Qaranqasho, a special night in Ramadan

On the night before the 15th day, or half-way through Ramadan, children celebrate Qaranqasho by wearing traditional costumes and going door-to-door through their neighbourhoods singing songs and collecting sweets and halwa. In the past, children used to carry shells and beat them against each other while singing. This celebration started as a way to reward children for successfully fasting for the first half of the month, and to encourage them to continue through the second half. It continues to be a beloved tradition throughout the Gulf countries.

As a part of the festivities, children are given sweets and candy, and treated to face painting, balloon art, cartoon characters, games and other fun activities. On this day, mothers also make rice dishes with meat, fish, or chicken, as well as harees and sweets, and distribute them to the poor. In Oman Qaranqasho is celebrated in shopping malls, hotels and other places.

Words of Wisdom

8) “Do what is beautiful. Allah loves those who do what is beautiful” [Quran 2:195]

Another beautiful verse from the Quran, this can help remind us to stay good and pure in our actions, and to strive towards being the best Muslims even when it seems no one is looking. Beauty, on a deeper level, is often equated with goodness of Allah, and by remembering that our actions should be centered around having a beautiful heart we can inshallah come closer to Allah.

Fasting tips

Include complex carbohydrates and proteins
It is vital to provide your body with the energy it needs after long hours of fasting.  Include wholegrains like brown rice, couscous, barley or lentils. Also make sure to eat one or two portions of various sources of protein such as lean meat, fish, beans, pulses, lentils, chickpea or tofu.

Cuisine
Iftar traditions in Malaysia
In Malaysia, Iftar is called 'berbuka puasa', which can be literally translated as "to open the fast". After breaking the fast with traditional dates and water, people indulge in sugarcane juice, soybean milk mixed with grass jelly, nasi lemak, laksa, ayampercik, chicken rice, satay and popiah. Night markets are also popular dining spots after sunset, open to all, serving the masses as they break the daylong fast with affordable street food feasts.