The Muslim world just concluded one of its holiest of celebrations, called Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. In Turkey, for the last couple of years, a battle of “halal” (permitted in Islamic law) words have intensified. If you dare to say “Candy Feast” (Seker Bayrami) instead of Ramazan Bayrami in your greetings you may be scolded by “conservatives” and political Islamists.

Although it has long been a tradition to refer to it as candy or sweets holiday in Turkish because it was seen as sunnah (the practices of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, that he taught and followed) to indulge in and share sweets with your family and friends. The Anglo-Saxon world has mostly adopted the Arabic saying of Eid Mobarek, or Eid Said (Blessed or Happy Eid), while Turks could not yet decide what is the most appropriate way to wish happy holidays. Twitter preachers are not shy to tell you “how to greet for the Holy Day” and even when it is appropriate to send your greetings. Those “secular” tweeps who insist on referring to it as “Candy Holiday" are considered unworthy of the celebration because they probably did not even observe the fast. Even a few simple words of greeting have become a political fault line. Hence, one must choose one's words diligently in Turkey to avoid backlash.

The latest shenanigan took place on the first day of Eid, Aug. 8, when Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc refused to listen to a folk song live. He reasoned that the song contained the word “raki” (an aniseed-based alcoholic beverage, traditionally brewed all around the Balkans and Anatolia for centuries). The song is said to be written in the 14th century, which predates the conquest of Istanbul. Oddly enough, Arinc was recorded on camera while enjoying the same song during a trip to Macedonia in October 2011.

Having suffered a recent round of attacks on alcohol consumption through numerous ambiguous laws and unwarranted “drinking beer in mosque” accusations, an irritated group of “seculars” again voiced their opposition in the rare, if not the only, forum that is immune to Turkish governmental censorship, Twitter. Under the hashtag #direnraki (resist raki) hundreds of tweets poured in within hours of Arinc’s refusal. When you type the hashtag under “search” command of Twitter you will see tens of photos posted since Aug. 8 with raki glasses from all over Turkey.