SHARM EL-SHEIKH - Is Ramadan celebrated in Sharm el-Sheikh? This might seem like an odd question. After all, Sharm is a predominately Muslim city in a predominately Muslim nation. Yet I have encountered several residents of Sharm who insist, “There is no Ramadan in Sharm el-Sheikh.” How could this be? “There are many staff workers who take their vacations during Ramadan and go back to the cities or villages where they came from. They want to spend Ramadan with their families and away from all the semi-naked tourists in hotels and on the streets. Those who stay in Sharm to work, especially staff members in hotels, do abstain from food and drink, but struggle for inner self-discipline. They cannot lower their gaze all the time and cannot quit serving women in bikinis around the swimming pools, since it is their job,” said Mohamed el-Seiidi, who owns a home cleaning service in the resort town. “It is very hard to hold on to your faith in Sharm during Ramadan and in other months as well.” Ramadan is a month of worship and goodwill. It has always been a spiritual training camp for me and my family, to discipline our psyches and cleanse our bodies through fasting. To discipline the psyche is harder than staying away from food and drink. Ramadan encourages the inner struggle to overcome heart-hardening behaviour that drains one's energy. It helps control desires and temptations for physical pleasures like food, drink, and marital relations; to control the temper; to not lie, gossip or backbite, not to think of revenge, not to take what's not rightfully ours. Ramadan is a special training to become the pure human beings that Adam and Eve once were in the Garden of Eden. As a period for deep reflection, Ramadan is a time to forget about your material nature and focus on your spiritual one. But do you really forget about your material nature? It's on the top of most people's minds when they break the fast. Perhaps the spiritual and material would work together, rather than against one another. For example, it is the best opportunity for touching tender hearts and giving a helping hand to the poor and the needy. You are elevated spiritually and you pay attention to the material needs of others. Last year's Ramadan was my first in Sharm after I moved back to Egypt from the United States. I felt that it was not much different from Ramadan in America back in the early 1980s. We practised our faith at home and at the mosque, but those around us had no idea what was going on. As years passed, and Muslims started educating Americans about Islam, many Americans have become interested in learning more about this tradition. Not just that, but many adopted a respectful attitude towards their fasting co-workers and colleagues, even avoiding eating and drinking in front of them. Even in schools, whether elementary, junior, or high schools, during lunch time Muslim students were often given accessibility to the school library and were not required to stay in the lunch room to make fasting easier for them. Many of my son's friends would skip lunch and stay with him in the library, to keep him company and discuss this ritual. The difference in Sharm is that most people living there are Muslims catering to foreign tourists and residents. These foreigners chose to work and live in this attractive resort city, where the sun shines every day and palm trees give a tropical ambience to the reddish brown mountains facing the blue Red Sea. Because of its natural beauty, Sharm El-Sheikh during Ramadan could be regarded as a place of spiritual fulfillment. This might come across as a surprising claim. After all, Sharm is a resort city and a place for people of all ages to have earthly fun; it is the last place to come to people's minds when thinking about Ramadan spirituality. But consider the natural beauty of Sharm. For instance, one can enjoy an inimitable snorkelling experience in Sharm while reflecting on the beauty of God's creation. From the breathtaking designs of so many unique fish and coral reefs, to the intricate reflection of the sun on the sand at the bottom of the sea, it is all a touch of heaven on earth. Tourists who visit Sharm may not feel a difference between Ramadan and other times of the year; but if they are aware that they are visiting Egypt in Ramadan, they could be sensitive to their hosts ��" men and women who fast while striving to make their guests' stay an enjoyable one. They may choose, for instance, to dress in ways that would not be regarded as provocative. Although by no means a requirement, such an approach would serve as a sign of respect and goodwill. Goodwill is ubiquitous in Sharm during Ramadan. As in other places in Egypt, “Tables of Mercy”, which serve donated food to the poor, line side streets in places such as Rewaissat and Hay El-Nour near the mosques. Many business owners distribute food to low income staff members. Although many tell me that Sharm has few poor people, it would seem that this is not the case. There are many low-income workers and poor Bedouins who are in dire need of any food, drink, clothes, and money. In Lansing, Michigan, where I lived for 33 years, we started a Ramadan tradition several years ago to help the local food bank. This was accomplished through a “unity dinner”, in which Muslims and non-Muslims would gather to have Iftar (fast-breaking meal) together. The Mayor of Lansing and his staff were actively involved in the organisation of this annual event. A local restaurant provided dinner to the attendees (including Americans fasting for the first time in their lives). Speakers discussed the plight of the homeless and the poor in and around Lansing, and stressed the fact that fasting allowed us all to get a sense ñ a limited sense ñ of what it would be like not to have access to food. This heart-warming event was regularly featured in the local newspaper, and seemed to have a positive effect on the community at large. Sharm is an ideal location for precisely this kind of event ñ an event that would provide much-needed support to the Food Bank of Egypt. Non-Egyptians who live in Sharm are often commended for their community work, which includes, among other things, keeping Sharm clean and donating blankets and clothes to Bedouins. The spirit of co-operation and concern that makes Ramadan “unity dinners” possible is alive and well in Sharm. Ramadan in Sharm could take a whole new meaning for its residents. One day of Ramadan together, fasting and raising money for the needy, would serve as a strong sign of commitment to the community. Such a day could be organised by the city council or any other organisation that cares about Sharm and its diverse residents. Yes, there is Ramadan in Sharm. But it could become even more special for residents and visitors, Muslims and non-Muslims, the wealthy and the needy. To be sure, these are difficult times when many unsuspecting individuals find themselves unemployed, poor, and unable to feed their children. Sharm El-Sheikh, as a community, could help the Food Bank extend its reach to touch the lives of needy children and poor people in many places, not only in Sharm. Ramadan is the ideal time to identify and assist those in need. It is also the ideal time to unite the disparate groups of Sharm under the banner of a united humanity.
