Ramadan marks the month in which the revelation of the Holy Quran began. One of the seasonal traditions is the hosting of women-only “mukabele” sessions in private homes.
This tradition has been observed in communities predominantly by stay-at-home mothers. Women may set a certain day of the week to gather with friends and neighbors to read the Quran together. This has become a frequent practice, especially in new high-rise apartment buildings, with the hostess posting a note on the building bulletin board and inviting other women to come over at a set day and time. Time is usually set aside for drinking tea and socializing, and the mukabele becomes a time of congregational spiritual reflection. In Turkish, mukabele refers to reciting the entire Quran during Ramadan.
Ramadan ends this week. Then a period of family celebrations.
At BYU we had a girl in my dorm from Jordan whose father was an advisor to one of the Prince Husseins. She was sent to BYU because they felt like it was a safe place for her. I remember when Farrah observed Ramadan and her roommate fasted every day with her, to show support, and they ate together in the evening after dark.
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