How do Muslim communities celebrate Ramadan with zero-proof drinks?

The iftar moment — the breaking of the fast at sunset, traditionally initiated with dates and water — is followed by communal drinks that signal abundance, celebration and gratitude. These drinks carry deep cultural and emotional resonance: the smell of a particular mint tea or the sight of a jallab glass can evoke the entire experience of Ramadan for diaspora communities far from their countries of origin. The ritual is inseparable from the drink.

Regional Ramadan drink traditions demonstrate extraordinary variety. In Morocco and North Africa, mint tea (atai) — prepared with gunpowder green tea, abundant fresh mint and sugar, poured from height to create froth — is the central social drink of iftar gatherings, often drunk through multiple rounds of conversation and communal eating. In Gulf countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait), jallab (rose water, grape molasses, tamarind, pine nuts, soaked raisins) is served chilled in tall glasses as an iftar celebration drink of significant ceremonial status. In Pakistan and South Asia, rooh afza (rose and fruit syrup), sharbat (sweet floral syrups diluted with water), and varieties of lassi mark iftar. In Turkey, traditional gülsuyu (rose water drink), şerbet (Ottoman-origin sweet syrups) and freshly pressed pomegranate juice mark the season.

The Eid celebration — the festival marking the end of Ramadan — amplifies the drinks culture further: sparkling NA options, premium juices and artisanal syrups are central to Eid hospitality across all regions. An observation with commercial implications: Ramadan is the period of highest per-household expenditure on premium NA drinks in Muslim communities globally.

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