Iftar, or futoor, is a meal served to Muslims each evening after sunset to conclude their daily Ramadan fast.
As the call to prayer (adhan) for evening prayer approaches, they break their fast. During Ramadan, this is the second meal of the day that begins immediately after the pre-dawn dinner of suhur and continues through the daylight hours, ending with the evening meal of iftar at sunset. The iftar meal is one of the religious observances during Ramadan and it is often shared as a community. The meal is taken just after sunset, around the time of the Maghrib prayer. In the emulation of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, who broke his fast in this manner, three dates are traditionally eaten to break the fast. However, this practice is not mandatory. It was Muhammad who practiced feeding someone iftar as a form of charity.
A Turkish iftar is described by Miss Pardoe in an article she wrote in 1836 about her travels to Stamboul. According to Pardoe, the meal was served by slaves "black, white, and gray", and guests sat on cushions around a platter with cloth napkins, eating fish and rice from a communal pot. As a result of the attention given by each participant, Pardoe describes this practice as "less revolting than it would otherwise be". During the iftar, 19 courses were served, including meats, birds, fish, custards, pastries, and a pyramid-shaped pile of pilaf. Iftar feasts in Iran are usually held with relatives rather than in neighborhoods. A small selection of foods is prepared for the fast break, followed by a proper Persian meal. Ramadan celebration practices in Turkey are largely influenced by the traditions of the former Ottoman Empire. During Ramadan, many people arrange iftar dinners for the poor and foreigners, as it is an almsgiving month.
To promote dialogue between those of different religious and cultural backgrounds, Turkish NGOs like the Journalists and Writers Foundation are organizing Interfaith Dialogue Dinners during Ramadan. The high-profile dinner parties organized by NGOs in Turkey have ushered in an era of hosting large dinner parties not only for Muslims but also for people from a wide variety of cultures and understandings. Many Turkish NGOs have organized iftar dinners for interfaith and intercultural dialogue all over the world in recent years, helping promote a deeper understanding of Ramadan through these events.
References
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iftar) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iftar#Iran) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iftar#Turkey)