Along with National festivities, especially and mainly the religious festivities of Eid al-adha and Eid al-fitr have important roles in the lives of people in Turkey. It is not possible to pinpoint to the exact dates of those festivities based on the Gregorian calendar because, the festivities are expressed in accordance with Mohammedan calendar.
Mohammedan calendar on the other hand is 11 days short of the number of days in Christian-Gregorian calendar. As such, Islamic feasts prolapse forward 11 days each year. Despite their religious nature, such feasts are also considered official holidays. Schools, banks, government offices and many businesses are closed throughout the festive period.
As is the case with us, compared to the Westernized, contemporary larger cities, religious festivities have a larger role in rural areas. Whereas here, the differences to normal holidays are almost non-existent. Ramadan festivities, also known as "Confectionary festivities" is the highlight of the fasting period and is celebrated at the end of the month of Ramadan. Festivities are held for three days and originate from the tradition of children knocking on their neighbor's doors and being given confectionaries for this gesture. Adults and families visit their relatives and graves of their loved ones. Thus the end of fasting days is observed.
The ninth month in Mohammedan calendar, throughout the month of Ramadan eating, drinking, smoking and sex are forbidden for Moslems between day break and sun set. Due to the fact that medication cannot be taken, the elderly, the sick and nursing mothers are exempt from fasting. Likewise, those traveling are also exempt from fasting. As the sun sets, families and guests break their fasts (iftar) on generous meals.
For the Moslems the nights of the month of Ramadan are sacred periods of time. Because, on one of those nights the spirits and angels were sent down to earth by Allah (Sura 97, Verse 1-5). On those nights, not only generous food and drinking are enjoyed but also extensive praying is also carried out. Women also go to mosques for prayers. Towards the end of the month of Ramadan, on 27th day, the "Kadr Night- The night of power and honor" is celebrated. On this night the profit Hz. Mohammed was delivered the first verse of Koran by means of angel Gabriel and he was assigned his duty to be a messenger of god.
The most important Islamic festivity is the four day long Eid al-adha (the feast of sacrifice). The origins of this ritual can be traced back to the story in Old Testament of sacrificing of Ishmael in the hands of Abraham. In that story, an animal is sacrificed instead of a human. We can also find the deeper meaning of the word Islam in that story: that is, the literal meaning of the word "Islam" is to submit to God's will. Millions of Moslems in the festive days visit the Ka'bah and the localities that are closely related to the life of Abraham, information about which has been narrated through hearsay. On these festivities, every family that can afford it sacrifices a goat or a sheep. Those with higher status sacrifice cattle. Animals to be sacrifice are purchased well in advance and are fattened. Yet some Moslems share the costs and jointly sacrifice cattle.
Practiced on the 10th day of the month of pilgrimage, the sacrificing event is also an element related to pilgrimage to Mecca, which every single Moslem must observe at least once in their life time, provided that the conditions apply to them.
Following the festive prayers in the morning of the first day, the animal to be sacrificed is slaughtered by the head of the family and is distributed into pieces.
One third of the meat is given to friends and neighbors; one third is given to the needy. As such, it is ensured that everyone participates in the festivities. People greet the season and visit the sick. Young people express their respects for their elders, kiss their hands and receive presents in return. Elderly of the villages get together, visit the people at their homes and extend their wish for a prosperous future. This is a festivity of reunion. The second day, women get together. The next two days are reserved for visits to relatives in nearby villages. Less important religious festivities are observed in a manner that seems in the background for the tourists. Because, they are not official festivities as are the two biggest ones. A private religious ritual observed by individual groups is the "mevlid-mawlid". This is a kind of meditation in which apart from reciting prayers, the life of prophet Hz. Mohammed is recited in a poetic manner through hymns. Mevlid can be observed in weddings, circumcision ceremonies and in remembrance of the dead. Although the fundamentals of such private rituals cannot be found in terms of religious worship, they are firmly rooted in the daily lives of the Turks.
For example, marriage in Islam is in fact not a religious ritual. Again, the circumcision ceremony in which the foreskin of penises of young Turkish boys between the ages of 5-12 is removed is not a prerequisite for the faith.
In line with the gradual weakening of attachment to religion , especially the middle class living a relatively prosperous lives in large cities tend to use such days as a holiday from work and take short trips to their choice of various destinations. Commercialization of religious holidays, which has been completed in Western Europe long ago, is fast on the increase in Turkiye.
