Fethiye Times Photo by Norman Clark Curated from various news sources. NEWS Ramadan drummer attacked in Istanbul A man thought to be a foreign national living in Istanbulâs ÅiÅli district has attacked a Ramadan drummer with a knife and âstabbed the drumâ after a short chase. Every year, during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, thousands of drummers take to the streets of Turkey in the dark of night. Dressed in Ottoman-era attire, the drummers wander the streets to wake up residents for sahur, the last meal before a day of fasting that begins before sunrise. But the age-old tradition of beating Ramadan drums in the wee hours of the morning to wake residents may seem unusual for some.