For much of the last decade, Ramadan arrived in summer, stretching long into balmy evenings. At the Suleymaniye Mosque, perched high above Istanbul’s undulating skyline, the courtyard would swell with life—an open-air sanctuary with Bosphorus shimmering in the distance.

Then came the shift. As Ramadan inched toward the colder months, the sun-soaked evenings were replaced by crisp nights. The air grew sharp. Yet, the ritual remained.

 Even as temperatures dipped, people came. They brought heavier coats and thermoses of hot tea to defy the season.

Now, with the last cemre, the season and time change once again. As the final ten nights of Ramadan unfold, subtle warmth creeps back into the air.

As dusk settles over the mosque’s courtyard, the scent of freshly baked pide mingles with the crisp evening air. Families and strangers alike unfold camp chairs beneath budding branches, sharing tea and whispered prayers.

Then, in a moment older than memory itself, the ceremonial cannon sounds from Sultanahmet Square, signalling iftar.

Conversations hush, hands pass dates and bread, and the courtyard hums with a rhythm as ancient as the city itself. It is in these moments that the essence of Ramadan unfolds—not just in the act of fasting, but in the collective spirit it evokes.

Over time, visiting Suleymaniye during Ramadan became a ritual for many Istanbulites.  But its spirit has touched the visitors alike.

Amid the crowd, a 22-year-old student, Asiya, from Nigeria, studying Communication Design at Ozyegin University, rolls up with her skateboard to join the KIM-organised Iftar. 

She told TRT World, "This is my first time with KIM (Cross-Cultural Center of Suleymaniye), and the Iftar was very nice. I met new people, so it was a great experience, reminiscing about home."

This year, the KIM Foundation hosted over 1,200 people for a communal iftar in the mosque’s courtyard, including 300 non-Muslim tourists experiencing Ramadan for the first time.

Celestial feast at ‘open iftar’

“One American tourist even recited the shahada and accepted Islam before the azan time, alhamdulillah,” Ahmet Soylemez, the foundation’s media and communications manager, told TRT World.

Soylemez emphasised the open iftar concept, "Our iftar is open to everyone, regardless of their background. This year, we wanted to make the experience accessible to as many people as possible, and it was heartwarming to see the joy in the volunteers' faces. They were eager to share their experiences and offer a warm welcome to all the guests."

Describing the logistics of the event, he said, "We set up 18 long tables, each hosting around 70 people, and prepared a meal for 1500 people just in case.

Most of the participants were our supporters, fans, volunteers, and their families. The atmosphere was filled with happiness and gratitude."

The long tables, the open invitation, and the warm welcomes reflect a core truth of Ramadan: it is a time for solidarity, selflessness, and shared humanity.

Soylemez further explained the Foundation’s ongoing mission: "It is highly valued by the KIM Foundation that Western visitors leave with a better impression of our religion. Throughout the rest of the month, Insha'Allah, we will continue hosting more people every day and night for the sake of Islam."

Beyond the iftar gatherings, Ramadan at Suleymaniye is steeped in tradition.

After iftar, tea was served, evening prayers were performed, and as conversations wound down, the group made its way to Suleymaniye Mosque for the Enderun-style Taraweeh Prayer.

This Ottoman-era tradition, originating from the Enderun School, features a unique recitation style where each set of four rakats (units of Islamic prayer) is performed in different Turkish musical modes.

These modes, embellished with hymns, create a rhythmic flow, with muezzins transitioning seamlessly between them while reciting salawat.

Joy of Ramadan for children

As prayers concluded, the once-quiet courtyard burst into life. Young people and children filled the space, their energy palpable.

Some played volleyball, others enjoyed Islamic board games, while many delighted in cotton candy, popcorn, and balloons. Laughter and excited shouts echoed through the historic arches as children painted faces and joined in activities designed to make Ramadan a celebration of joy.

Among the volunteers was 26-year-old Fatma Cekmez, a videographer and volunteer with the Iyilik Rengi Association (the Colour of Kindness), which runs volunteer activities for children, shared her experience with TRT World, "I volunteer with Iyilik Rengi Dernegi. Our organisation primarily supports families in need and carries out activities based on their requirements. We mostly focus on children's needs. As a charity, we have a special place in our hearts for children with illnesses, and we try to meet their needs."

"Usually, every Ramadan, we either organise a Ramadan festival for children or decorate our vehicle to visit various streets and distribute gifts to children. We try to create activities where children can truly feel the spirit of Ramadan," she said.

She added, "Here today, since March 13, we’ve created an event space in the garden of Suleymaniye Mosque. We’re handing out cotton candy, popcorn, and balloons to the children. We also have dedicated times for playing games with them. It’s wonderful to see them enjoy these activities."

When asked how she feels about all this, Fatma says, "In our daily lives, unfortunately, we can’t always feel the spirit of Ramadan. But we do our best to make sure the next generation and the current children experience it. We want them to feel the same joy and peace during Ramadan that we do. We are doing what we wish for ourselves, and it makes us feel peaceful, happy, and joyful."

Ramadan and Ramazaniyyes exhibition 

Whether arriving via Beyazit Tramway or Vezneciler Metro, those who make their way to Suleymaniye before iftar will find more than just history—they will step into the echoes of an enduring Ramadan tradition.

For centuries, poets of the Ottoman court composed Ramazaniyyes—elegant qasidas presented by Divan poets to sultans, high-ranking individuals, and their patrons during the month of Ramadan, usually between ten and twenty couplets).

These verses, typically spanning ten to twenty couplets, wove together devotion, reflection, and the sacred rhythm of the fasting month.

Today, remnants of that literary tradition find a home in an exhibition at the Suleymaniye Manuscript Library, where the past lingers in ink and parchment.

The Ramadan and Ramazaniyyes exhibition, running through the holy month, showcases rare manuscripts, hymns, and ghazals, alongside legal texts on fasting.

Particularly, the Ramazaniyye texts reflect the deep traces of the past, while Suheyl Unver’s notebooks on Ramadan culture are also included in the collection. 

Visitors will also have the chance to visit the Sacred Hair of the Prophet Muhammad (Sakal-i Serif) with prayers.

Additionally, the "Ramadan Tradition of Ottoman Sultans: Serenity Lessons" exhibition, which opened on March 12, complements this atmosphere. 

It features manuscripts related to the lessons held in the presence of Ottoman sultans and the tafsirs (Quranic commentaries) they followed.  

Both exhibitions will be open until the end of Ramadan.

More than architectural marvel

There is a certain magic here, something that resists language.

If you close your eyes, you might hear soft chords of Ekmek Teknesi’s theme music playing faintly in your mind. The music is Teknesi’s soundtrack for The Bread Boat, a Turkish TV series, evoking the spirit of old Istanbul and its cherished traditions.

Those moments tucked away in memory, now feel alive in the soft light that falls across Mimar Sinan’s masterpiece, the Suleymaniye Mosque.

You could call it nostalgia, but that would be too simple. 

It is the way Ramadan lingers in the mind, pulling us back to the fasts of childhood, to the warmth of long-shared meals, to the hush that falls just before the call to prayer.

This place is more than architecture—it is atmosphere, a rhythm, a quiet pulse of devotion. It is what poet Sezai Karakoc once described when he spoke of the Ramadan table as a Maide—a feast not of this world, but of the heavens.

"The family sits at the table like an eternal painting. The blessings on the table do not seem like everyday sustenance. It is as if the essence of eternity has been mixed into them. The table itself feels like a Maide table — a feast descended from the heavens..."

As Karakoc describes it in his modern form of Ramazaniyye — his contemplative work on the spirit of Ramadan — truly, it is a “celestial feast.”

If one day your path crosses with Suleymaniye during this sacred month, stay a while. Sit among the crowd.

Let the light of the setting sun warm your face.