Jubilation of Festivals in Afghanistan

Public Holidays In Afghanistan Afghanistan is an in depended and Islamic country so there are several days for celebrating by people on there some of them are like Eids, New year, Independence day and other now we are going to be accustom with some of them.

Now-Roz (New Year’s Day) Nauroz, the New Year Festival, takes place on the first day of the Afghan month Hamal. Nauroz, which means “new day”, has been celebrated in this region for at least 3,000 years. It marks the start of the solar year and the first day of spring. The festival is rooted in the Zoroastrian religion, a major religion once practiced here. Today, Afghans celebrate Nauroz with family and friends, enjoying traditional foods. Special to this holiday is haft mewa, or seven fruits. Another holiday dish is Samanak, red roses Many cities in Afghanistan host festivals to celebrate Nauroz. In Mazar-i-Sharif, the biggest city in northern Afghanistan, thousands gather at the historical shrine of Hazrat Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed and the fourth Caliph of Islam.

Haft Mewa Samanak One of the dishes that start with the green (sabz) letter is called Samanak. This is a special dish that takes at least two weeks to get ready to be cooked. The wheat used to make Samanak is kept to grow tall, and then it is cooked. Samanak is usually cooked on Nawroz or few days before, and women sometimes throw a party for it. While the mothers cook Samanak through the whole night, their daughters dance and sing songs. Haft-mehwah consists of seven fruits and nuts to symbolize spring: walnuts, almonds, pistachios, red and green raisins, dried apricots, and a local fruit known as sanjit.

Ramadan Ramadann is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The month of Ramadan is also when it is belive that holy Quran was sent down from heaven to Prophet mohammad PBUH. Fasting during this month is one of the five pillars of islam,so muslims should fasting during this month from sunrise to sunset. People who are fasting it’s forbidden to not eat any kind of food, not to drink any kind of liquid not to have any sexual pleasure. Ramadan is a time for Muslims to fast for the sake of God and to offer more prayer than usual. During Ramadann, Muslims ask forgiveness for past sins, pray for guidance and help in refraining from everyday evils, and try to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. Ramadann ends with Eid ul-Fitr on the first of Shawwal, with much celebration and feasting.

Eid- e- Fitr The most important month of the Islamic calendar is Ramadan, the ninth month, during which every Muslim -except the old, young, pregnant women and the sick- is required to avoid food, drink from dawn to dusk. The feast of Eid al-Fitr commences after the month of fasting ends, on the first day of the month of Shawal. Celebrations usually last for about three days. Congregational prayers are held in mosques, after which Afghans visit their friends and relatives. New clothes, especially for the children, are made, and food is prepared.

Eid al-Adha (Eid-e-Qurban) Once the fasting month and ensuring celebrations have ended, it is time for those planning to perform their pilgrimage to Mecca to start preparations for their journey. The feast of Eid al-Adha is celebrated on the 10th day of the month. Animals, such as sheep, goats, and camels, are sacrificed, especially by those who have already performed the hajj. This commemorates the slaying of a sheep, instead of Isaac, as a sacrifice by his father Abraham, at the command of the Allah. One third of the slaughtered animal is used by the family, another third is distributed to relatives and the rest is given to the poor.

Mawleed al Nabi     Mawlid sharif is the birthday of the Prophet, is a holiday in the religious tradition of Islam, one of the world’s largest religions. According to some estimates, there are more then one billion Muslims worldwide, with major populations found in the Middle East, North and south.

Independence day in Afghanistan Afghan Independence Day is celebrated in Afghanistan on 19 August to commemorate the Anglo-Afghan treaty of 1919. The treaty granted a complete neutral relation between Afghanistan and Britain.

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