Ramadan in Egypt
Ramadan in Egypt
The holy month of Ramadan is one of the most important months in the Islamic calendar, characterized by worship, fasting, and observance. Still, in Egypt, this month takes on a characteristic of its own, blending spirituality, popular traditions, and some amazing celebrations. With the onset of this holy month, Egypt's streets become a carnival reflecting the spirit of love and solidarity among the people.
Egypt's Ramadan preparations
In Egypt, preparations for the holy month of Ramadan usually begin several weeks before the actual month. Markets are organized for Ramadan, streets are decorated with beautiful traditional lanterns and colourful decorations, and the buying movements increase, mainly for food items like dates, yamish, nuts, meat, and flour used for making kunafa and qatayef. There are also special events for selling Ramadan products at discounted prices so that families can have an affordable celebration of this auspicious month.
Ramadan on the streets of Egypt
The Ramadan lantern is one of the most famous symbols of Ramadan in Egypt, with children shopping for illuminated lanterns and wandering the streets with them. Streets and shops are decorated with dazzling lights and paper decorations that reflect the joyful atmosphere.
Iftar Cannon
The Iftar cannon The hero of this sentence is the cannon, whose sound is associated with family reunion and family warmth, no matter how far he travels; the Ramadan cannon has tales, stories and history, in some of which he was the main protagonist, in others the narrator, and sometimes he was limited to the role of a spectator, but despite that, he still always evokes in our souls the nostalgia for Ramadan and its nights.
History books describe how the ruler of Egypt in the Mamluk era, Khushqadam, was trying out a new cannon gifted to him by one of the governors, and it happened that the first shot came at sunset on the first day of Ramadan in 859 AH. After that, the sheikhs and people of Cairo flocked to Khushqadam's palace to thank him for firing the cannon at the time of breaking the fast, so he continued firing it after that.
Another version is that Muhammad Ali the Great, the ruler of Egypt and the founder of the Alawite dynasty in Egypt from 1805, was trying out a new cannon that he imported from Germany as part of his plans to modernize the Egyptian army, and the first shot was fired at the time of the Maghrib call to prayer in the month of Ramadan, so its sound was associated in the minds of the public with the breaking of the fast and Suhoor of Ramadan. They called that cannon “Hajj Fatima” due to its association with the month of Ramadan, and it was located in Salah al-Din al-Ayoubi Castle, which was located in the castle of Salah al-Din.”
In the middle of the nineteenth century, specifically during the reign of Khedive Abbas I in 1853, two cannons were fired to break the fast in Cairo: the first from the Citadel, and the second from the Saray “Abbas Pasha I” in Abbasiya, a suburb of Cairo. During the reign of Khedive “Ismail, it was thought to put the cannon in a high place so that its sound would reach the largest area of Cairo, and it settled in Mokattam Mountain, where it was celebrated before the beginning of Ramadan by leaving the Citadel on a cart with huge wheels, and returning after the end of the month of Ramadan and Eid to the castle's warehouses again.
The cannon's role evolved into a tool to announce the sighting of the crescent moon of Ramadan. After the sighting was confirmed, the cannons fired from the castle to celebrate the fasting month, in addition to firing 21 shots throughout the three days of Eid al-Fitr.
Thus, the sound of the cannon continued to be an essential element in the lives of Egyptians during Ramadan through the cannon belonging to the era of “Muhammad Ali” until the advent of the radio, which stopped firing it from the citadel in many cases, although the audio recording of it continued to be broadcast daily over the radio and television airwaves until officials decided to broadcast the firing process on the air during the Maghrib call to prayer from the citadel; in 1983, Egyptian Interior Minister “Ahmed Rushdy” decided to restore the firing of the cannon from Salah al-Din al-Ayoubi Citadel throughout Ramadan in Suhoor and Iftar, which restored the role and splendour of the cannon.
Two of the three surviving cannons from the Muhammad Ali dynasty were relocated there, and the third was kept as a tourist attraction in the courtyard of the Police Museum in the Salah al-Din Citadel, overlooking Cairo from a high knoll. Egyptians still hear the sound of the cannon over the radio or on television, which is considered a Ramadan tradition in Egypt.
Tables of the Rahman
It is one of the most wonderful forms of social solidarity in Egypt during the month of Ramadan, where thousands of tables are set up in the streets and mosques to feed the poor, the needy, and passers-by, and many people volunteer to prepare and serve food in an atmosphere of love and brotherhood.
Ramadan customs in Egypt
Perhaps the first of the dishes is the foul dish, and this Ramadan dish is hardly without it, as foul sellers are spread everywhere in Egypt, with their distinctive voice urging people to buy.
To drink fresh juices like orange, mango or cantaloupe, and after returning from Maghrib prayers, people start eating foods that fill the tables with all kinds of foods and their abundance, such as molokhia, soup, vegetables, and pasta with bechamel, and the table is decorated with green salad or yogurt salad with cucumbers, stuffed grape leaves, grilled chicken or some grills such as kebabs and kofta, and women compete with each other in preparing food and exchanging feasts with family and relatives.
The Masaharati
is a beloved Ramadan character in Egypt, roaming the streets before dawn, calling out the names of children and parents to wake them up for suhoor using a small drum. Despite the evolution of life, the mesaharati is still a part of Ramadan traditions that children and adults love.
The religious side of Ramadan
During Ramadan, Egyptians are keen to draw closer to God through taraweeh prayers in mosques, reading the Quran, and holding religious lessons. The number of worshippers increases dramatically, especially during the last ten nights of Ramadan, when Muslims look for the Night of Destiny.
Eid after Ramadan
As Ramadan comes to an end, Egyptian families start preparing Eid kahk and biscuits in preparation for Eid al-Fitr. Eid is an opportunity to visit with relatives and exchange greetings, and children are keen to wear new clothes and receive gifts from their parents.
The word Ramadan is derived from the Arabic root ramiḍa or ar-ramaḍ, "the burning heat" and "drought." The month of Ramadan is when the Qur'an is revealed. Guidance for humanity, clear proof of guidelines, standards (right and wrong).
Ramadan in Egypt: A Month of Spirituality, Tradition, and Celebration
Ramadan is a time of utmost reverence for Muslims all over the world, and in Egypt, the month is even more adored by its people. It is full of fasting, prayers, charity work, and get-togethers and spans the period that celebrates the initial salutation of the Quran to the prophet Muhammad. Such is the country’s richness in her Islamic cultural values combined with the aliveness of her people’s way of life that each year during the month of Ramadan, Egypt becomes an enchanting wonderland. Where the old ways of observing the month complement the new festivities in a very beautiful way. The cities, the houses, and the temples are religiously, socially, and emotionally vibrant, filled with gaiety and togetherness.
Rush needs to ensure that the primary organizations and institutions in the society are nourished with soft power values, and the modern leaders of this country possess those values that were targeted for localization of the conceptual ones. Also, the descriptive, definition-based ideas were localized.
There is more to Ramadan in Egypt than simply refraining from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk—it is a season to dwell upon one’s self, grow in one’s spirituality, and reconnect with faith. For the month, Egyptians also spend more time praying, reading the Quran, and doing good work. The places of worship are crowded with people, especially during the Taraweeh prayers that are conducted every night after the Isha prayer.
In Cairo, the Al-Azhar Mosque has remained one of the venues for such congregations, likewise the imposing Mosque of Amr ibn al-As, which is the oldest mosque in Africa. There comes a time in the city when the cry of Adhan is heard so loud, signifying a reminder of the sacredness of that particular month. Even to the busy people, it seems there is a posture of calm and respect within the city that is a capital.
Iftar: A Celebration of Community and Generosity
As the twilight descends, the peculiar period termed ‘Iftar’ commences, marking the conclusion of an established fast for the day. There is a sweet smell of the local delicacies of Ramadan wafting from the kitchens and restaurants in the Egyptian territories. Families come together at the Iftar for the essence of waving the fast and benefiting from gluttony. The initial one is taken with dates and a glass of water like the prophet Muhammad used to have before any meal—there is a range of Egyptian dishes served soon after.
Examples of the most preferable Iftar meals include molokhia (African gaea soup), mahshi (stuffed with rice and seasoning vegetables), foul (a dish of boiled fava beans), and koshary (a dish made of rice and noodles served with lentil sauce). Ramadan is not only experienced with food, which is why sweet dishes such as kunfa (syrup in a thin crust filled with cream or cheese), basbousa (syrup-soaked semolina cake), and atayef (stuffed mini pancakes) are adored in Egypt.
Crossing the bounds of in-house courtesy, Ramadan is also a season of selfless benevolence. Across the land of Egypt, there are Mawa’id al-Rahman, or tables of mercy, placed in different street corners and localities to provide free Iftar meals to all those who come. This practice of sharing and giving extends to the overall sense of community and charity that Ramadan represents.
As the lingering shadows of night hang around just before the break of dawn, a cherished Egyptian custom comes into play. The Mesaharati is a man who walks around the streets hitting a drum and calling people to wake for the meal of Suhur, which helps sustain Muslims during the fast before dawn. His well-articulated yells, customarily with the names of people residing in the locality, however, also vibrate in the narrow alleys and still areas.
This time-honored practice, which many people have continued to engage in, makes Ramadan in Egypt more attractive. In some places, children also costlessly attach their respective Mesaharati and their pleasant early morning activities.
The Fanoos: Ramadan’s Glowing Symbol
One of the most delightful things about Ramadan in Egypt is how the colored lanterns are found in homes, mosques, and even the streets throughout the holy month. These fans represent the month of Ramadan in Egypt, and their use can be traced back to the Fatimid period. It is said that the people came out with fanooses in their hands when the Fatimid ceaser al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah entered Cairo in the holy month, thus the custom has been there ever since.
At the present time, these beautiful fanooses have reached not only the capital but also all other cities, turning them into an enchanting holiday. Certainly, families decorate their houses with fanooses, while children perform wearing them and singing riddles about the fasting month, and it works magically.
Ramadan Nights: A Time of Celebration
These streets of Egypt do not stay quiet after the Iftar meal is over. The scope of Ramadan night extends to pleasure, interaction, and a variety of events. The cafes, the restaurants, and the shops are mostly open till dawn, allowing the Egyptians to enjoy themselves with music, take a walk amidst the bright lights if they feel like it, or simply unstress themselves.
Kheimaat Ramadan-erected cultural tents are found scattered in the city. Offering various entertainment activities and Suhur foods. Within these tents, fringe stages are further enlivened with entertainment in the form of Tannoura (Sufi whirling dervishes), music, poetry, and many other forms of live artistic expression. There is no look back in how most of the Egyptians viewed those days when pampering the senses was as important as taking part in spiritual elevation.
Ramadan is the culmination period marked by Eid al-Fitr, which in English translates to the “Festival of Breaking the Fast.” Various festivities accompany this day, the most customary being the special prayers offered at mosques and open spaces throughout the cities of Egypt. Families gather to rejoice with meals, presents, and new attire, and children are offered Eideya, a form of monetary present.
In essence, Eid al-Fitr encompasses happiness and thanksgiving for the ability to finish the fasting intervals. This period is also to appreciate the necessity for the continuation of those activities, as Egyptians also engage in charity by giving food and clothes to the poor.
Ramadan in Egypt
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar year. It is time for fasting, blessing, and prayers to commemorate the first verses of the Holy Qur’an of the Prophet Muhammad by the Holy Spirit Gabriel. It is a time when Muslims refrain from eating during daylight hours as a sacrifice to remind them of the challenges of the poor.
Despite the similar times themselves, they differ in the goodness and the guidance that takes place in them, and God Almighty has singled out the blessed month of Ramadan with many advantages that earn it a sanctuary and increase people's appetite for good works during it.
Traveling and Visiting Egypt during Ramadan Month
When you plan your tours to Egypt during Ramadan, you will notice that one of the characteristics of the month is that God Almighty revealed his wise book. To purify the hearts and fill the minds with wisdom, where God Almighty sent the Holy Qur’an to the lowest heaven in one sentence or the beginning of the descent of the Qur’an in it, then his verses were revealed according to what the wisdom of God Almighty requires and what distinguishes the month of Ramadan that God Almighty imposed on Muslims fasting during its day. It should be noted that fasting has great implications for servants, as he purifies their morals, cleanses their hearts, and repairs themselves.
The most distinguishing feature of the Ramadan Festival in Egypt is the presence of the greatest night, which is the Night of Power, in which the Holy Qur’an was revealed to our master Muhammad—may God bless him and grant him peace—and his descent was in the year six hundred and ten AD, and then the Messenger—may God bless him and grant him peace—was present in the cave of Hira, and in this, the place was revealed by the revelation of Gabriel—upon him be peace—and the first verse was revealed to him is the Almighty saying: "Read in the name of your Lord who created," and the Holy Qur’an was revealed at once in the Night of Power, which was its descent from the preserved tablet.
The reason for naming this month is because the word Ramadan is derived from the origin of Ramadan, which is defined as the intensity and strength of the heat, and its derivation is based on the weight of Ramadan, which means that it has become hotter, and the heat has passed in the sense that the heat has increased in intensity on them, and at that time they have transferred all the names of the months from the language that was prevalent in the old days, and they began to call it names related to the times, and this corresponds to Ramadan during the days of Ramadan, which means extreme heat and strong, and since then it was called Ramadan.
Ramadan Traditions in Egypt and rites consist of Muslims fast during Ramadan, it is one of the obligatory prayers that was imposed on Muslims, and it is one of the five pillars of Islam, which the Islamic religion is only valid. This timing is specified for all parts of the Earth with a difference in timing. Among the most important benefits of fasting is that it works to purify the human soul and draw closer to God Almighty by committing to the imposition of fasting, and in this great month all the gates of Hell are closed and the doors of mercy and forgiveness are opened to Muslims.
Exemptions to fasting include travel, menstruation, severe illness, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. However, many Muslims with medical conditions insist on fasting to satisfy their spiritual needs, although it is not recommended by hadith. Those unable to fast are obligated to make up the missed days later.
Suhur is the meal consumed early in the morning by Muslims before fasting (sawm), before dawn during or outside the Islamic month of Ramadan. The meal is eaten before the Fajr prayer. Suhur is matched to iftar as the evening meal during Ramadan, replacing the traditional three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), although in some places dinner is also consumed after iftar later during the night.
Being the last meal eaten by Muslims before fasting from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan, Suhur is regarded by Islamic traditions as a benefit of the blessings in that it allows the person fasting to avoid the crankiness or weakness caused by the fast. According to a hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari, Anas ibn Malik narrated, "The Prophet said, 'Take suhoor as there is a blessing in it.'"
At sunset, families break the fast with breakfast, and the meal opens traditionally, where people start to break their dates with moisture while drinking milk, moon religion, and a drink, and some may like to drink fresh juices such as oranges, mangoes, or melons. After returning from Maghrib prayer, people start eating Molokhia, soup, and mixed vegetables, such as pasta with bechamel and decorate the table with a green salad or yogurt salad with cucumbers and stuffed vine leaves. The main course is grilled chicken or some grill, such as kebab and kofta.
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