Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Muslimah Media Watch

Home
Muslim
Religion News
Ramadan in Egypt

Ramadan in Egypt

Last updated on: July 29, 2012 at 8:56 pm by emanhashim

Ramadan in Egypt 2012-07-29T20:56:56-04:00 emanhashim

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A messaharati in Cairo. Image via Elaph.

Ramadan in Cairo, Egypt is always special in its very traditional way.

You wait for the Lunar confirmation that next day is first day of Ramadan, then you hear the Taraweeh Prayer calls in all mosques.

A few hours later, the first Sohour begins, with a special guy (we call him “Messaharati”) banging on a drum in the streets calling for Sohour to each and every person in his neighborhood, especially kids. Small confession: I used to make him call me by my nickname. Just imagine it, it’s 3.00 AM in the morning and a man is drumming your name, one of the coolest things ever!

And of course we have to listen over and over to the famous very old song “Ramadan is Here”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6oF0fFGQHc

Ramadan in Cairo means the very special Egyptian Ramadan lantern called “Fanous” in all forms: big glassy ones hanged over big buildings, restaurants, entertainment ventures; numerous plastic ones of all shapes with children, and thousands of paper lantern hanged over threads all over streets, plus houses and mosques decorated with many small colorful lamps. You’ll see them in the video.

Ramadan in Cairo also means “Konafa” and “Atayef,” which means that there is almost no fridge that does not have plenty of yogurt cups and buttermilk bottles!

Colourful decorations in the street. Image via Elaph.

During Ramadan in Egypt, TV gets incredibly hysterical. I lost count after counting more than 30 television series just for Ramadan, although I know the number exceeds that generously… You can find TV channels specially launched for Ramadan TV series… of course with the commercials!

And since it is the fasting month, it is only logic that Ramadan is one of the highest shopping seasons in Egypt (!!) Families go out the week before Ramadan to start “Ramadan-Shopping”: Sugar for desserts, fat for food, corn oil, sunflower oil for frying Atayef, milk, yogurt, buttermilk, rice, beef, and chicken. You hardly find a typical Egyptian family eating any seafood in Ramadan; those are more eaten in Eid-Al-Fetr.

Socially, Ramadan in Egypt is a festival.

Taraweeh prayer is an occasion where extended families can meet, if they live close to each other, to pray in the same mosque; neighbors socialize, children play, and friends can be made. I have to admit this is not always a positive thing, because this festive attitude and the amount of noise is not favored for someone like me who has always found it hard to focus on praying and reciting Qur’an when the mosque has become more like a park than a holy place where a person seeks modesty and reverence. In the end, it’s been years for me now praying at home only!

A Ramadan tent in Egypt. Image via Russia Today.

Inviting people over for Iftar is a very popular custom in Egypt. True, it ends up as a competition between women of the family for who cooks better, but still it is usually a good chance to meet cousins you hardly see, nephews and nieces you know nothing about, and old family members.

Zakat is very much respected and practiced during Ramadan, and there’s a well-known custom called “Ma’edat Al-Rahman” There’s no English translation for the words, but they are close to “The Merciful’s Table” where someone gets a tent with tables and chairs and starts distributing food and drinks for those who can’t afford their Iftar; this is mostly done in what are called “Ramadan-Tents.”

This could be very competitive between artists and celebrities; who will throw the best Ramadan-Tent? But at the end, it is always good to know that those who can’t afford food will be able to have a good meal during Ramadan.

And since feeding someone Iftar is much appreciated in Islam, you find people, minutes before Maghreb prayer (the beginning of Iftar) – walking the streets and handing out grapes and water to people walking and those driving home… such a very nice scene.

Edited to Add: For more on Ramadan, and to read the rest of the posts in MMW’s Ramadan 2012 series, click here.

Previous Post

July 24, 2012

Iftar in a Nigerian Home

Next Post

July 26, 2012 Mexican-Lebanese Ramadan Food

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advertisements Art/Theater Books/Magazines Cinema Comics/Cartoons Culture/Society Events Fashion Film Friday Links Merchandise/Commodities MMW Announcements MMW Highlights Music/Radio News Photography Politics Profile Ramadan 2012 Ramadan 2013 Ramadan 2014 Ramadan 2015 Roundtable Satire Social Media Sports Technology/Science Television Uncategorized Video Web

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Wise men from the East followed me across the sky to find the newborn King. What celestial guide led them?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A comet A star The moon An angel