The holy fasting month of Ramadan started a few days ago and Egyptian people make these 29-30 days extra special.
Decorating mosques
“At the beginning of Ramadan, mosques are illuminated within and lamps are hung at their entrances. In the morning, many shops are shut, but in the afternoon the streets are as crowded as usual and all the shops are open. It is common in this month to see and hear shopkeepers reciting the Quran or prayers, or distributing bread to the poor.”
This quotation came from the 19th-century British writer Edward William Lane’s book Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians documents Ramadan festivities in Egypt during the reign of Mohamed Ali Pasha in the early 19th century. The picture is little different in modern times. The customs have not changed in Egypt, even if there are regional differences.
Many traditions practised during Ramadan from the Islamic conquest until the early 20th century remain alive, even if others have died out or changed over the years. These traditions first appeared in Egypt before spreading all over the Arab world and becoming an integral part of the celebration of Ramadan in Upper Egypt, the Nile Valley, and the Mediterranean cities.
Ramadan crescent
During the mediaeval Fatimid Caliphate, Egypt adopted many traditions from elsewhere that influenced the customs and traditions of its own society. Since the 11th century, the sighting of the crescent moon has been one of the most beautiful religious moments.
The Fatimid Caliph Al-Mustansir bi-Allah built a mosque at the foot of the Mukattam Hills. Its minaret was an observatory for sighting the crescent moon in Ramadan.
During the reign of the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, the ceremonial procession for sighting the Ramadan crescent was an official tradition, as the caliph and his ministers went out on horseback passing through the streets from Gammaliya and Bab Al-Fotouh and then returning from Bab Al-Nasr to Gammaliya.
Later in the Mameluke era, the caliphs were also celebrated the crescent sighting. Five Islamic judges holding lanterns and candles would go out to sight the crescent moon, while merchants and the leaders of different professions would gather by the Al-Mansour School. When the sighting was confirmed, the judges would announce the start of fasting and convey the message to the people. This tradition lasted until the Ottoman era.
At the beginning of the 20th century during the reign of the Sultan Abbas Helmi, the celebration moved to Bab Al-Khalk and began with music and cannon fire from the citadel lighting up the Cairo skies.
Ramadan decorations
When the Ramadan crescent is sighted, the city puts on a new gown of colourful decorations to mark the beginning of Ramadan. Every street, lane, neighbourhood, whether rich or poor, turns out for beautiful celebrations. Once Ramadan began, children and the elderly would hurry to adorn the streets and their homes with ornaments.
These ornaments date back to the Fatimid era and were used for religious ceremonies called al-wakoud nights, in other words the religious nights of the first night of Ramadan and the nights taking place in the Islamic months of Rajab and Shaaban. Mosques were lit with lanterns, food, sweets, and incense were distributed, and a few days before Ramadan started the official responsible for Cairo’s streets ordered all shop owners to clean the streets in front of their premises every night after sunset prayer.
Lanterns
For over 1,000 years, the Ramadan lantern, or fanous, has been a main traditional decoration for Ramadan in Egypt. According to tradition, people came out carrying fanous to greet the Fatimid Caliph Al-Muizz li-Din Allah on the fifth day of Ramadan in 358 AH (970 CE). The lantern industry started in Egypt during the Fatimid era, with craftsmen manufacturing them throughout the year until the month of Ramadan came.
The lamps have undergone many transformations over the years, but their essence has remained the same. As a symbol of Ramadan in Egypt, the use of lanterns has been passed down from generation to generation, and even today children carry lanterns while chanting the songs of Ramadan.
Tables of mercy
Ramadan tables, or maedat al-rahman (tables of mercy), in the city streets are also a centuries-old ritual in Ramadan. Meals are prepared by restaurants and families during the day, and at sunset the tables are laid and food is offered to the needy and passers-by.
The first Ramadan tables in Egypt appeared in the era of the Abbasid governor Ahmed ibn Toloun in 880 CE. He prepared a feast to which he invited merchants and dignitaries on the first day of Ramadan, and then he ordered them to open their homes to feed the poor. The tradition is believed to date back to the rule of the Abbasid Caliph Haroun Al-Rashid in Baghdad, who set up the tables in his palace.
Over time, the tradition disappeared, but then returned during the rule of the Fatimid caliph Al-Muizz li-Din Allah, who prepared a feast for people praying in the Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque in Cairo. The food was cooked in his palace and then distributed to the poor.
Some of the best places to experience this tradition today are located in Al-Azhar, Khan Al-Khalili, Al-Hussein, Al-Sayeda Zeinab, and Ramses Square in Cairo.
Food and desserts
For many centuries, Muslims have enjoyed special traditional desserts during the holy month of Ramadan, including kunafa and qatayef which are made of a mixture of flour, water, and milk.
Some historians say that the desserts were brought to Egypt from Syria during the Fatimid Caliphate when the caliph Muizz li-Din Allah came to Egypt in Ramadan and people welcomed him with them. Others say that they date back to the Umayyad Caliphate, when Levantine confectioners prepared the desserts for the caliph Muawiya after he complained of hunger during Ramadan.
Special prayers
Minister of Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said the mosques would be open for all rituals throughout the holy month, including taraweeh and tahajjud prayers.
Tahajjud, also known as the night prayer, is a voluntary prayer and not one of the five obligatory prayers required of Muslims.
Itikaf is an Islamic practice of a period of staying in a mosque for a certain number of days during Ramadan, devoting oneself to worship.
The ministry is working with the Islamic Research Academy to launch Ramadan lessons in a thousand mosques with joint work between imams and preachers. Lessons will be held twice a week throughout the month.
A cleaning campaign has also been launched by the ministry to prepare mosques for Ramadan.
Mosques must be the epitome of cleanliness and beauty, and maintaining their cleanliness and purification is the path of Prophet Muhammad’s companions and followers.
There will be educational lessons after taraweeh, in addition to the evening lesson after the prayer. These are organised by the imam of each mosque.
