site.btaRazgrad Mufti Urges Charity and Empathy Beyond the Holy Month of Ramadan

Kindness should extend beyond the boundaries of Ramadan, because people must support one another throughout the entire year, Mehmed Alya, the regional mufti of Razgrad, told BTA on the occasion of the start of the holy month for Muslims. He stressed that Ramadan is not only a time of fasting, but also a period dedicated to compassion, mutual support, and charity.

The mufti explained that the purpose of fasting is not hunger or thirst, but empathy for those in need and a willingness to share what one has. The daily fast lasts from sunrise to sunset and is accompanied by spiritual practices such as prayer and reading the Quran.

Mehmed Alya also highlighted the obligation of zakat - charitable giving for the needy. He noted that anyone who has possessed wealth exceeding EUR 9,000 over the course of a year is required to donate 2.5% as zakat to support people in need.

This year, the Muslim community in the region plans several charitable initiatives, including campaigns to assist vulnerable people and the distribution of food packages worth about EUR 35. The packages will include essential items such as beans, lentils, rice, cooking oil, pasta, halva, and jam, and will be provided to socially disadvantaged families in the region regardless of religion or ethnicity. Last year, more than 300 families in Razgrad Region received support through similar initiatives, the mufti said.

He also recalled the spiritual significance of Ramadan, including the observance of the five daily prayers, the special evening prayers known as tarawih, and the complete reading of the Quran.

Ramadan in the Razgrad region will also be marked by charitable iftar dinners.

The holy month will continue until March 19, after which believers will celebrate Ramadan Bayram, also known as Sheker Bayram, a three-day holiday symbolized by baklava and other sweets.

Razgrad is the Bulgarian region (out of a total of 28) with the second largest Muslim population, 55% of all people. The largest is Kardzhali with 69.6%.

In the 2021 census, a total of 638,708 people in Bulgaria self-identified as Muslims, making just under 10% of the total population of 6.5 million.