Education was free at all levels until 1991. Almost all Somalis are Sunni Moslems. Attitudes, social customs and gender roles in Somalia are based primarily on Islamic tradition. During the month-long religious holiday of Ramadan, people pray, fast and refrain from drinking during the day, and will eat only at night. Pregnant women, people who are very ill and children are exempted from the fast.
Many religious holidays involve the ritual killing of a lamb or goat.
Moslem tradition forbids eating pork or drinking alcohol. Many social norms in Somalia are derived from Islamic tradition. For example, a handshake is the common and polite greeting, but men shake hands only with men, and women with women. The right hand is considered the clean and polite hand to use for eating, writing and shaking hands. If a child shows a left-handed preference, the parents will train him or her to use the right hand.