God says in the Koran: “O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you,
that ye may (learn) self-restraint”. Holy Quran (2:183).
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. It enjoys a special importance
around the Islamic world, especially in this country. It is a month of worship but it also
brings many blessings to those who do good deeds and help the needy, widows,
orphans and downtrodden on earth.
As I Sidi Abderrahmane al Illouli's Mosque have witnessed for more than fifty years in
this country people rapidly change during this month, and it seems that a
metamorphosis has taken over everyone as they become more generous, more cordial,
more friendly and more ready than at other times of the year to do good work.
The poor and the needy receive food,
clothing and money from the well-to-do in
this community. Many people go to the
mosque in the neighborhood to break their
fast and enjoy “Suhour” (pre-dawn meals)
The people of the neighborhood send fruit,
food and drinks to the nearby mosque. A
friendly “community” dinner every sunset
of this holy month creates a wonderful,
heart-rendering atmosphere.
Ramadan is a time when Algerians become
more attuned to people in need, as
volunteering has become a Ramadan
tradition, particularly among young people,
where high school students devote some
of their time to cooking and serving
dinners at the “Rahma” (benevolent)
restaurants. In Algiers alone there are
about seven great Rahma restaurants, each
serving between 120 to 400 meals a night,
as it is very important that that the “dignity
of the people” is preserved and that
everyone can break the fast with a warm
meal during this blessed month. Ramadan
is also a great occasion on which Muslims
invite one another and friends to break the
fast together by sharing their food and
warm feelings of true Islamic brotherhood.
During this period, people all over Algeria
and elsewhere in the Muslim world partake
of the culinary delights to have enough
energy to cope with the difficulties of the
day. The pleasant tasting food in Algeria
and the Maghrib countries is famously
known as the Zalabia sweet, a sort of cake
made with sugar syrup.
Some tradesmen and unemployed
youngsters often transform their shops into
bakeries producing the famous “Zalabia”.
However, some vendors are taking
advantage of the shopping mood of the
people and increasing their prices. In recent
years Algerian traders and craftsmen have
decided to minimize the impact by deciding
to distribute and check some important
items, such as meat, but this has little
impact on the ever rising prices.
Ramadan, besides being the month of
worship and Divine blessings, carries a great
historical importance. The revelations of the
Holy Quran commenced during this month.
The epoch-making “'Battle of Badr” the
first battle fought by the Prophet and his
Companions against the non-faithful tribe
of Quraish took place on the 17th of
Ramadan in the second year of Hijra. The
“Conquest of Mecca” took place on the
20th of Ramadan in the eighth year of Hijra.
The last ten days of Ramadan are a time of
special spiritual power. Some nights,
among the last ten nights are called the
“Nights of Glory” (Laylat Al-Qadr). These
are the 21st, and 23rd or 27th nights.
Muslims stay up during these nights and
offer special prayers. The 27th is the holiest
of the holy nights.
A clear sign of respect for Ramadan in
Algiers is that you cannot see any Muslims
eating, drinking or smoking in public during
daylight hours. Ramadan is also a time of
intensive worship, such as reading the Koran,
giving charity, purifying one's behavior and
doing good deeds. All Mosques and Zawayas
open until late during this month in all cities
of Algeria. It is such an important time that
these places of worship are teeming with
believers who read the Holy Quran. Some
pray until very late while others listen to the
recitation of the holy Koran, its
interpretation, as well as some other lectures
related to this holy month.
This year National Algerian TV is launching a
new programme entitled: “the Knights of the
Holy Quran”. The show, a joint project
between Algerian TV and the Ministry of
Religious Affairs, is part of a plan to
implement more balance in Algerian TV
programming. Contestants from 15,000
applicants, including reciters of the Holy
Quran from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey
and Indonesia, will gather in Algiers. The best
will be named “Knight of the Quran” and will
be announced on the last day of Ramadan.
Throughout the show, the competitors will
recite verses from the Holy Quran and the
audience will vote for the best recite
