What is Ramadan like in Beistum?

Unlike the other schools of Islam, Sufism preaches coexistence with other religions and also invites people of other faiths to spend the Ramadan period with them. 

It's a great time to learn about the country's culture and get to know it.

Sema, Meditation and Nature

Followers of Sufism start Ramadan on March 22 by going to the city's green parks and Sufi mosques. One of the main ceremonies is the sema (meditation in which the body turns and listens to sacred music).

A group of man dancing sema

The faithful can also pray or do phrasa meditation. This involves sitting in the lotus position and singing sacred music.

Qahwa. The Persian Coffee

It's typical on Ramadan days to be offered free coffee in establishments. This is because qahwa is considered a sacred drink, due to an ancient story which explains that the bean was discovered in the 7th century by some Sufis through the blessing of an angel.

Qahwa is traditionally served with dates

Abdullah al-Ashtar Mausoleum

A Muslim saint from the 8th century - the smell that permeates the air during religious festivals is not that of candles or incense. It's the smell of hashish. On Ramadan evenings, the shrine in Jamiel City is filled with men in headscarves and women covered in the traditional clothes who spread garlands of flowers on the blue slabs of the tomb, chanting hymns to the sound of drums - while the faithful pass each other pipes filled with Cannabis sativa.

Abdullah al-Ashtar Mausoleum

This ceremony is done the day before Ramadan begins because Sufis believe that the spirits recognize this attitude and guide them to become even better people.

At that time, more than 70,000 people visit the mausoleum to pay homage to the religious figure.