Cairo Chronicles III: Reflections on Ramadan
Photo: Daisy Wright with permission for the CLC.
With the open eyes of someone living in a majority Muslim country for the first time in her life, Daisy Wright reflects on the way the holy month of Ramadan changes the city which she lives in.
As Ramadan ended a few weeks ago, I wanted to reflect on what life has been like whilst living in a majority Muslim country during this sacred month.
Most people around the world have heard of Ramadan, the month during which Muslims fast (both food and water) during daylight hours. They then break their fast with Iftar which begins as the sun sets. The Suhoor meal is then eaten before dawn to try and stave off hunger during the hours in which people are fasting. Ramadan is not a set month every year, rather it changes according to the lunar Islamic calendar which consists of 354/355 days. Ramadan begins with the sighting of the crescent moon and ends after a new crescent moon, beginning the celebrations of Eid al-Fitr and starting the next month in the Islamic calendar.
Ramadan changed the daily routines and patterns of life here in Egypt: with almost the entire country fasting, daylight hours have been much quieter than usual. With the main meals of the day changing from breakfast, lunch and tea to Iftar and Suhoor, life around mealtimes changes too. Many shops close earlier during the afternoon and then open again after Iftar; many restaurants and cafés too are closed during the day and open in time for people to break their fast and stay open later to accommodate the change in eating patterns. People tend to sleep more in the afternoons and the daytime to compensate for the lack of sleep during the night when the fast is broken, as many Egyptians stay up until Suhoor (just before the sun rises), spending time with friends and family.
The biggest shock to me was the impact Ramadan had on the seemingly unending traffic congestion in Cairo. With the exception of the hours preceding Iftar the roads are much quieter,making it easier and quicker to get places as less time is spent navigating the chaotic traffic.
Ramadan transformed the city: decorations known as Khayamiya, pieces of fabric with colourful patterns, were put up all over the city, as well as lights, lanterns and bunting. The streets of Cairo became much more alive and colourful to look at; a nice change from its typical dusty façade.
I found it hard to know what the etiquette and expectations were during Ramadan. I made sure not to eat or drink in public places during the daylight fasting hours, although I did study in some of the cafés that remained open in the afternoons. But there seemed in many ways not to be expectations for foreigners: everyone seemed to be enjoying the spirit of Ramadan, whether they were fasting or not.
During Ramadan I visited Alexandria, where Iftar time was spent on the Corniche (the promenade that wraps around the coast of the city) or in the city’s parks, having a communal Iftar in a picnic form with friends or family.
It was amazing to see such a hectic city change so dramatically in a month and have such a bustling communal and lively atmosphere in the evening hours. Returning from Dahab where I spent the Eid holidays, I almost feel nostalgic for the Cairene Ramadan and have to readjust to the daily craziness of Cairo.