The Ramadan has a special importance in the Balkans. Especially in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia Herzegovina.
Congregations who come to listen to the recitation of the Quran before the morning twilight fill the Begova Mosque.
Just before sunset people crowd into Bascarsija Market to break fasts and they can hardly find free seats in already full restaurants. Mosques are overflowing with people who come to perform Taraaweeh prayers. Vice President of Religious Affairs of Bosnia Herzegovina Ismet Spahic says Ramadan is the greatest factor that holds people tight to their beliefs.
The Ramadan is enjoyed with a different beauty of its own in every other part of the world. But in Bosnia it is relished in a more different spiritual pleasure. Luminous balconies of minarets sparklingly illuminating Sarajevo and vividly decorated shop windows are proofs of a Ramadan well enjoyed. Especially in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia Herzegovina, an exceptional tradition peculiar to Ramadan has been created. With the cannon fire from an emplacement overlooking the city everybody waiting in restaurants for the sunset, no matter whether they know each other or not, say ‘May Allah accept it’ to each other and break their fasts. Then after Maghrib (sunset) prayer they go and eat sweet desserts in sweetshops and have a chat while drinking coffee or tea before they set off for Mosques to perform Taraweeh prayers.
Ramadan has a different atmosphere peculiar to itself in Bosnia says Ismet Spahic. “Even during the communist era when all kinds of worshiping were prohibited we enjoyed Ramadan really well. Ramadan was the greatest factor in preservation of our religion despite all the difficulties forced by the communism”. Fasting in Ramadan protected Bosnians from assimilation just as it keeps one away from sins emphasizes Spahic. He further tells “If we still can stand as a nation today it is thanks to the fasting and reciting of the Quran in Ramadan months”.
The recitation of the Quran after dawn in Begova Mosque, which is the central mosque in Sarajevo, is a tradition preserved for centuries now. “The recitation of the Quran tradition has never ceased to be carried on even during the intensive skirmishes of the war in 1990 as well as during the communist era. Several bombs would hit the mosque’s courtyard in a night and recitation of the verses would go on and congregation would still listen to it inside the mosque ignoring the death behind the doors. Those readings of the Quran strengthened our spirits and raised the morale of the army. Even during the most violent days of the war reciters kept reading the Quran and people prayed. One day when we got out of the mosque four cannon balls hit the courtyard in the same time and killed around 30 pigeons but none of us or reciters got hurt. We took that incident to be a miracle bestowed upon us because of the recitation of the Quran” told Spahic
At dawn people head towards the Mosques to perform Fajr (dawn) prayer. There are also women as many as men joining the congregation. Women pray in separate places reserved for them.