Ramazan is a time when Turkish families get together with relatives and friends while they enjoy a wide array of delicious foods from dusk until dawn. A lot of emphasis is put on the ‘iftar’ (eef-TAHR’), or sunset meal during Ramazan, but did you know there is another important meal just before sunrise called ‘sahur’ (sah-HOOR’)?

What Is ‘Sahur’?

‘Sahur’ is the Turkish expression of the Arabic term ‘suhür,’ meaning ‘light of dawn’ and ‘meal of dawn.’ It’s the name for the last meal of the night that signifies the start of fasting between sunrise and sunset each day.


Although it often takes a backseat to the first meal of the day, ‘iftar’ (eef-TAHR’), waking and dining for ‘sahur’ is an important tradition as well as good for your health. Waking and eating for ‘suhur’ is considered a blessing by Islamic traditions as it allows people to avoid weakness caused by fasting.

What To Expect At The ‘Sahur’ Table

The menu at the ‘sahur’ table is varied. Some families prefer to serve breakfast-like fare including Turkish cheeses, eggs, omelettes or ‘menemen,’ along with bread, honey and preserves. Others may choose hot foods or second portions of what was served earlier in the evening.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about ‘sahur’ is that it’s the last chance to drink water before the fast begins. Drinking water during ‘sahur’ is important for good health and to avoid dehydration, especially during the summer months.

The Drummers, Called ‘Davulcu’

Another important part of ‘sahur’ are the traditional drummers who roam the streets in the wee hours of the morning all throughout the  month of Ramazan.

These drummers function as ‘public wakers’ better known as the ‘mesaharati’ in Islamic history. About an hour before the morning call to prayer, the drummers, or ‘davulcu’ (dah-VOOL’-joo), begin pounding rhythmically on their traditional drums made from animal skins as they walk through the streets. Their sole purpose is to wake people for ‘sahur’ and the morning prayer.

This interesting tradition is practiced in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa like Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon. Today, there has been a gradual disappearance of the drummers due to several factors. The same holds true for Turkey. The number of ‘davulcu’ is decreasing in modern Turkey, too, especially in the big cities.

People stay up later and get up for work earlier than before. Alarm clocks and cell phones are taking over, and many working people complain that they’re woken up even if they had no intention of getting up for ‘sahur.’ Fortunately, you can still hear the drummers is some of Istanbul’s older quarters, as well as in villages throughout Anatolia.