, but this has been my observation. For example, a stop sign, in most neighborhoods, is approached at nearly full speed and the horn is honked two or three times as the driver passes through the stop sign. The only way to slow down this process is if an actual car is in the intersection blocking the path.

Were you afraid to come here tonight?
Answer: No, I was not afraid, not in the least.

Are you sure? You didn’t have any hesitations
Answer: Yes. I had no hesitations.
What do you think of Islam?

Answer: It is a living practice. (i.e. its value in one’s life is limited or manifested simply by the degree to which it is practiced throughout one’s life—much as any faith practice is)
Why do the Western media portray Islam in such a negative way?
Answer: Ignorance. I think they do not know any better. No one has taught them about Islam, nor do they seek to find out more. They simply write about it from the limited-to-no understanding that they have of the subject. (Obviously, Western media is in the business of selling fear, at least this is my perspective, and what sells, therefore, is what people are most afraid of and, of course, this means, at present anyway, Islam and Muslims.
What food do you eat as a vegetarian?
Answer: I make some of my own dishes including one of my favorite dishes—bananas, chickpeas, apples, tahini, and honey.
Have you ever made a dish you could not eat?
Answer: No, never.
What things do you practice that are similar to Islam?
Answer: I fast. I support charitable efforts. I hold that there is a single Infinite Power. These are the things I believe are in keeping with Islam
What do Americans think of Muslims?
Answer: I do not know. I can only speak to what I think. For me, my only barrier is the language.
This is not the entire list of questions, but I think you get the idea. They shared much with me. One gentleman, a black-belt in karate, no less, shared the reasoning behind some of the movements of the prayer they were practicing earlier in the evening—how it aligns the spine, opens the lungs to receive oxygen, and strengthens the heart.

The sincerity of the group was patent; so patent, in fact, that I have been invited to return. Wonder of Wonders!
Mahmoud and I went for a walk in his neighborhood after the engagement. He took me by his school and shared some stories of his childhood, what it was like growing up there—how the wall where he and some of the other boys used to sit became a place for staring and whistling at girls and so it was torn down. How the girls and boys are separated at a very young age to go to school in completely separate facilities. Although one can read about these things, having it expressed and shared through the vision of a Jordanian carries with it so much more than a Wikipedia page ever could.
It is premature to suggest that any ‘voluntourist’ could have the experience I am having here in Jordan. Living here, as I am, likely I am privy to things that a voluntourist would not be, unless such was incorporated into the experience somehow.
As it is, this is a good snapshot of my life at present. Ramadan is a difficult time for the physical form – very demanding on many levels. My mind works until noon, from my 3am starting time that is, and then loses its grip on cognitive processing until I take an afternoon siesta for an hour or two. Running is also a challenge, but I have been able to keep it up a couple of times a week. I have found that it is easier to run just prior to breaking the fast in the evening, rather than trying to wake up at 1am to get in a run before ‘sahour’.
I am hopeful that each of you may one day find your way to a place that is rooted in traditions that are truly ancient insofar as human history is concerned. Putting your hands on an olive tree that is 2500 years old; eating dates of so many types and varieties you cannot imagine such is possible; speaking with members of tribal communities who can trace their family trees back millennia ago. Whether it be here in Jordan or elsewhere, the experience is indescribable in its subtlety, albeit it can also have moments that are far from subtle.
Sitting with those Imams and members of the mosque, I felt as though I was communicating with time itself.

I will likely never fully apprehend what happened last evening. To be invited into a mosque, to break fast with members of that mosque during Ramadan, to be asked such questions, sincerely no less, and to be hosted in such a manner. I would venture to guess that no other Amriki has ever been treated in such a manner, at least in that neighborhood mosque. To suggest that the door was opened through VolunTourism, well, it might be a stretch; but it certainly didn’t hurt. And, I guess this is my philosophy: If you put service as the uppermost intention in the context of your travel engagement with the world around you, what unfolds cannot be imagined or expected. It can only be experienced.

David L. Clemmons is the founder, VolunTourism.org. Presently he is in Amman working the Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association.
Skype: thevoluntourist

http://www.voluntourism.org

http://blog.voluntourism.org

Please Note: I am currently living in Amman. I may be unreachable by email for days at a time, so please keep this in mind if you are on a deadline for a project or article.

As follow-up to my September 12 post entitled ‘Some tips to touring Jordan during Ramadan,’ I thought it might be an interesting cultural lesson to those traveling in the Hashemite Kindom during this “festival” (Eid) celebrating the “break of the fast” (ul-Fitr).

Starting out with how-to-know when Ramadan is ending – a process nicely described via the VOA Newsire:

The three-day Eid al Fitr holiday begins Tuesday in nine Arab states, with the exception of Egypt and Syria, after Muslim scholars sighted the crescent moon, overnight, bringing an end to the month of Ramadan, according to Islam’s lunar calendar.

The APF news service adds this interesting tidbit and twist to the process:

Religious authorities in Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest shrines, said the new moon had been sighted and that Ramadan would end on Monday with the feast to follow the next day. Lebanon and Jordan made similar announcements.

The Islamic calendar is a lunar one, and most Muslim countries set the beginning of Eid al-Fitr by the sighting of the new moon.

But Libya — where the feast also begins on Tuesday — uses astronomical calculations.

With when out of the way, we wander over to the WikiPedia Eid al-Fitr page to learn what and how; including this media-driven, modern practice:

The end of Ramadan is announced via e-mail, postings on websites, or chain phone calls to all members of a Muslim community.

And it is with that last noteable quotable  I thought it might be fun to list some snippets from a few Jordanian bloggers announcing EID – starting with this marvelous poster via Chocoholic MADNESS:

The author adding:

… Its EID! Woo hoo! I love waking up early on EID! (only on EID i would rather sleep any other day). So we go to EID prayer then ofcourse we go to have BREAKFAST! i miss having a big yummy breakfast! Pancakes! Fried Eggs with Toast and Croissant & jam!

Degrees of Freedom writes – Fitr Mubarak for you:

if you wanna feel something fuzzy about Eid, check this blog post entry, southern muslimah shows how people are celebrating Eid around the world

Kinzi (My Treasure) – A Blessed Eid, Dear Readers

Mabruuk, mabruuk, mabruuk!!!

HeiseHeise.com – Eid ul-Fitr; Ramadan’s end

Today marked the end of Ramadan, which means that a collective sigh of relief seemed to go up all over this side of the world last night when the sun’s last rosy edge dropped below the horizon for the final night of Ramadan. On my way to and from the school, the streets were jam-packed in the morning … But in the afternoon, all was eerily quiet along the main roads – I’ve been told that today is the Eid ul-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast, and it’s an Islamic tradition to travel great distances to see old friends to have the festival together. Even some of my American teacher friends, none of them Muslim, are joining in with the idea …

Rob Ganim-Live from Amman – Weekend with the Bedouins

The arrival of Eid and the end of Ramadan cut my weekend with the Bedouins short last night, as our group was piled into a late night bus that took us back to Amman, arriving at about 12:30 am. Despite this, I had another great experience here in Jordan. I spent my weekend with a Bedouin family in the village of Naifa on the Baghdad Road, which, not surprisingly, goes to Baghdad.

Jordanian Drift – EID MUBARAK!!!

So, today (Tuesday) happened to be declared Eid in Jordan. Al-hamdoulillah. I went visiting last night and as it turned out wound up with less than 2 hours sleep by the time I rolled out of bed at fajr and had to start getting ready for the Eid prayer. The masjid was full, but not packed which was nice, and EVERYONE (locals, foreigners, visitors, residents etc) went around giving salams, kissing each other, spearding the “Eid love” -

So happy and blessed Eid to all the wonderful people I’ve met in Jordan – I look forward to seeing you again at some point in the future; though when I can’t tell (years?-).

It seems to me that Ramadan is a time when many Muslims in Jordan become especially devout and adhere more closely to certain Islamic doctrines, almost in the same way some protestant Christians become more devout during Christmas, Lent, and Easter.

So writes the author of a blog entitled “My gap year and King’s Academy” – who goes onto cite two examples of Jordanian Muslims seeming to be more devout during Ramadan with observations on alcohol and alms giving – observing:

While the Quran technically forbids any consumption of alcohol, I think; there are still plenty of Jordanian Muslims who drink during the year. Not during Ramadan, however: So many Jordanian Muslims use Ramadan to observe this rule of Islam that most stores and cafes won’t even serve alcohol during the evenings to non-Muslims.

The other example of Jordanian Muslims becoming more devout during Ramadan is the act of giving alms. While one of the pillars of Islam requires Muslims to give alms to the poor, it doesn’t clearly specify when alms should be given or how much. Since Ramadan began, however, I’ve noticed donation boxes almost everywhere I’ve gone. The boxes are the King Hussein Cancer Foundation, and I’ve seen these boxes, usually half about 1/3 full with coins and bills, at the end of check out lines, at cash registers, and even around school.

I’m posting the above as I think it makes a nice follow-up to a post I wrote last week entitled: “Some tips to touring Jordan during Ramadan” as well as affords me a chance to cite these other articles of things one might observe if experiencing the journey that is Jordan during the holy month of Ramadan:

• Students find Ramadan spirit by helping underprivileged peers
• Ramadan unites faiths in Jordan
• i2 launches Ramadan charity campaign in cooperation with UNCIEF

While an excellent lesson in patience, sacrifice and humility, this practice may create some dietary difficulties for those working, studying and/or traveling in Jordan during Ramadan – as described in the following snippet from the Jordan Times:

Expatriates studying or working in Jordan say they face difficulty in locating places where they can have daily meals before iftar during the holy month of Ramadan.

Meanwhile, authorities insisted that no exceptions will be made to the strict regulations “to preserve the sanctity of the holy month”, issued ahead of Ramadan.

The Interior Ministry’s instruction should be observed by Muslims and non-Muslims, who are not allowed to eat, drink or smoke in public during daytime.

Suzie Banit, an American student studying at a public university, said it is hard for her to adjust to Ramadan customs.

“This is my first time to be in a Muslim country during Ramadan. I try my best not to eat in front of Muslims,” Banit told The Jordan Times on Tuesday, adding that expatriates may find Ramadan customs difficult to understand, yet, they are willing to respect them.

Eric Benz, a 25-year-old American, said he feels embarrassed to eat or drink in front of Muslims, adding that he tries his best not to do so.

While the elderly, sick, children, and travelers are traditionally exempt from Ramadan’s fasting regulations, it is still something to consider when working out times to tour Jordan as both a number of tourist sites, and eating establishments might be closed during daylight hours; as described in this snip from the same Jordan Times article:

The regulations, which were published in the local media days before the start of Ramadan, ban restaurants and coffee shops from offering their usual services during the day in Ramadan …

… Although Zu’bi said these regulation are applicable to all food outlets, regardless of their classification, several restaurants still open during the day, it is noted.

A restaurant keeper in Jabal Luweibdeh said his outlet is qualified by the Tourism and Antiquities Ministry, which means the restaurant can do business as usual in Ramadan.

“We are a three-star restaurant and we open from 9:00am till after midnight,” the restaurant manager told The Jordan Times yesterday adding that “on many days, customers need to make advance reservations”.

This would have been legal last year when the Interior Ministry allowed three-star restaurants to serve tourists during Ramadan days.

But Zu’bi said: “We have nothing to do with Tourism Ministry rankings. We have instructions and we are enforcing them with no exception.” Yet he acknowledged that police cannot raid hotels to check that the law is respected in the restaurants.

And while personally this last time around, I could have done with less eating in exchange for visiting more historic sites, such restrictions may pose a problem for travelers with health issues – as pointed out in this snip from the AP News service:

Ramadan – traditionally a time of abstinence and focus on prayer in the Muslim world has also become, health officials worry, a time of overdoing it and unhealthy habits.

Fasters who abstain from food, water and smoking during the day sometimes binge at night to make up,  …

… Few Ramadan health statistics are kept or publicized. But in Jordan, health officials said heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and simple indigestion cases seen at hospitals and clinics had skyrocketed during the holy month’s first week.

Of course it is not all hardship. In fact for some it might be very exciting time to visit, as described by the blog of a Northwestern student ‘Laura in Jordan’ in her recent post on Ramadan entitle ‘A lamb for dinner, minus the head:’

Ramadan was exciting for the first week because it has all the festivity of Christmas in the U.S. Colored lights — mostly in the shape of the Muslim moon and star — hang in all the windows, strangers greet each other with “Ramadan Kareem!” and the kitchen is a constant whirlwind of activity. Families travel in packs to relatives’ homes and devour heaping piles of meat and rice. I love watching the minutes leading up to the “iftar,” or “break fast.”

All that said, I did note a number of tour companies on the web that offer discounts for travel during Ramadan while Googling some information for this post – whether or not the sites you want to see are open during the daylight hours needs to be confirmed with any travel package.

It also doesn’t hurt to do a bit of online research at sites like the Lonely Planet which can offer cultural tidbits you may not have considered such as:

You can buy picnic food, but it is not polite to eat and drink very publicly when everybody around you is fasting.

The only “problem” we had whas when we came back in Amman and found all the restaurants closed for lunch!

During Ramadan some hotels have very noisy arrangements till late in the night in their restaurant area . Make sure that you are not going to be close to such a “sahra” if you want to sleep.

As you can see, your mileage may vary!