The wind is blowing hard on the stands this Friday, April 1, it’s barely five degrees, but the customers are there. Kenza, of Algerian origin, is in full preparation. “We will start by doing [une soupe] Harira is the dish for all Muslims, normally they all do that. There are vegetables, carrots, tomatoes… Well, it depends, depending on the region, we do it differently.“
A traditional dish: Harira soup
Rania, of Moroccan origin, does not cook it the same way: “with chickpeas, meat, tomato sauce.” She is queuing at the halal butcher: “I buy beef, lamb, I change depending on the day.“In a few hours, she will start cooking for her whole family: her husband and her three children.
The first few days, our eyes are a little bigger than our stomachs, so we prepare a little more than usual.
Abdelkader Bensenouci, the butcher, will do well today. “It’s not that people are buying a lot more merchandise, it’s that they’re buying for a fortnight.” In front of his truck, the atmosphere is good. “It’s festive, people are happy, they know Ramadan is coming.“
“A blessed month, but also of kindness”
It is a blessed month, of fasting but also of kindness. That’s what Ramadan is all about, it’s being good with people.
As for fruits and vegetables, we are still feeling the effects of inflation. “We sell a little more vegetables with Ramadan, but it’s still light, because prices have increased a lot. It’s getting harder and harder on the markets.“
– Juliette Geay
The return of large gatherings
This year, on the other hand, the Muslim community will be able to come together, after two years disrupted by the Covid. Khaled, 22, is involved in the community life of Sanitas. “The first Friday of Ramadan [le 8 avril], we decided to have a big shared meal. Everyone is invited, with a maximum of 200 people. We all eat together, it’s friendly, it’s family.”
It is the inhabitants of the neighborhood who will cook the dishes, thanks to products donated by the merchants of the market. This meal, free, is intended in particular for people who cannot afford this kind of food at the moment. Khaled insists on another point: “it’s open to everyone, we invite Christians, Jews, atheists.“Another meal will be organized on the last Friday of Ramadan, April 22.
Fasting, less difficult in cold weather
Ramadan this year should be easier than last year, according to Khaled. “It’s not hot, you don’t have to resist the heat. And then I find that Ramadan is good. I fast outside of this period sometimes.“
Finally, it is a great moment of prayer, where Muslims go more to the Mosque, and reread passages from the Koran. The goal is to finish the sacred book before the Eid al-Fitr holiday, scheduled for May 2 this year.