Ramadan in Maadi, Egypt

It's Ramadan in Egypt, June 6 through approximately July 6. This is my third Ramadan and I enjoy being around for the sights and sounds. The lack of sounds to be precise! Everything slows down during Ramadan: the traffic, the people, businesses tend to open later in the day and restaurants stay closed until the evening until it's time for Iftar. This year I think it's been a bit more difficult for the people fasting because of the unusually hot daily temperatures of 100+ degrees. As much as 112 degrees so far this Ramadan! With no food or water or cigarettes for nearly 16 hours!

Here's a typical day during Ramadan for a Muslim. Even during normal times there are five prayers a day and the call to prayer is announced at the mosques using a loudspeaker. There are thousands of mosques and it's an interesting sound to hear several of them all at once. During Ramadan, before the first prayer of the day around 3:30 a.m., the people eat sohoor, or what we would call breakfast. Eggs, beans, bread, cheese, leftovers from the previous Iftar but no meat because it's hard to digest. The call to prayer is heard soon afterwards and everyone either goes to the mosque to pray or prays at home. Most people will then try to sleep a bit.

During the next 15-16 hours they cannot eat, drink, or smoke tobacco. Most people still go to work but are allowed to arrive a bit later and leave earlier, usually around 3:00 p.m. Around 7:00 p.m. the fourth call to prayer signals that they can eat and drink. They start slowly with a few sugary dates, some fruit juice, sips of water. They go to pray and then it's time for their big meal called Iftar. It's a time of joy and celebration and commonly includes extended family. If you don't know this, Egypt is a country of night owls and especially so during Ramadan! People visit, pray, read the Holy Koran, and watch the newly released movies and soap operas on television. You will also never ever hear a Muslim complain about fasting. It is their joy to do this for Allah. Muslims love Ramadan.

A display of nuts, dried fruit, figs, raisins, etc. for Ramadan.

My bowab loves to decorate the villa for Ramadan and it looks quite festive with the lights and bunting. This year I bought two large fanooses (lanterns) to add to the decor. The shops with all the Ramadan lamps, lights, and decorations are so fun! Fanooses are a very important part of Ramadan and it's my understanding that long ago, before electricity, children were given fanooses so they could play outside at night. Fanooses are also given as gifts and I was lucky enough to receive two this year! I will keep them forever.

Ramadan fanooses at Alfa Market.

Ramadan is also the time of giving to poor people, both food and money. To help with this many people buy pre-made Ramadan bags from grocery stores or make their own Ramadan bags. These bags (boxes also) contain basic food items for Egyptian cooking: oil, ghee, tomato sauce, rice, several types of pasta, sugar, tea, dates, beans, and anything else you might like to add. I give Ramadan bags to my employees, the workers around my villa, a few of the policemen and military guys that work outside the villa, Egyptian friends, and poor people. My driver and I stopped at a busy intersection one day to give bags to the poor ladies with their children. Within a blink there were tons of people running to the car to get a bag, even a guy on his bicycle. They seemed to appear out of nowhere! I said "quick Mohammad we have to go!"

Typical Ramadan bag.

In keeping with the tradition of helping the poor during Ramadan, businesses sponsor free Iftars that are held inside decorated tents throughout the city.

Iftar tent. There are some really beautiful ones and I will try to get a photo.

Inside the tent.