Ramadan breaks at sunset everywhere, wherever a community gathers to break the fast. In many places, the season is interrupted by conflict, with violence shattering tables and making the meal a rare moment of quiet amid ongoing battles that seem to have no expiration date. In Palestine and Yemen, gunfire and bombs cut through daily life, while in Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt, deep economic crises threaten the very moment of iftar. In Syria and Turkey, shattered roofs and ruined homes cast a shadow over celebrations that should bring families together.
Across the Middle East, where a large share of food relies on imports, Ramadan often tests the dignity of fasting. For Muslims, fasting is a spiritual practice that draws believers closer to Allah and serves as a reminder of the poor. Yet rising poverty makes the daily act of breaking bread increasingly painful for many, dampening the sense of spiritual renewal that Ramadan is meant to bring.
No sweets in the misery of Egypt and Lebanon
In a country facing rising prices, even beloved desserts become a luxury. Egyptian patisseries have offered installments on famous sweets like künefe, a rich pastry of cheese and pastry threads, so people can savor a single evening’s treat over several months, interest-free. Official data show that roughly 30 percent of Egypt’s 100 million people live in poverty, while annual inflation climbs and the local currency slides. The sense of normalcy during Ramadan is hard to hold when everyday essentials keep becoming unaffordable.
In Lebanon, the economic crisis has intensified even as Ramadan begins. The country, which has faced repeated shocks, records one of the highest refugee burdens per capita and enduring inflation. The Lebanese pound has fallen dramatically, and with many earning in dollars only a portion of the population can afford everyday staples. In Ramadan kitchens, salad remains a beloved star dish, while the price of familiar ingredients surges—often doubling or tripling in a single year. The pandemic’s effects linger, poverty deepens, and the meal to break the fast is increasingly strained by cost.
Both Egypt and Lebanon illustrate how economic stress reshapes a sacred season, turning cherished dishes into rare memories for many households.
Türkiye and Syria: They quickly overcame the debris of the earthquake
As tents rise around the quake’s remains, families line up at sunset for their iftar after a day of hardship. Ramadan in 2023 carried a heavier weight for people in southeastern Türkiye and northwestern Syria, where the February earthquake left towns shattered, futures uncertain, and lives on hold. Families gather in temporary shelters, sharing meals and stories under tents and in improvised spaces while the clock marks time to break the fast.
Turkish authorities and aid organizations distribute meals to millions daily, including those who remain stranded in quake zones. In northwest Syria, aid from border sources reaches communities, but the cost of living has spiked, and access to food is uneven. People like Meryem Hallul, a mother who lost her home, describe Ramadan as the most difficult period they have faced, relying on food aid to sustain their families. In northwestern Syria, millions remain displaced, and humanitarian needs persist through the holy month.
Even with ongoing relief, the hardship of Ramadan is clear in everyday details from the field. A deputy in Türkiye notes the strain, capturing a sense that everyday tasks—finding a place to bathe, obtaining basic supplies, or securing a simple meal—are peppered with obstacles. The situation remains urgent for those in the earthquake zones who depend on aid to survive.
The drought dragging the Maghreb
In the Maghreb, Ramadan menus still appear, but the price tag on staples leaves a mark. The staples for popular soups like Harira or chorba have risen in cost, and vendors report that the taste of traditional street Harira seems thinner, perhaps more flour than tomato as prices rise. Official data show inflation in food products remains a concern in the region, with many items climbing in price during the holy month, echoing seasonal patterns seen in other countries.
In Tunisia, purchasing power is under pressure as costs soar. People worry about famine in essential goods brought on by the wider economic crisis, and onion prices have surged sharply in a year. Coupled with drought and climate pressures that limit water availability, farmers face an uncertain harvest. The broader regional drought compounds the challenge, threatening grain crops in the long run and spurring alerts about potential shortages. High temperatures and scarce rainfall add to the sense that Ramadan could become a harsher month for many families.
Across the Maghreb, the worry is not just about meals tonight but about the viability of next season’s harvests. If rains fail to arrive in the coming weeks, the crops planned for the months ahead may face serious risk, leaving communities to navigate a difficult balance between faith, food, and finance.
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