Ramadan in Hong Kong 1-0-1 🎉

It’s Ramadan time again! Hong Kong being a World city has people from various countries & religions coming to work here. 220,000 Muslims living in Hong Kong and many amongst them are observing the Ramadan fast this month, from morning to evening. In this article, LocalHood volunteers Ayse Gul and Suman Widge, tell us about what this holy month is all about for Musims all over, with a Hong Kong flavor.

As previously featured on Localhood, Ramadan is a sacred time where Muslims abstain from food and drink during daylight hours. Through control of appetite and thirst, believers are vicariously encouraged to be mindful of their thoughts and deeds. It is also a month where Muslims reset themselves from the accumulation of distractions and desires throughout the year.

Muslims start their day with Sahur and end it with “Iftar” during the month of Ramadhan. Sahur is the pre-dawn meal that Muslims start with in the morning before sunrise to begin their fasting for the day and they end it with Isha prayer which may be followed by a voluntary prayer - Taraweeh prayer. After the prayers, there is Iftar, which refers to the meal that breaks the fast after sunset. For Iftar, Muslims gather with family and friends to break their fast, known as Iftar, at sunset. They share meals, invite others to join, and strengthen community bonds. It is a time of togetherness and unity. As a Muslim, it is obligatory to fast, except for special circumstances. These include the elderly, women who are pregnant, the sick, travellers, and women who are in their menstrual cycle.

Now the question is: Is it easy in Hong Kong for them to follow all the rituals and traditions they observe back home during this month long fast? It is actually quite easy, according to Mrs. Ansari who moved to Hong Kong 8 years back. She said that the only problem she & her family faced in the beginning was going for Taraweeh prayers to a mosque, as a mosque was very far from their home, so they did the Taraweeh prayer at home. Later, she found out the location of the 5 mosques in HK!!

Different Mosques around Hong Kong serve free iftar during Ramadan which includes the Kowloon Mosque in Tsim Sha Tsui and Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Sadick Islamic Centre in Wan Chai.

Besides the choice of having the Iftar in the mosque, you can also eat at the different halal restaurants in Hong Kong. Some of them include the Islamic Centre Canteen in Wan Chai which serves halal dim sum, Wai Kee in Bowrington Road Cooked Food Centre which is famous for its roasted duck with rice or noodles and not forgetting Causeway Bay with abundant choices of Indonesian Food. To get a complete list of some of our favorite local eateries that are halal or halal-friendly, visit LocalHood article dedicated to this subject.

At the end of the Ramadhan month, Muslims end a month-long of fasting by celebrating Eid Al-Fitr. During this festive celebration, Muslims gather together for prayers, exchange gifts, visit loved ones, and enjoy delicious meals while exchanging greetings of "Eid Mubarak," which means "Blessed Eid." It is also customary to visit friends, relatives, and neighbours, spreading joy and building stronger bonds within the community. In my family, traditional dishes and sweets, such as baklava and Turkish delight, are commonly served with family and friends.

Overall, Ramadan is a month of devotion, self-discipline, and reflection for Muslims worldwide.

There are a few centres located around Hong Kong that offer tours and learning opportunities to learn more about the Muslim residents of Hong Kong and celebrate the diversity of Hong Kong. The Jamia Mosque situated in Mid-Levels, well worth a visit, offers free mosque tours and the Islamic Centre Canteen is another great place to mingle and get to know more Muslim residents who live amongst us in the city.