Turkey is predominantly a Muslim country. They observe the month of Ramadan and celebrate the two Eid’s. Eid ul fitr or as the Turks call it “Ramazan Bayrami ” or “Seker Bayrami” is referred to the holiday that takes place after Ramadan. Ramadan is a holy month of fasting in Islam. Muslims all over the globe utilize this month to reconnect with their Lord by fasting during the day and praying during the night. This sacred month is in which the Holy Quran was completed, so the day of Eid ul fitr is a means of celebration and reward for the hard work Muslims put into bettering themselves spiritually. The celebration of Eid-ul fitr begins with a short morning prayer in congregation at the mosque. Men and Women dress their best modestly and head to the mosque to join the congregation and greet each other with food, hugs, gifts and money. This is where Modest Beauty plays a big role. We want to make sure that our Muslim brothers and sisters are looking and feeling thier best on days which matter most to them. Without compromising modesty we do what we can to meet the demands of our target market. Our Ramadan and Eid sales are offered throughout this time of year and it is a great feeling to see the smiling faces of the families we cater to.
The second Eid is known as Eid-ul Adha or as the Turks call it “Kurban Bayrami”. This Eid is known as the day of sacrifices. After the Hajj pilgrimage is done, Muslims around the world offer a sacrifice and use that meat to feed the poor, as well as their families and friends. This festival is significant because Muslims get to follow the great example of Prophet Abraham who was willing to sacrifice his son for the sake of God because of his faithfulness to him. However, God placed a lamb in his son’s place instead. So now Muslims can sacrifice a goat, a sheep, a cow or a camel for Eid-ul adha and if they cannot afford any, then they are forgiven and should be given meat to eat because “the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said “A person is not a believer who fills his stomach while his neighbour goes hungry.” (Bukhari) (Islamic Relief USA, 2020) Overall, these are the religious holidays observed in Turkey.
The National holidays of Turkey are shown in figure 1 below:
Figure 1: National Holidays Celebrated in Turkey
Page Author: Faha Ghauri
