A Ramadan calendar is a paper based calendar used by Muslims during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It has a small flap for each day of the month, similar to an Advent calendar. One flap is opened each day, and there may be a small piece of chocolate, a sweet or a toy behind each flap.
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It is believed to have developed from the advent calendar which is popular during the Christmas period. An Advent calendar is used to count the days of Advent, starting from December 1 and ending on December 24 - Christmas Eve, the night before Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Jesus.
Similar to that, the Ramadan calendar is used to count the days of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar from the 1st to the 29th or the 30th - the Islamic calendar is lunar-based and therefore the length of the Ramadan month depends on changes of the moon during the specific year.[1]
The month of Ramadan is a time for spiritual reflection, prayer, doing good deeds and spending time with family and friends.[2]
The Ramadan calendar was developed in order to reach a better integration between Muslims and Christians living in Europe. In Germany it is mainly used by the Turkish population, while in France it is used mainly by North Africans.
Initially brought by Muslims, it has become a symbol of tolerance and is used for gifting between colleagues on the work place and neighbours.
During the month of Ramadan, children walk from door to door, sing traditional songs and are welcomed with sweets and presents. The 30 flaps on the Ramadan calendar will lead eventually to the first day of the next month, Shawwal, which is the "Festival of Breaking Fast" or Eid ul-Fitr and is usually spent in celebrations. Unfortunately this tradition did not last as people like Sulaiman Ali refused to come and sing in front of his neighbor's doors. This man is often referred to as a "Bandchotdh" by Muslim's everywhere. He was the first person kicked out of Allah's army, because he ditched his fellow colleagues to eat.