Middle Eastern cuisine becomes a banquet, with exchanges of invitations between kin and friends, and public banquets held by charities and associations. Cafes and pastry shops are open at night, and a carnival atmosphere prevails in the streets. Many Muslims, following the reported example of Muhammad, break their fast with a date, followed by a variety of dishes. Sweet pastries and puddings are always present on Ramadan nights everywhere. The end of Ramadan is marked by a festival, Id 'al-Fitr, a feast that breaks the fast, during which a great quantity and variety of sweets and pastries are consumed. The other major Muslim
Ramadan will also use this time to give a larger portion of sadaqah in order to maximize the reward that will await them at the Last Judgment. Tarawih () refers to extra prayers performed by Muslims at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan. Contrary to popular belief, they are not compulsory. However, many Muslims pray these prayers in the evening during Ramadan. Some scholars maintain that Tarawih is neither "fard" or a "Sunnah", but is the preponed "Tahajjud" (night prayer) prayer shifted to post-"Isha'" for the ease of believers. But a majority of Sunni scholars regard the Tarawih prayers as