Ramadhan 2009 in Yemen - Part 2 (Terawih)

Salam.

Previously, in part 1 I have shared with you about having iftar here. Today, for part 2 I shall write about the differences of Terawih prayers between Yemen and Malaysia.

In Malaysia:

1. We would be at the mosque for Terawih on time.
2. We don't usually leave until we have prayed at least 8 rakaat of Terawih.
   
3. There is moreh (supper) after Terawih. - the most important part .. lol
   

In Yemen:

1. Most of the mosques do only 8 rakaats of Terawih, not many mosques that does it up to 20 rakaat because there is not many who are willing to do it until 20 at that time as they are all too eager to get their Qat into their mouth. =.=''
   
2. There is NO MOREH (supper) - THE MOST IMPORTANT "PART" OF TERAWIH!!! (for me..lol).
   
3. After every 4 rakaat there will be a short tazkirah or quiz session.
4. We finish Terawih prayers at around 8.40pm
   

Qat, also known as khat. Since they can't chew Qat during the day so they are in a hurry to chew it right after Terawih. Some even chew it till it's time for Sahoor.

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That is all for today. Next up will be Ramdhan in Yemen - Part 3 (lifestyle during Ramadhan).

Ramadhan 2009 in Yemen - Part 1 (Iftar)

Salam. In part 1 I shall write about the Iftar here.

Having Iftar at home.

The time for Iftar here is at 6.24pm Yemen time. So, for Iftar I would go to my step-dad's house, at around 5pm I would get ready to go to his house and by 6.10pm I would be able to reach his house if the traffic is not heavy, there was once when I arrived just on time for Iftar as the traffic were quite heavy as everyone is rushing home for Iftar - his house is quite far from my hostel.

In Yemen, the Iftar "style" is different from Malaysia. Here, we would have light foods such as samossa, dates, juices. Then we would go to the mosque and pray Maghrib. After our prayers we would immediately head home to have dinner.

Of course, dinner during Ramadhan is different from having dinner on other days.
For appetizers we have shufuud (in the pic below - in the bowl) and soup.

1st dishl: rice/macaroni

Main dish: aseed/hareesh, cheese macaroni, macaroni baked with milk and egg, and any kind of gravy to be eaten with bread.

last of all:

• fruits - grapes/pomegrenate
• pudding/jelly/cakes/custards
• bint-sahn with honey
  

During Ramadhan the mosque is always full during Maghrib and Fajr prayers!!!

Iftar in mosques.

In Malaysia, mosques would serve Iftar so anyone can just come and have Iftar at the mosque. But in Yemen it's different. Instead of people having Iftar together at mosques, they have this "Project Iftar Jama'ee (jama'ee technically means congregational)", it is mainly concentrated on giving Iftar for the poor.

So, people would donate some money to the mosque and from that money, the mosque willuse it to cook food and send it directly to the houses of those who are faqeer (poor) in that particular area! Amazing isn't it?? In my opinion it IS a very good project. (Don't ask me how they know where the houses of those poor people are and how they know that they are really poor people or not - I DON'T KNOW the answer .. hehe.. They must have set some system though)

This is all written based on the info I was able to collect from some people.
re-edited on Wednesday, 2nd September 2009.

Next post : Ramadhan in Yemen part 2 - Terawih prayers/Lifestyle(still indecisive)

Thank you. That is all for now.