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These minor Islamic
festivals are not public holidays,
and they won't affect your travel
plans much except to make your time
in Turkey more interesting and enjoyable.
Note the dates so
you can explore—and
perhaps participate in—the
meaning and delights of the festivals,
and remember that these Islamic festivals
begin in the evening and last until
the next evening:
Asure Günü:
Martyrdom of Imam Hüseyin
Mevlid-i Nebi: Birthday
of the Prophet Muhammed
Regaip Kandili: Prophet
Muhammed's conception
Miraç Kandili: Prophet
Muhammed's ascent to heaven
Berat Kandili: Day
of Forgiveness
ASURE
GÜNÜ
Asure Günü (AH-shoo-REH gew-new), the
10th day of the Islamic lunar month of Muharrem,
is estimated to fall on:
2009:
27 December
2010: 17
December
2011: 6 December
2012: 24 November
It's
not a public holiday, but is commemorated
in Turkey as the date that: Adam repented
his sin, the Prophet Abraham was
born, Jonah emerged
from the whale, and Noah's
ark rested on dry land. For Shi'a
Muslims, it has extraordinary importance
as the day that Imam Hüseyin,
the grandson of the Prophet, was
martyred on the battlefield of Kerbela
(Karbala) in 680 CE/AD.
It
will also reputedly be the Day
of Judgement—when
that comes!
Turks
commemorate it by serving a special
sweet pudding called asure (AH-shoo-REH)
made with cereals, raisins and nuts.
MEVLID-I
NEBI (Mevlid Kandili)
Mevlid-i Nebi (mehv-LEED ee NEH-bee), the Prophet
Muhammad's birthday, is fixed as the 12th day
of the 3rd month (Rebi' ul-Evvel/Rabi' ul-Awwal)
of the Hijri calendar. It's celebrated with mosque
illuminations and special foods, and is estimated
to fall on:
2010: 26
February
2011: 16
February
2012: 5
February
REGAIP
KANDILI
Regaip Kandili (reh-gah-YEEP kahn-dee-lee), the "Beginning
of the Three Moons," 4th of Recep (Rajab),
celebrating the night of Muhammed's conception, is
estimated to fall on:
2010: 15
June
2011: 6 June
2012: 25 May
Celebrations
include mosque illuminations (pretty
and photogenic).
MIRAÇ KANDILI
Miraç Kandili (mee-RATCH kahn-dee-lee),
27th of Recep (Rajab), celebrates the Prophet Muhammed's
ascent into heaven. It's estimated to fall on:
2010: 9
July
2011: 29 June
2012: 17 June
BERAT
KANDILI
Berat Kandili (beh-RAHT kahn-dee-lee), the "Day
of Forgiveness," (14th of Saban) is celebrated
on:
2010: 26
July
2011: 16 June
2012: 4 June
...lighting
up the mosques.
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