2026 24 March Agadir Morocco (end of Ramadan)

Here in Morocco, Ramadan is obviously a big deal. This is not the first Muslim country we have been to, nor is it the first one that we have stayed in during Ramadan, but I thought I should write about it for the blog. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Since it follows the lunar cycle, it begins approximately 11 days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar, meaning it rotates through all seasons over time.

At its core, Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual discipline, self-reflection, and heightened devotion for Muslims worldwide. It commemorates the first revelation of the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad.

The Core Practices of Ramadan

1. Fasting:
   The most visible practice is fasting from sunrise to sunset. During these hours, Muslims abstain from:

• All food and drink (including water)
• Smoking
• Sexual relations

This fast is not just about physical abstinence. It’s a holistic practice that requires a heightened consciousness of God. Muslims are also expected to refrain from:

• Negative thoughts and actions (gossip, lying, anger, arguing)
• Cultivating patience, humility, and empathy

The pre-dawn meal is called Suhoor, and the meal to break the fast at sunset is called Iftar. It is traditional to break the daily fast initially with dates and water, following the practice of the Prophet Muhammad.

2. Increased Prayer and Quranic Recitation: Special nightly prayers are held at mosques, during which long portions of the Quran are recited. The goal is to complete the entire Quran in prayer over the course of the month.
   
3. Charity:
   Charity is a major focus. Muslims are required to pay Zakat al-Mal (an annual 2.5% wealth tax on savings) during this time, as it is a pillar of Islam. Additionally, they are encouraged to give abundant voluntary charity to help those in need, ensuring that everyone can partake in the blessings of the month and the coming Eid.
   
4. Community and Family:
   Ramadan has a powerful communal aspect. Families gather each evening for Iftar, mosques are full for prayers, and there is a collective sense of striving and support. It’s a time of increased hospitality, inviting others to share in the breaking of the fast.

Now, we are getting to the core of this post.

At the end of Ramadan comes: Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr, which translates to “the Festival of Breaking the Fast,” marks the end of Ramadan. It is one of the two major holidays in Islam (the other being Eid al-Adha).

The arrival of Eid is announced by the sighting of the new crescent moon. The celebration lasts for one to three days, depending on the country and cultural tradition.

Before the Eid prayer, every Muslim who has the means is required to give a specific amount of food to charity. In the grocery stores in Tangiers, we saw food baskets ready for purchase, with this intent – ensuring that the poor and needy can also join in the celebrations of Eid.

The first day of Eid begins with a special congregational prayer held in large open grounds or large mosques. The prayer is performed shortly after sunrise. I walked a few blocks with Reda and his father and brother to the nearby mosque (it was raining, so this congregational prayer had to be held in the mosque). Here, people are expected to attend in one’s best clothes. In addition, men had “fresh” haircuts, only a few hours ago.

In essence, the spirit of Ramadan is meant to continue throughout the year: the heightened God-consciousness, the empathy for the poor, the commitment to prayer, and the sense of community are all gifts that the month cultivates, and Eid is the joyful culmination and celebration of that spiritual renewal.

We have made close and lasting friendship with our Moroccan friends Reda and Jasmine. In fact, we were in the hospital with them when they welcomed their first child only 6 weeks ago. With this background, they invited us to join them in the travel south to the city of Agadir approximately 800km to the south, even further than Marrakesh.

In Agadir, we were hosted by Reda’s mother and father in their four level home. Each level had a toilet and shower, comfortable bedrooms and nearby kitchen/salon. His father has spent most of his life working on this home, one level at a time, and is finally on the top floor with the “man cave”.

In Agadir, we were introduced to the Argan tree. It is an ancient, resilient species endemic to southwestern Morocco, forming a unique forest—the Arganeraie—around Agadir that is recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System for its role in preventing desertification and supporting a distinctive agro-sylvo-pastoral ecosystem.

Revered as the “Tree of Life,” it is central to local culture and the economy, primarily through the production of highly prized argan oil, which is traditionally crafted by a network of women’s cooperatives that have become powerful engines for economic independence and social empowerment. The region is also home to ingenious traditional water management systems, such as the matifiya underground reservoirs, further illustrating the deep, sustainable connection between the people, their heritage, and this extraordinary tree. Here, Reda and his father Abdul illustrate a close up of the tree and it’s fruit.

We drove down on Thursday, and returned Monday, about 10 hours each way over excellent national toll highways. Jasmine and Lujain are sleeping in the back seat of the car.

The countryside is beautiful and recent winter rainfalls contributed to the green trees and abundant wild flowers.

On the first day of Eid, we went with Reda’s family to visit with his father’s brothers and sisters at the home of one brother. Here, we ate tajine, a quintessential Moroccan dish named after the distinctive conical clay pot in which it is slow-cooked, with the pot’s unique design allowing steam to circulate and condense, creating a self-basting effect that produces tender, deeply flavourful results with minimal liquid.

The stew typically combines meat such as lamb, chicken, or beef with vegetables, dried fruits like apricots or prunes, nuts, and a warm blend of spices including cumin, ginger, saffron, and cinnamon, often balancing savoury and sweet flavours in a single dish. Beyond its culinary significance, tajine embodies Moroccan culture as a symbol of hospitality and communal eating, traditionally served directly from the pot and shared at the centre of the table using bread as the utensil.

Later in the afternoon, we visited with Jasmine’s family, in another area.

The next day, we took the opportunity to visit the International marina, right downtown at the waterfront and beach. Although there are many restaurants and shops, making it an excellent destination – sadly, we found the marina infrastructure to be lacking (in poor repair). The floating docks have holes, a lack of cleats, and there is a fair bit of swell entering the marina with boats often moving with the current.

Sadly, there were 6-8 abandoned foreign sailboats tied to the precious few docks, making the appeal even less. In our experience, this phenomenon happens worldwide, and speaks to the legal challenges of marina operators to get paid for dockage, once the owner has left the country.

This long dock offered some promise, but some of the floating sections were broken away, there were no cleats, water or electrical outlets.

We then proceeded to the hilltop fort in Agadir, the Kasbah of Agadir Oufla. The three Arabic words written in white stones on the hillside are “God, Country, King” (in Arabic: Allah, Al-Watan, Al-Malik) . This phrase serves as an unofficial motto of Morocco, symbolizing the foundational pillars of the nation: faith, patriotism, and loyalty to the monarchy . This large inscription is a prominent feature of the city’s skyline, visible from miles away and illuminated at night, making it an iconic landmark of Agadir.

The Kasbah’s strategic origin dates to the 16th century when the Saadian Sultan Muhammad al-Shaykh constructed it in 1540 to besiege and expel Portuguese forces from their coastal stronghold.

The fortress’s significance lies in its role as a symbol of Moroccan resistance and sovereignty, as well as its long history as the heart of the old city, housing a vibrant community with a mosque, a Jewish quarter (Mellah), and various sanctuaries until it was largely destroyed by the devastating 1960 Agadir earthquake. Today, the site’s restored ramparts and monumental gate—bearing a historic Dutch inscription—stand as a poignant memorial and the city’s most visited monument, offering panoramic views that connect the modern, rebuilt city to its deep and resilient heritage.

We were told that Agadir has the best beaches in all of Morocco, and it’s very early in the season.

The city is large, mostly flat, clean, and with orderly streets.

On the second day of Eid, more relatives came to Reda’s family home for more food and family gathering. This meal was double broiled chicken, and I was able to capture an overhead view illustrating how Moroccans would eat from the same, central dish – with bread, no utensils. Lots of tea, no alcohol – no problem.

On the way home, at a highway rest stop – I captured this photo of an electric vehicle charging station. There are an increasing number of these stations.

In summary, Diane and I greatly enjoyed our celebration of Eid with Reda, Jasmine and their families. We met far too many people and it is difficult to list them here in this blog. We were made to feel very welcome in their homes, and felt like we were part of their large extended family. Thank you.

During the drive, we had many interesting conversations, and one was concerning SMIG (Guaranteed Interprofessional Minimum Wage). For the private non-agricultural sector in Morocco, SMIG is set to 17.92 MAD per hour. For a standard full-time employee working 191.33 hours per month, this calculates to a gross monthly salary of approximately 3,422.72 MAD. To get a rough idea of these salaries in euros, simply divide by 10.