How Europen spend their Ramzan?

 "Look! There's Dino Merlin," whispers the man in front of me. A white, well-groomed man in his 50s and early 60s walks through Sarajevo's Gazi Huzrev Beg Mosque courtyard and sits half in the courtyard, while the other half leaning against a massive stone block. He's wearing fashionable glasses and regatta-chic attire. No one bats an eyelid. The people are too busy listening to the Quranic Recitation during the mukabalah(lit. joining together). A few people say the words, when they are following in the Qur'an that they have.

"He has the distinction of being Bosnia's most well-known artist across Bosnia ... most likely the most well-known individualin Bosnia," continues the man, who is around identical in height to Dino and is dressed in an all-white and black striped top and blue jeans. We're sitting in a huge trees in the garden just an hour prior to prayers. Asr prayer, and the mosque is almost full both inside and outside; males sit on the right side and women are on the left, gathering in groups as the shade of late afternoon falls. A lot of families are also present. Dino who's real name is Edin Dervishalidovic, is just as fascinated with the words from the 7 hafezi (Qur'an reciters) as we are watching their images projected on large screens each side from the patio. In other places the chart-topping pop artist might feel unnatural during a prayer service at the mosque. However, this is not the case. All are welcome to be with God.

"I am a huge fan of Ramadan at Sarajevo. I enjoy coming here to listen to the mukabalah andto hear these amazing reciters from across the globe. Today , there are three reciters of them from Saudi, Iran and Turkey. They are reciting the Qur'an each day following the fajr(sunrise prayer) as well as before asr(late after-hour prayer in the late afternoon) in order to take a seat, listen and profit by the beautiful reading. Even if you're at work and aren't able to attend and listen, you can listen to the recitation throughout town via the speakers. Mukabalahtells our Ramadan is here at Sarajevo," explains my stripey companionwhile using the Tasbihin the right side of his hand.

A western Muslim city

Sarajevo, a ancient Ottoman city Sarajevo is indeed a fantastic spot to visit during Ramadan. It is a proudly situated city at the intersection between 'east' as well as "west Sarajevo is a city that has both. Sarajevo is awash with the Islamic celebration just as it does Easter or Christmas. Sarajevo is truly a Western Muslim city. Everywhere you go, signs say "Ramazan Mubarak" and each restaurant serves the festive Iftar (the meal that breaks the fast) menu. Film screenings, special concerts and open Iftars are scheduled all throughout. However, tourists and non Muslim residents still dine outside in the sun and enjoy coffee served by waiters who are fasting. Businesses and shops remain continue to operate as usual, reducing the hours according to their discretion and nothing is halted. Actually, some businesses notice that they have to work more during Ramadan.

"They have more work to do in the present than at any other season," explains Elmedin Music when we stop by a baker's located halfway up the steep mountains that make up Sarajevo's Jekovac district. Twenty-five year-old Elmedin is the head for the Hostel MAK in the centre of Sarajevo's old town and, like many of the locals, he changes his schedule during Ramadan. After spending the morning greeting guests, he then took a nap for a while. With the iftartime near, he offered to share with the world what makes Ramadan unique in his hometown. "The aroma of the cooked somun...that is the scent that is Ramadan!"

The small bakers in Jekovac is specialized in'somun", the local flatbread, an Bosnian or iftarstaple. Inside, a man of enormous size is able to sweep the flattened dough into the wood-fired oven using the help of a huge baker's paddle. When the dough is laid down, he cleans the cooked ones that were put into the oven a few minutes earlier. Repeat this process repeatedly until he wipes the sweat off his forehead by putting on his white apron. A girl puts the somun in neat baskets made of wicker, ready for hungry Muslims who will begin waiting at the door in a few minutes.

Classical Iftar

Elmedin takes us up to an area from the late 18th-century Ottoman fort that was built over Sarajevo named The Yellow Bastion. From here the view of sunset is stunning as a red glow encircles the mountains of green that surround Sarajevo's ancient city as if it were bowls. However, it's not just to be awestruck by the view which our tour guide of the evening's visit has brought us here. In a reversal to classic Muslim time, Sarajevo has reignited the tradition of firing a "cannon each day at sunset during Ramadan to signify the closing of fasting. The event is part of Sarajevo's annual Ramadan Festival - now in its third year and is based on a small, mock cannon armed with fireworks. It attracts crowds from all over the world, both Muslim and non-muslim. People arrive with picnic "iftars' to are seated with their families, friends or strangers as they break their fasts in Sarajevo's most crowded open Iftar.