Muslims around the world are fasting for Ramadaan and for South African Muslims, the holy observation, which ends on April 11 or 12, depending on the sighting of the moon.
This is a month of fasting, prayer and reflection and marks a time of spiritual growth and community bonding for Muslim travellers.
According to Al Jazeera, the dawn-to-dusk fast lasts anywhere from 12 to 17 hours, depending on which part of the world you are in.
For instance, Muslims in the world’s southernmost countries will have the shortest fasting day.
A South African Muslim in Cape Town will have a fasting day of 12 hours and 48 minutes while a Muslim in a northernmost region, such as Nuuk in Greenland, will have the longest fasting day of 17 hours and 52 minutes.
As part of efforts to ensure the comfort of Muslim travellers and guests, City Lodge Hotels in South Africa announced that it will offer a suhoor breakfast during the month of Ramadaan.
A suhoor breakfast is served at predawn to start the daily fast while the breaking of one’s fast after sunset is called iftar.
Most hotel breakfasts run from 7am to 10 am, however, City Lodge said that suhoor will be available from 4am onwards, as Muslims need to break their fast before sunrise.
The hotel said this special breakfast offering is made available much earlier to tie in with the times Muslim observers are permitted to eat during Ramadaan.
“Guests staying at any Courtyard Hotel, City Lodge Hotel, Town Lodge, or Road Lodge can order their suhoor breakfast tray from reception the day before, for collection from 4am for their pre-dawn meal,” said the hotel group.
It revealed that the suhoor breakfast tray is R150 a person at Courtyard Hotels, City Lodge Hotels, and Town Lodges, and R110 at Road Lodges.
The tray consists of muesli, plain or flavoured yoghurt, mixed dried fruit, a mini sliced fruit platter of sweet melon, paw paw, and grapes, a glass of fruit juice, whole fruit, a Jungle Bar, and a filled croissant with either chicken mayonnaise, cheese and tomato, or tuna mayonnaise.
City Lodge Hotels’ chief operating officer, Lindiwe Sangweni-Siddo, wished Muslim travellers a blessed and generous month of Ramadaan.
“We are reminded of the values of peace, compassion, and unity that this holy month represents.
“Regardless of our faith or beliefs, may we all strive to embody these values in our daily lives and work towards a more peaceful and harmonious world for all,” said Sangweni-Siddo.
∎ Please note that while City Lodge Hotels do not have halaal kitchens, all the items on the suhoor breakfast tray are halaal.