Iftar (the meal that breaks the fast) is shared at the same time for everyone. This happens when the fourth call to prayer (out of the five daily calls to prayer) goes off, they all are permitted to break the fast. Most people here enjoy breaking the fast by eating dates, which are a popular fruit in the Middle East. Water is also one of the first things people want during iftar. The dinner itself often includes bread, rice, and chicken, Maqluba (rice dish), or Mansaf (the Jordanian national dish). Additionally, there are special Ramadan desserts like qatayef, which are stuffed mini pancakes, and maamoul, which is a date stuffed cookie.
Additionally, for many people here, breaking the fast also means a return to habits, such as drinking coffee and smoking. At least once a week, most families have iftar gatherings where extended family and friends gather to break the fast together. Also, Ramadan involves giving back to the community with a goal to make sure everyone has food to eat at iftar each night. Last week, I had the opportunity to volunteer at one of the community organizations, Tkiyet Um Ali, which prepares community iftars for impoverished communities in Amman every night during Ramadan. They serve anywhere from 3,500-5,000 people each night and, therefore, need many volunteers to assemble the meal kits they hand out during iftar.
For most people here in Jordan, they celebrate their iftars with meals at home or with family and friends, and then go directly to their mosque for Taraweeh prayer.
