First tarawih in Hagia Sophia, iftar cannon in Sultanahmet, and morning prayer in Eyüp Sultan... An alcohol-free and peaceful Ramadan route where you will breathe the spiritual climate of Istanbul with your family.
The first thing we look for when breaking our fast is sincerity and halal food. The first stop that comes to mind when mentioning iftar in Istanbul is undoubtedly the Historical Peninsula. Waiting for the adhan in Sultanahmet Square and sharing your date with a stranger next to you is a completely different feeling. In Süleymaniye, eating baked beans and rice against Mimar Sinan's masterpiece in alcohol-free family venues is an Istanbul classic. If you want a quieter environment, the taste of having iftar with your own picnic basket by spreading your prayer rug on the grass against the Maiden's Tower on the Üsküdar coast is priceless.
After iftar, the streets of Istanbul are filled with people running to tarawih prayer. Definitely spare one evening this year for Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque. Praying among takbir sounds in this great temple, which was reopened for worship after 86 years, will give you goosebumps. On the Anatolian Side, the Great Çamlıca Mosque is a place where you can comfortably worship with your family with its spacious structure and magnificent acoustics. Your children running around in the mosque courtyard is the most beautiful Ramadan memory you can give them. A hot Ottoman sherbet or roasted corn taken after prayer is the reward of the night.
Ramadan is also the month of science and culture. The Religious Publications Book Fair (usually set up in the courtyard of Sultanahmet or Fatih Mosque), which has become one of Istanbul's classics, is perfect for those who want to inhale the smell of books. You can wander here with your family, examine Islamic works, and meet authors. When you lift your head, you see the Mahyas, the necklaces of Istanbul. Reading the writings 'Welcome O City of Ramadan' or 'Fast and Find Health' turns into a fun game for children. These traditions are the most precious values that make us who we are and connect us to each other.
Istanbul is one of the cities where the month of Ramadan is experienced most beautifully. Mahyas rising from minarets, the smell of pita bread overflowing from bakeries, and that sweet rush in mosque courtyards... This year, you will not say 'where are those old Ramadans' with your family, you will experience that spirit personally.
Ramadan is not just about staying hungry, but feeding the soul. Every corner of Istanbul is full of this spiritual heritage left to us by our ancestors. Take your family this month; perform a tarawih in the spaciousness of Çamlıca Mosque, visit the Holy Mantle (Hırka-i Şerif) and pray with your tears, and appear before the Sacred Relics at Topkapi Palace. As the HalalWorld.com family, we wish this holy month brings abundance to your home and peace to your heart. Have a blessed Ramadan in advance!
