The first day of Ramadan in Dearborn on Wednesday, August 11 brought familiar sights of decorated homes and smells of fresh-baked sweets, setting the mood for celebration and spiritual reflection as families and friends gathered for the breaking of the first fast with iftars across the area.

In accordance with traditions, most of them began with the breaking of the fast with dates and  followed them up with home-cooked meals for large groups of family, friends.

But for three Saudi American friends from across the state, eating at home was not an option yet again on the first night of Ramadan.

The holy month, celebrated by more than a billion Muslims worldwide, emphasizes prayer, fasting, unity, and charity for approximately thirty days each year.

With family members celebrating back home in Saudi Arabia, 23-year-old Hussein Sabit of Southgate and his friends, cousins Qassem Al-Abbas, age 25 of Royal Oak, and 27-year-old Nadeer Alabdul Wahab of Bay City, instead opted to break their fast at Lava Java in Dearborn, a cafe that has developed a tradition of holding iftars for those who don’t have the time to cook during the holy month.

“Traditionally the first day of Ramadan is a big meal that you make at home,” Sabit said, “but us guys, we’re single and we didn’t have time to buy groceries today.”

The trio is used to having to spend the holiday without most of their families back home, but they’ve learned to make the most of it enjoying local iftar buffets that have become popular around town.

“People like the buffet style for Ramadan, they get a lot of different kinds of food and a home-cooked meal here,” said Fawzi Al-Shohatee, owner of Lava Java, whose buffet was attended by about 40 people on Wednesday. Al-Shohatee said business usually picks up after the first week and especially on weekends when families are a bit weary and need a break from cooking so many big meals for family and friends, including the less fortunate.

Sabit said that he and his friends were looking forward to cooking dinner tomorrow night for each other in the spirit of giving and fellowship for Ramadan, with at least six friends expected to enjoy dinner together while each bringing a dish to share.

Similar buffets at Ollie Lebanese Cuisine and Habib’s Cuisine in Dearborn were also popular on the evening. At Shatila Bakery, business for Ramadan sweets was brisk as usual, although most customers purchase them the morning of the first day of Ramadan or the night before according to employees.

Following iftars, many local Muslims carry on the tradition of gathering for late-night conversation and  refreshments with friends and family.

At a gathering of 12 friends at a house on Chase Road near Tireman, local community activist Zouhair Alawieh was among those who welcomed a group of special guests to their late-night get-together from Lebanon.

Lebanese dignitaries Wael Mortada, a high-ranking judge, and Ali Abdallah, a prominent lawyer, along with Sheikh Mohamad Dbouk of the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn all attended while relaxing and enjoying sweets and fruits like melon and figs.

Alawieh talked about the importance of being charitable during Ramadan while adding that he enjoyed the positive vibes of goodwill around town.

Mortada agreed with Alawieh’s assertion and compared it to being back home in Lebanon.

“I feel as if it is just like living in Lebanon, it is a welcoming feeling of solidarity among many individuals,” he said.

Mortada is in town to visit his four children in Michigan and is making his fourth visit to Dearborn.

“I don’t feel as if I am outside of my country when I’m here during Ramadan, there is no difference between the mood of Lebanon and here,” he said.

At Lava Java Cafe, Sabit said he was preparing to welcome his 15-year-old brother Moe to town this week to enjoy that same feeling along with him.

“My little brother is coming up from Fort Worth, Texas because it’s a little hard on him down there,” Sabit said. “I lived down there for three years myself and it’s just not the same as the here. You get the true feeling of Ramadan here more than anywhere else.”

PHOTOS: Restaurants were alive with the spirit of Ramadan as families and friends came together on the first night of the holy month to break their fasts at iftars across Dearborn.