CAIRO: Ramadan is a time of intense religious sentiments around the world, where Muslims refrain from succumbing to any temptation during the day. The purpose of observing Ramadan, according to Ahmed, a 24-year-old Egyptian studying at the American University in Cairo (AUC), is to reinforce one's faith in God by resisting any urges that may befall you. “Ramadan is between you and God,” he told Bikyamasr.com. “What you do in public should reflect your inner conflict.” During the holy month of Ramadan, one's level of devotion is a personal matter. There are, of course, the big four: no smoking, eating, drinking and sex, yet beyond those it is a matter of personal choice, indicating a person's “level” of faith. “When I fast, I don't smoke, I don't eat, but it is very hard for me to not drink,” said Ahmed. “Summer in Cairo is very difficult because it is so hot. I don't think Ramadan is about suffering, to me it is about showing God my piety and humility by controlling base desires. I don't think he wants us to suffer.” Fasting is an activity that many people around the world practice for various reasons. Some claim a spiritual aspect, while others such as Aliya, a 21-year-old Egyptian translator, fasted in solidarity for the situation in Somalia. Fasting during Ramadan can be very challenging, especially for foreigners who wish to show respect to the culture in Egypt. Many foreigners told Bikyamasr.com that their attempts, while half-hearted at times (smoking and drinking in private, yet abstaining from doing so in public) have been met with enthusiastic questioning on the part of more religious Egyptians. An overwhelming number of taxi drivers have been known to offer food and cigarettes while driving tourists around the country. Yet these same men would say that they do celebrate Ramadan but they do not fast. One cab driver named Tariq said that to him it is all about prayer during the holy month and the charity. He restricts his habits during Ramadan to eating small amounts of fruit and minimal amounts of water. “God tells us that fasting is a show of our willpower,” said the driver. “It is all about resisting the urges. But in the Cairo heat, drinking water is not an urge, it is a need. What is important is our devotion [to God], and I pray every day, as much as I can to compensate for not fasting strictly,” he added. Watching the gathering hordes of people that crowd the busy streets of Cairo for the Iftar meal, it becomes quite clear how important charity really is. According to online sources, Ramadan is the time of year where every act of charity is multiplied 70 fold in the eyes of God. Many places begin placing tables in the various side streets across Cairo in preparation to feed those in need. One young Egyptian girl who spoke English fluently, and wished to remain anonymous, put it quite poetically. “Ramadan is a time of peace and inward reflection,” she began. “It is when man can judge himself based on the standards set by God, and to measure his worthiness. Charity runs rampant at Iftar with many places opening their doors to the needy. In trains and on the streets, over the megaphones and on the television sets, so many people can be heard uttering their prayers, reading from the Quran,” she continued. One Egyptian woman said she did not believe in fasting because her conviction in God was so strong, she did not need to be constantly tested. Another simply said she could not fast because she worked outside all day, and it was not responsible of her because she has a family to think about. The revolution has also added a lot of stress on how to proceed forward on this holy month. There are those that did not want to deal with the fasting during this time of change, saying fasting would result in less activism, which could undermine the goals of the revolution. According to the Qur'an, breaking of the fast is only permitted under certain conditions: when one is traveling, seriously ill or in danger of harm because of fasting, and also when one has the opportunity to save a life. Even in the most serious cases however, that person must make up for the loss in time as soon as they can. Interestingly, despite the myriad of opinions and beliefs, Ramadan seems to be a time in which an overwhelming majority of people in Egypt, foreigner or local, respect the established customs and superficially at least, refrain from breaking fast. BM
