Kulu sana wa enta tayeba, Giaguara
(you say - wa enta tayeb)
Ramadan Kareem
(you say - Allahu akram)
Loose translation - all the best to you all year long, Gia
All the best
Ramadan is kind (maybe gracious is better)
God is kinder (more gracious)
Here in Egypt the month of Ramadan started on the 26th, it's always amazing to me how random the timing is. The first day of Ramadan is a public holiday, but we don't know when it is till the day before. It is one of the things that alternately frustrates one here and then too makes one think again about the rat-race mentality that holds sway in other cultures.
In Egypt, the month is celebrated in food, oddly enough. During the day we fast and yes, no water during the daytime. It is not an easy condition. I have done more "christian" fasting, even to 12 days on water only, thats tough but doable. The 28 days of Ramadan are a challenge. Of course it is also doable, but it is not so good for my health, so I stopped doing it a few years ago (I'm not Muslim, but when in Rome...). My children observe, but I make sure they drink a lot after magreb.
When magreb (sun down) comes the Egyptians make up for lost time. The atmosphere is very festive. Lamps (called the Fanous) swing from the doorways and children carry them through the streets. There are fireworks all around - not the organized ones of the 4th of July, but firecrackers and bottle rockets abound. Kids love the burst-on-impact ones that are locally made. You have to watch out when you pass by a balcony (which is every building)
And they eat. And eat. Then they sleep for a while and then eat again. Around 4 am a guy walks through the streets beating a drum and calling to the neighbors who give him a tip for being a human alarm clock. And then they eat again before sun-up (suhuur).
It is also the time for the Muslim tithe, so the wealthy set up tables at their shop or in front of the Mosque. At magreb they serve a meal for free for anyone who wants to share.
Many poorer people come from the districts and wander the streets with some gimmick to increase the baksheesh (handout) like shining shoes or sharpening knives.
School becomes a bit of a problem as the absenteeism is over 30 percent, always someone else. Because they stay up so late, they basicly have their brains shut down during the day.
Then comes the eid, the feast at the end of the month. This year the same week as Thanksgiving, so we have the whole week off at school. Then the place erupts in joy. The faithful make an offering of a ram or a sheep or whatever. It is a little grisly, but it's not the main point of the day. There are hayrides all over the place. Improptu carnivals pop up everywhere, with human powered ferris wheels and spanish galleons.
In all its an experience to be part of. The camraderie of spirit of the mutual sufferers outweighs the hungry tempers that flare from time to time. People go out of their way to be extra nice to everyone around them, remembering their faith and the love of Allah, the merciful, the benificent.
I hope everyone can realize that the religion of Islam is kind, peace loving and patient. The typical Arab is far from the image of Bin Laden, who is not a religious person, but an ideologue who abuses religion for his own political agenda.
Ramadan Kareem