CAIRO - The Egyptians began celebrating the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on August 1, but festivities were quickly subdued by an intense heat-wave and delay in Government paper work that could cost losses estimated to be worth LE1 billion. Thousands of Muslim employees either go on vacation or absent themselves from work during Ramadan in which the faithful observe dawn-to-dusk fasting for four weeks, where life slips into a lower gear during the day in all governmental offices. "This is against Islam because the Muslims should make advantage of Ramadan to launch serious work," Hamdi Abdul Aleem, a former economics professor at the Cairo-based el-Sadat Academy for Management Sciences, said. But the weary employees said they were just hoping for four weeks of peace and calm with their families in Ramadan after months of hard work during the year. "The religious practice of fasting during Ramadan should not be transformed into manifestations of laxity and laziness by Government employees," said Abdul Aleem. The once busy and lively Government offices are almost abandoned during Ramadan because the majority of employees do not show up for work regularly. During Ramadan, which has been a winter event about 40 years ago, the fasting-work combination seems difficult to observe to work during the summer heat. For Nora Mohamed, a Government employee, the day begins before the breakfast meal at sunset ��" which she prepares at home for her husband and children. She said that she dons a head-scarf and long dress, when she goes to work during Ramadan. "On Ramadan days, I return home late in the afternoon and start cooking for the breakfast meal. Fatigue from fasting during the day and going to bed late every night prevents me and many of my colleagues from showing up at work regularly," Nora said. Youssef Ibrahim, a Government-employee engineer, said that many workmates take advantage of Ramadan to reduce the amount of their daily work on the alleged grounds that they are tired of fasting. "It's a bad deed for Ramadan," he admits, adding that the pious Muslims must respect the religious rules, which call for hard working and renounce laziness and laxity during the fasting hours. While the Muslims should observe the fast, they should work too, Ibrahim said. He said that many Government employees are using fasting as an excuse to stay away from work during Ramadan, which should be accompanied by a more religious environment and not watching Egyptian drama works on television. "I wish the Government would crack down on the lazy employees during Ramadan," said Abdul Aleem. Hanaa Khair el-Deen, a researcher at the Cairo-based Egyptian Centre for Economic Studies, said that the fast, which can be physically demanding, is an act of self-purification and is considered spiritually rewarding only, if the employees and workers assume their official duties without hindrance or delay. "Islam forbids laziness. There is no better time to work and become productive and more helpful to others than in Ramadan," Hanaa said. She lamented the Government's plans to reduce the working hours for employees in Ramadan during which the people usually sleep very late, sometimes at dawn, after spending long hours watching TV programmes and working less. Abdul Hameed shared Hanaa's view saying that the regular office hours in Governmental facilities are reduced to 40 minutes during Ramadan and thus, the nation's production will drop by 40% every day. "As a result, the nation expected to lose LE1 billion during Ramadan," he said, recommending that the Government should order employees to work after the iftar meal to serve the public.
