As Irish Catholics and Protestants have settled into Lent these past weeks, our Muslim neighbours have also been in fasting-mode during their holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (which, notably, is the same lunar-focused calendar which dictates the Christian Lenten period and Easter).
Just like Easter, the dates change every year. This year, Ramadan started at the end of February and will come to an end on 30 March or 31 March (depending on the sighting of the moon) with the feasting holiday known as Eid al-Fitr.
If you grew up Catholic, you are familiar with the act of “giving something up” for Lent. This is meant to honour the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and is a time of fasting, prayer and good deeds for Christians worldwide.
Similarly, during Ramadan, the focus is on fasting – observers do not eat during the hours of sunlight – and it is a time of prayer, abstinence, reflection and doing good within the community.
“There is no point in fasting just for the sake of being hungry,” says Fazel Ryklief, manager of the Islamic Foundation of Ireland (IFI). “You need to come out of the month of Ramadan a better person, learn from your mistakes and improve on your beliefs.”
Like many Irish Muslims, Fazel arrived to Dublin in the 1970s to attend college (the first documented Muslim came to Ireland in the 1950s, also for educational purposes, and the IFI was founded in 1959). Fazel met his wife, Mary, who is Irish, during this time.
Once married, the couple considered moving to Fazel’s home country of South Africa, but as it was during apartheid, Mary was unable to get permission to reside there. They decided to settle in Dublin where they have since raised five children (and now also have eight grandchildren).
The Muslim community originally met in a Dublin 8 house for prayers and special occasions. However, in 1976, the IFI founded the Dublin Mosque.
“Originally, there were about 400 Muslim people in our community,” Fazel says. “Today, there are close to 80,000 Muslims located throughout the country.”
Fazel Ryklief, manager of the Islamic
Foundation of Ireland (IFI).
Ramadan
Fazel explains that Ramadan is a sacred month for all Muslims; a time for receiving mercy for sins and “observing what we are asked to do by the Almighty”.
“We believe that God listens to the fasting person,” he says. “When it comes to fasting, only God knows what you are doing and, as a result, what you are entitled to get [in reward].
“Since we live in the northern hemisphere, we fast a bit longer when Ramadan takes place in the summer, and less during the winter months,” he adds (noting one particularly difficult summer, where they were fasting up to 20 hours per day).
“We see this as a time of cleansing. Even at night, when you break your fast, you don’t really indulge in a hearty meal – you just appreciate that first morsel of food in your mouth and [are] grateful for it.
“And you think of those who don’t have anything. You think of the people in Gaza who have nothing, while we are here in our warm homes, eating nice food.”
Some members of the Muslim community are exempt from fasting: the elderly, the sick, those who are travelling and pregnant women, for example, in cases where it is medically necessary to eat at regular intervals or take medication.
Ramadan finishes with the celebratory holiday of Eid al-Fitr. This is one of two Eid celebrations per year – the other, Eid al-Adha, is celebrated in the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar (this year, it will take place in June).
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the 30 days of fasting during Ramadan and is associated with big meals, sweet desserts and sharing food with friends, neighbours and family.
Connection to agriculture
While there is a growing number of Muslim people living within rural Irish communities, from a more secular perspective, it is interesting to consider the connections between Irish agriculture and the Islamic calendar.
Aside from our regular agri-food output, Ireland also produces halal (“permissible”, in Arabic) foods, mainly for export.
Lamb is a popular halal meat and is widely consumed by Muslims worldwide, but Ireland also produces halal-certified duck, chicken, beef and dairy products, including baby formula.
The Islamic form of slaughtering animals involves killing through a cut to the jugular vein. All blood is then drained from the carcase. During the process, a Muslim will recite a dedication or blessing.
“Halal, to us, means lawful and permissible,” Fazel explains. “And it must be lawful to be acceptable for us to eat.
[Halal dairy products] can come from cows, sheep or goats, but what is added – for skim milk or in cheese – we have to check to make sure it is halal, including any microbacteria or enzymes
“When it comes to meat, it has to be a certain category of meat [ie, no pork] and needs to be slaughtered in a certain way. For halal, we have our own slaughterman in the factory. The animal is followed along the line where it is butchered and deboned; we are there for the whole process.
“[Halal dairy products] can come from cows, sheep or goats, but what is added – for skim milk or in cheese – we have to check to make sure it is halal, including any microbacteria or enzymes.”
Islamic holidays, like Eid, are times of growth for our agri-food industry as the nearly two billion Muslims worldwide break their fast with food-focused celebrations.
According to Irish Farmers Journal sheep and schemes editor, Darren Carty, the lead up to the festival of Eid al-Adha has been connected to Ireland’s highest weekly sheep kill over the past three years.
According to salaamgateway.com, the global market for halal food was valued at US$1.3tn (€917bn) in 2022 and is predicted to reach US$2tn (€1,834bn) by 2028.
Bord Bia tells Irish Country Living that Muslims will account for over 50% of global and 30% of European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) population growth.
Combine this with rising incomes and a growing middle class among the Muslim population and it’s easy to see why there is growing global demand for quality halal-certified meat.
Certification
According to the IFI, the main issue surrounding halal foods is the complexity surrounding certification, with varying requirements among different bodies.
The IFI serves the Irish Muslim community in many ways; offering translation services for newcomers, prayer services, guidance, food distribution programmes and mosque tours for non-Muslim groups.
It also contributes to the Irish agri-food sector and our overall economy as the sole halal certifying authority in Ireland.
“We are the only registered certified body in Ireland,” Fazel says. “There are others, but they are not fully registered and accredited. We are recognised by Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and we are getting an audit visit from Turkey next month, so we might also get our halal accreditation from them.”
The IFI works with Irish meat processors and dairy processors, like Tirlán, to certify meat and dairy products.
“This work is worth millions; it is a very important part of our agri-food industry, but very few people know about it,” Fazel says.
“We work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and we are proud to contribute to the Irish economy in this way.”
Aside from agri-food exports, the IFI also certifies things like nutritional supplements, chocolates and prepared desserts for airlines. It does not, however, certify Irish restaurants or shops.
“I think over the years people have come to understand our faith a little more,” he says.
“Though we still experience some negativity – especially when something negative happens. But many people understand now that diversity is a good thing [both socially and economically.]”
This chart, taken from the Irish Farmers Journal, shows the direct correlation between increased sheep kills and holy Islamic festivals.
By 2030, Muslim consumers in Europe will account for over 15% of sheepmeat consumption.Beef consumption among European Muslims is predicted to grow to over 5% of total beef consumption by 2030. In the Middle East and North Africa, rising meat consumption is increasingly being met by imports. The Middle East and North Africa will account for 15% of global beef and 20% of global sheepmeat trade by 2030. Further growth in halal meat consumption is predicted in South East Asia led by Malaysia, Indonesia and to a lesser extent, Singapore. 85% of halal sheepmeat and beef in Ireland is exported. Key markets for Irish halal beef are France, Germany, the UK, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore. Key markets for Irish halal sheepmeat are France, Germany, the Nordics, the UK and Canada. Statistics were shared at a Bord Bia event earlier this year.The Irish Muslim population has grown considerably since the 1970s, from around 400 Muslims (mainly college students, at that time, and mainly in Dublin), to up to 80,000 now with communities found throughout Ireland.Halal means “permissible” or “lawful” in Arabic. Halal foods are certified to have been prepared using permissible ingredients, or in the case of meat, special methods of slaughter and butchery are carried out by halal-certifying authorities.Ireland produces halal meat, dairy, prepared foods and ingredients. The vast majority of these foods are for export into European, North American or Muslim-majority countries.Bord Bia says the halal market is set to grow considerably as the Muslim middle class increases and incomes rise.We are currently coming to the end of Ramadan, which is the Islamic time for fasting. Practising Muslims do not eat during daylight hours (unless medically necessary). This will end with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.The Irish sheepmeat market tends to be much busier in the lead-up to the two Eid celebrations which are at different times each year as set by the Islamic calendar.
Read more
This Palestinian chef is using food for good in Cork
Go on, girl: the women to watch in food and farming
As Irish Catholics and Protestants have settled into Lent these past weeks, our Muslim neighbours have also been in fasting-mode during their holy month of Ramadan.
Ramadan takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar (which, notably, is the same lunar-focused calendar which dictates the Christian Lenten period and Easter).
Just like Easter, the dates change every year. This year, Ramadan started at the end of February and will come to an end on 30 March or 31 March (depending on the sighting of the moon) with the feasting holiday known as Eid al-Fitr.
If you grew up Catholic, you are familiar with the act of “giving something up” for Lent. This is meant to honour the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and is a time of fasting, prayer and good deeds for Christians worldwide.
Similarly, during Ramadan, the focus is on fasting – observers do not eat during the hours of sunlight – and it is a time of prayer, abstinence, reflection and doing good within the community.
“There is no point in fasting just for the sake of being hungry,” says Fazel Ryklief, manager of the Islamic Foundation of Ireland (IFI). “You need to come out of the month of Ramadan a better person, learn from your mistakes and improve on your beliefs.”
Like many Irish Muslims, Fazel arrived to Dublin in the 1970s to attend college (the first documented Muslim came to Ireland in the 1950s, also for educational purposes, and the IFI was founded in 1959). Fazel met his wife, Mary, who is Irish, during this time.
Once married, the couple considered moving to Fazel’s home country of South Africa, but as it was during apartheid, Mary was unable to get permission to reside there. They decided to settle in Dublin where they have since raised five children (and now also have eight grandchildren).
The Muslim community originally met in a Dublin 8 house for prayers and special occasions. However, in 1976, the IFI founded the Dublin Mosque.
“Originally, there were about 400 Muslim people in our community,” Fazel says. “Today, there are close to 80,000 Muslims located throughout the country.”
Fazel Ryklief, manager of the Islamic
Foundation of Ireland (IFI).
Ramadan
Fazel explains that Ramadan is a sacred month for all Muslims; a time for receiving mercy for sins and “observing what we are asked to do by the Almighty”.
“We believe that God listens to the fasting person,” he says. “When it comes to fasting, only God knows what you are doing and, as a result, what you are entitled to get [in reward].
“Since we live in the northern hemisphere, we fast a bit longer when Ramadan takes place in the summer, and less during the winter months,” he adds (noting one particularly difficult summer, where they were fasting up to 20 hours per day).
“We see this as a time of cleansing. Even at night, when you break your fast, you don’t really indulge in a hearty meal – you just appreciate that first morsel of food in your mouth and [are] grateful for it.
“And you think of those who don’t have anything. You think of the people in Gaza who have nothing, while we are here in our warm homes, eating nice food.”
Some members of the Muslim community are exempt from fasting: the elderly, the sick, those who are travelling and pregnant women, for example, in cases where it is medically necessary to eat at regular intervals or take medication.
Ramadan finishes with the celebratory holiday of Eid al-Fitr. This is one of two Eid celebrations per year – the other, Eid al-Adha, is celebrated in the 12th and final month of the Islamic calendar (this year, it will take place in June).
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the 30 days of fasting during Ramadan and is associated with big meals, sweet desserts and sharing food with friends, neighbours and family.
Connection to agriculture
While there is a growing number of Muslim people living within rural Irish communities, from a more secular perspective, it is interesting to consider the connections between Irish agriculture and the Islamic calendar.
Aside from our regular agri-food output, Ireland also produces halal (“permissible”, in Arabic) foods, mainly for export.
Lamb is a popular halal meat and is widely consumed by Muslims worldwide, but Ireland also produces halal-certified duck, chicken, beef and dairy products, including baby formula.
The Islamic form of slaughtering animals involves killing through a cut to the jugular vein. All blood is then drained from the carcase. During the process, a Muslim will recite a dedication or blessing.
“Halal, to us, means lawful and permissible,” Fazel explains. “And it must be lawful to be acceptable for us to eat.
[Halal dairy products] can come from cows, sheep or goats, but what is added – for skim milk or in cheese – we have to check to make sure it is halal, including any microbacteria or enzymes
“When it comes to meat, it has to be a certain category of meat [ie, no pork] and needs to be slaughtered in a certain way. For halal, we have our own slaughterman in the factory. The animal is followed along the line where it is butchered and deboned; we are there for the whole process.
“[Halal dairy products] can come from cows, sheep or goats, but what is added – for skim milk or in cheese – we have to check to make sure it is halal, including any microbacteria or enzymes.”
Islamic holidays, like Eid, are times of growth for our agri-food industry as the nearly two billion Muslims worldwide break their fast with food-focused celebrations.
According to Irish Farmers Journal sheep and schemes editor, Darren Carty, the lead up to the festival of Eid al-Adha has been connected to Ireland’s highest weekly sheep kill over the past three years.
According to salaamgateway.com, the global market for halal food was valued at US$1.3tn (€917bn) in 2022 and is predicted to reach US$2tn (€1,834bn) by 2028.
Bord Bia tells Irish Country Living that Muslims will account for over 50% of global and 30% of European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) population growth.
Combine this with rising incomes and a growing middle class among the Muslim population and it’s easy to see why there is growing global demand for quality halal-certified meat.
Certification
According to the IFI, the main issue surrounding halal foods is the complexity surrounding certification, with varying requirements among different bodies.
The IFI serves the Irish Muslim community in many ways; offering translation services for newcomers, prayer services, guidance, food distribution programmes and mosque tours for non-Muslim groups.
It also contributes to the Irish agri-food sector and our overall economy as the sole halal certifying authority in Ireland.
“We are the only registered certified body in Ireland,” Fazel says. “There are others, but they are not fully registered and accredited. We are recognised by Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and we are getting an audit visit from Turkey next month, so we might also get our halal accreditation from them.”
The IFI works with Irish meat processors and dairy processors, like Tirlán, to certify meat and dairy products.
“This work is worth millions; it is a very important part of our agri-food industry, but very few people know about it,” Fazel says.
“We work with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and we are proud to contribute to the Irish economy in this way.”
Aside from agri-food exports, the IFI also certifies things like nutritional supplements, chocolates and prepared desserts for airlines. It does not, however, certify Irish restaurants or shops.
“I think over the years people have come to understand our faith a little more,” he says.
“Though we still experience some negativity – especially when something negative happens. But many people understand now that diversity is a good thing [both socially and economically.]”
This chart, taken from the Irish Farmers Journal, shows the direct correlation between increased sheep kills and holy Islamic festivals.
By 2030, Muslim consumers in Europe will account for over 15% of sheepmeat consumption.Beef consumption among European Muslims is predicted to grow to over 5% of total beef consumption by 2030. In the Middle East and North Africa, rising meat consumption is increasingly being met by imports. The Middle East and North Africa will account for 15% of global beef and 20% of global sheepmeat trade by 2030. Further growth in halal meat consumption is predicted in South East Asia led by Malaysia, Indonesia and to a lesser extent, Singapore. 85% of halal sheepmeat and beef in Ireland is exported. Key markets for Irish halal beef are France, Germany, the UK, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore. Key markets for Irish halal sheepmeat are France, Germany, the Nordics, the UK and Canada. Statistics were shared at a Bord Bia event earlier this year.The Irish Muslim population has grown considerably since the 1970s, from around 400 Muslims (mainly college students, at that time, and mainly in Dublin), to up to 80,000 now with communities found throughout Ireland.Halal means “permissible” or “lawful” in Arabic. Halal foods are certified to have been prepared using permissible ingredients, or in the case of meat, special methods of slaughter and butchery are carried out by halal-certifying authorities.Ireland produces halal meat, dairy, prepared foods and ingredients. The vast majority of these foods are for export into European, North American or Muslim-majority countries.Bord Bia says the halal market is set to grow considerably as the Muslim middle class increases and incomes rise.We are currently coming to the end of Ramadan, which is the Islamic time for fasting. Practising Muslims do not eat during daylight hours (unless medically necessary). This will end with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.The Irish sheepmeat market tends to be much busier in the lead-up to the two Eid celebrations which are at different times each year as set by the Islamic calendar.
Read more
This Palestinian chef is using food for good in Cork
Go on, girl: the women to watch in food and farming
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