‘All fasting for the same reason’: Muslim Ramadan and Christian Lent unite Tanzania

Interfaith harmony has deepened in Tanzania’s commercial hub Dar es Salaam as this year’s Muslim holy month of Ramadan coincides with Lent, the 40-day Christian period of fasting and reflection before Easter.

In the smoldering afternoon heat of Bunju, a sprawling suburb of Dar es Salaam, Halima Juma peels cassava – a crucial African staple food crop – with practiced hands.

Seated on a wooden stool outside her makeshift kitchen, she expertly removes the brown skin of the tubers. In front of her, a green plastic basin is stacked with freshly peeled roots, ready to be boiled and mashed into a soft porridge that will nourish fasting Muslims at sunset.

“For iftar, you need something soft, something that settles in the stomach after a long day without food or water,” she says, rinsing the cassava. “Mash it, fry it, mix it with coconut – it gives energy without being too heavy.”

Like many street cooks across the bustling city, Juma has been preparing since morning. During Ramadan, business surges as fasting Muslims seek nutritious, easy-to-digest meals.

Cassava, an affordable and versatile staple, finds its way into many Tanzanian dishes – boiled with coconut sauce, spiced with ginger, or fried into crispy bites dipped in honey. Some prefer it pounded into a silky porridge, served with dates.

This year, cassava is in double demand as it is not just Muslims who are fasting – Ramadan has largely coincided with Lent, the 40-day Christian period of fasting and reflection before Easter.

“During Lent, we abstain from meat and eat simple meals,” said Esther Mrope, a devout Catholic, while haggling over cassava and fresh vegetables at Kariakoo, one of East Africa’s busiest markets.

“It’s beautiful to see fasting unite us across religions. My Muslim neighbors always bring me food for iftar, and I share my meals with them.”  

With Ramadan and Lent overlapping, interfaith harmony has deepened in Tanzania, home to nearly 38.5 million Christians and over 24 million Muslims.

“During Ramadan, we break our fasts together,” said Joseph Komba, a Catholic teacher.

“It’s a sign of love and respect. We may have different beliefs, but we all understand sacrifice and gratitude.”

At restaurants, Muslims and Christians sit side by side, sharing plates of fried cassava and cups of spiced tea. In Ilala, a district of Dar es Salaam, Muslim and Christian neighbors sit together under the soft glow of a lantern, sharing cassava porridge and coconut-infused beans.

“In the end, we are all fasting for the same reason,” Ibrahim Musa, a retired schoolteacher, told Anadolu. “To reflect, to be grateful, and to remember that we are all connected.”

The spirit of sharing is also visible at the various communal iftars and dinners held regularly across the city, where organizations and charities host hundreds of people, regardless of background or status.

“Ramadan is about giving and sharing,” says Sheikh Abdulrahman Kombo, an imam in the district of Kinondoni. “Many people donate food or money, and no one should go hungry in this holy month.”

Beyond family tables and communal iftars, young professionals in Dar es Salaam have also harnessed the power of technology to organize charity drives.

“Social media has changed how we do charity,” said Ahmed Sefu, a digital entrepreneur who started an online campaign to fund Ramadan meals. “We raise money via WhatsApp and mobile banking, then distribute food packs to orphanages and low-income families.”

Despite the joyous atmosphere, many families – both Muslim and Christian – feel the pinch of soaring food prices. The cost of rice, sugar, and even basic staples has risen, forcing adjustments to traditional meals.

“In past years, we could afford more variety, but now we’re sticking to simple dishes,” said Aziza Omar, a mother of four. “Instead of beef samosas, we make vegetable ones. Instead of chicken biryani, we eat plain pilau. But Ramadan is all about gratitude to Allah.”

Street vendors have also adapted.

“Oil prices have doubled, so we’re making smaller portions,” said Upendo Mponeja, who sells fried cassava and sweet potatoes in the city’s Temeke district. “People still buy, but they count their coins carefully.”

At Kariakoo, butchers slice meat for customers preparing special iftar meals. The cost of beef and chicken has spiked – beef now sells for 12,000 Tanzanian shillings ($4.90) per kilo, while broiler chicken is 10,000 shillings ($4).

“Everything is more expensive this year,” said Zubeda Ramadhani, a woman shopping for pilau ingredients.

“But we manage somehow. If we can’t afford meat, we cook beans or cassava. The most important thing is sharing.”

This story originally appeared in Anadolu Ajansı