ramadan in egypt

urrently, Ramadan is being celebrated in
Egypt. It began on October 15th, 2004 and will end on November
14th with the feast of Eid al-Fitr. We at Tour
Egypt are often asked about travel during
this period. People are concerned about this being a bad time to
visit Egypt, but in reality, it is an excellent, festive period
which simply adds to the fun. Tourist attractions and facilities
continue to operate, but there are great celebrations and a
wonderful time for all.
However, it should be noted that officially, monuments and
other tourist sites are open until 3:00 PM, while in reality,
some of the less frequented sites may close earlier (2:00 PM).
While there are many restaurant (though not all) open to
tourists, many may not serve alcoholic beverages during
Ramadan. However, almost all larger hotels,
as well as smaller hotels that cater to tourists will be completely
operational, including their bars, and they will serve
alcoholic drinks as usual.
Spending the holy month of Ramdan in Egypt is different than
elsewhere. Other than the rituals practiced during that month,
certain social habits of Egyptian Muslims are much different than
anywhere else.
Ramadan
is a month that follows the lunar calendar, the basis of the Islamic
(or Hijri) calendar. With an eleven-day offset from the Gregorian
(western) calendar, the exact timing of Ramadan during the year is
variable, sometimes falling in summer and sometimes in winter. The
first day of Ramadan too is variable, since "Sha’aban", the preceding
month, sometimes has 29 days and sometimes 30 days. Astronomical
calculations are utilized to detect the birth of the new moon, yet the
cornerstone remains to be its visualization after sunset. Ramadan lasts
for 29 or 30 days, as do most lunar months.
The holiness of this month comes from the fact that it marks the day when the Holy Spirit, Gabriel,
started the
transmission of God’s message to the prophet Mohammad, fourteen centuries
ago. The exact date has never been identified, but it is believed to be
on one of the last ten days of this month, which Muslims call
"Lailat el-Qadr". According to Islam, the month is
dedicated to prayers, as it is believed that it is an occasion to
wash one’s sins away and enjoy God’s unlimited mercy.
The
principal ritual during Ramadan is fasting. This entails abandoning
eating, drinking, smoking or sinning, even if minor, throughout the
whole day, from dawn to sunset. Though the usual daily practice is in
most ways normal, Muslims prefer to spend more time praying or reading
the Qora’an, particularly at night.
The daily meals become limited to two, the first of which is
the "iftar" when fasting is broken just after sunset.
The iftar can be a real bonus to tourists, as many of the hotels
offer highly competitive specials for ifar.
The timing of the second meal, "sohour", is variable according to personal preference,
but usually delayed as much as possible until just before dawn. In
between "iftar" and "sohour", people are
allowed to eat as they wish.
What
makes this month different in Egypt? A long time ago, Egyptians adopted
certain social habits during this month that are not directly related
to religion. Officially, the working hours are diminished to allow more
time for prayers. People usually sleep very late and spend considerable
time in the mosques. The traditional practice starts immediately after
sunset, which is announced to people through all mosques by the ritual
"azan", or the call for prayers. Once, beginning in the 16th Century,
it was the habit of the Egyptian government to fire a canon which could
be heard throughout Cairo
to announce end of the daily fast. This loud shot was fired
from the Citadel
over the "el-Moqattam" mountains. Modern
technology has replaced this habit so that now announcements are
made on radio and TV.
"Iftar" is considered the main meal of the day during
Ramadan and is often very rich. Any type of food might be served,
but traditionally the
desert almost always includes "konafa" or "qatayef".
The former is a cake-like food made of wheat with considerable sugar, honey,
raisins and different types of nuts. The later is almost the same,
but takes the shape of a small circular cake, which is folded to
include nuts and raisins.
Since
Ramadan is considered to be the most joyful month of the whole year,
children also have their share of fun. The "fanoos" or
lantern is a must for every kid. These are traditionally
made of tin and colored glass, with a candle inside. More modern
examples are battery operated, but really lack the spirit
(though each year there seems to be a trend to see who can
produce the most snazzy fanoos). All mosques and streets
during the whole month are full of colored lights in a festival
fashion, and in the past, children played in the streets
with their lanterns, singing "wahawy ya wahawy". This
tradition is still practiced, though rarely now in the streets,
except in middle class or poor neighborhoods, and in the countryside.
With the introduction of TV in the 1960’s, traditions
changed. TV transmissions lasts 24 hours a day, and
the programs include too many new serials and movies. More than
half of the serials produced by the Egyptian TV are broadcast
during Ramadan for the first time. another traditional program
is the "fawazeer", which is a daily riddle usually
broadcast during a comedy or musical show. The family is usually gathered around the
TV for long hours, if they do not go for prayers. Nuts are
consumed as a snack, together with a traditional drink "qamar
el-deen¹" which is made of apricot. Most people prefer to
spend at least the first day in an extended family reunion, gathering in the
home of the grand parents’.
After the first few days, people start to go out after "iftar".
Hence, many gatherings between families, friends or colleagues take
place for the main meal, and for socializing afterwards. since many people
prefer to spend their time in the old fashioned atmosphere of
cafes, many hotels now actively market their facilities for this
festive occasion. Today, it has become a tradition for
all 5-star hotels to erect a large tent, furnished in the old
Arabian decoration, where people enjoy their time listening to old
traditional songs and music. It all recalls memories of the old
classical days. "Sheesha" or water-pipes are smoked
almost continuously.
Sports
are also popular during Ramadan. Most clubs arrange minor tournaments,
especially for football (soccer). Many people of all ages participate
in games, including the elders who compete with their peers. It is not
unusual to find many professional football players among these teams of
amateurs. The issue is not to win, but to share. In poor districts
where no clubs are available, the youth and children can utilize a side
street or alley as a football field. During Ramadan, people become very
tolerant of such activities, though they are not encouraged during
other times of the year.
The show continues until late at night, and sometimes right
up until the
dawn prayers, after which people finally sleep. Of course, not
everyone follows this routine. Many somewhat older people find
it difficult to keep pace with these celebrations, and of
course some must continue to work (for example, those in the
tourism business). In
the old days, the tradition was for man called a "mesaharaty"
to walk down the streets before dawn with a drum. He would wake
up the people by singing and calling their names. The
mesaharaty was not paid a fixed salary but received donations, and though
this profession is now extinct, amateurs continue to practice the
tradition.
The worst experience a student might experience is if Ramadan coincides
with exams. If possible, the exam timing is shifted by the
school or university. But if this is impossible, then the fun may be
lost. The majority of people fast during Ramadan, though according to
Islam, the sick, travelers, elders and children are not required
to follow this requirement. Since the days are longer in
summer and the weather is hot, fasting sometimes become
difficult. Children usually start demanding that their parents allow
them to fast at an early age, though they are usually not allowed
to do so before the age of ten, and then only for a short duration. The sick
also
try to fast, though of course this may be very difficult for
them. In fact, no one would ever wish to miss a
single day of fasting during this month, although it is possible
to compensate
later. It is not just the religious obligation, but also the
atmosphere.
It is not considered good manners to outwardly make a
display of not fasting. Though not illegal, those who do not fast would usually
hide to eat, drink or smoke. Egyptian Christians
also share also participate in most of these practices with
their fellow Muslims. Some would also fast as a sign of
national unity, but even those who do not would never eat or drink in
public, as a sign of respect to Islamic traditions. Alcoholic
drinks are prohibited throughout the month, and all bars are
closed (with the exception of many tourist facilities)
On the last day of Ramadan, observatories again check for the
new moon. The month ends after the 29th or 30th
day, when the "eid" or feast begins.1.
This drink is usually made from from dried apricot sheets, or
past, which is placed in boiling water. Qamar el-deem sheets,
as they are called, can be found in many specialty Middle East markets.
It is also used to make an apricot pudding.