Laialy Ramadan
Kol Sanah Wa anta Tayeb. Ramadan
Kareem
Ramadan, the Holy Month in Islam, is a time of fasting, blessings and prayers. It also commemorates the revelation of the first verses of the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad.
In Egypt, Ramadan takes on a different flavor than in any
other country, as special dishes are prepared for Iftar Ramadan (breaking of the fast) as
the growing anticipation fills the air.
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The streets are bustling with people who, in preparation for
Ramadan, are rushing to buy the traditional Ramadan food ingredients. Such as Zabib,
Bondok, Looz, Gooz, and Fosdok ( Raisins, Nuts, almonds, walnuts and pistachios). The culinary art of Egyptian pastries takes on a new dimension with delicious Konafah, Basbousah, and Katayef. While the traditional drink, Qamar al-Din (a juice made from dried apricots) takes center stage in every home. |
| Cities and towns all over Egypt are festooned with a myriad of Fawanis Ramadan (lanterns) of various kinds and of many hues and degrees of brightness. Many of which will be purchased by eager Egyptian children who will carry them through the crowded and narrow streets in their traditional swinging and singing during the Holy Month of Ramadan. |  |
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The heart of the Ramadan celebration is to be found in and
around the many ancient Mosques and bazaars in the Old Medieval Quarter of Cairo. Lanterns
glow in the shops, while larger ones hang across the narrow streets and lanes. Mosques are
outlined with decorative lamps in a breathtaking display against the dark sky in which a
thin silver crescent moon can be seen. Famous songs, such as Abdel Motalib's "Ramadan Gana" (Ramadan Has Come), blare from TVs and radios and can be heard all over the city. Foul Medammes (Fava Beans), the traditional staple of Egyptians, Zabadi (Yogurt), along with delicious and colorful jars of Torshi Baladi (home made pickles), are ready in every home for Suhoor Ramadan. |
Mosques become more crowded with worshipers from all walks of
life during Ramadan as the religious fervor heightens. Taraweeh prayers, delivered in
every mosque, mingle with the sound of 'Allah 'Akbar (God is the greatest) filling the
air.
| In the days to come, as the last rays of the sun begins to
sink below the horizon, a sudden silence falls upon the city. Only to be shattered by the
sound of the thunder of four ancient cannons from the Citadel announcing the Iftar (the
breaking of the fast), and from the tops of thousands of minarets in the distance, you can
hear the call of the Mu'zzein calling the worshipers to prayer. A new magic possesses the
city as thousands of lanterns hoisted up to the top of the minarets sparkle with light. The streets are empty. The people are all in their homes with their families gathered around them as they are released from their daily fast and begin to participate in the family fast-breaking meal. As a way of giving thanks to Allah during this Holy Month, and as a way of unifying the community of believers, many Egyptians share their wealth with the less fortunate by providing, in the best of Muslim tradition, Mawa'id al-Rahma (meal of compassion). After a brief interlude, the city comes alive again as people fill the streets with laughter, singing and joy. |
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The city suddenly takes on a more alluring and splendid
atmosphere. Every shop has spilled out into the streets by the erection of colorful
makeshift small Kheimas (tents). Large round trays are placed on top of ovens and are
attended by the masters of the craft of Fatatri (pastry making). People throng to watch
the performance of the Master Chef as he prepares Konafa and Katayef with almost hypnotic
circular motions. It is a scene out of the Arabian Nights.
Later, shortly before dawn, as the shimmering mist rises to envelope the city, the Musaharti, accompanied by his little drum walks through the streets. He bangs his drum to awaken the people for their Suhoor (the last meal before daybreak), signaling the Imsak or the end of the night's feasting and the beginning of the day's Ramadan fast at the sound of the Midfa`al-Raf` (literally "the cannon of the removal", an echo of the hoisting Raf` of the lanterns in centuries past).
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Passed on by children from generation to generation, the traditional song, in colloquial Egyptian Arabic, accompanies the swinging of the lanterns in the little ones' hands. It goes like this: Wahawi, ya wahawi |
The present tradition of Ramadan lanterns dates from the rule of Saladin. Lantern designs were copied from the Qanadil and Mishkat (lamps) of Mosques. However, according to the historian, Al-Maqrizi, in his book, "Kitab al-Mawa`iz wa al-'l`tibar Bidhikr al-Khitat wa al-'Athar" (page 265), alludes to an earlier tradition. According to him, it was originally a Coptic Christian festivity celebrated at Christmas time (Coptic version) where people used to parade with colorful candles. The competition was to "outdo" each other with more and more expensive candles until one day when hard times fell upon Egypt, the people were no longer able to afford to buy the very expensive candles and thus the tradition nearly died out.
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However, as many of the Coptic population converted to Islam,
the memory of the candle festivities never quite died out, and out of cheap tin, tinkers
made lanterns equally beautiful to the original candles and hence the tradition was
reborn. This time for Ramadan. Actually, the roots of this celebration of lights can be
traced all the way back to the Ancient Egyptians who celebrated the Heliacal (visable
after sunset) rising of the star "Sirus" (Shu`ayr). The occasion was marked by a
festival of lights in which the Ancient Egyptians walked through the streets carrying
torches. The festivities lasted for five epagomenal days (special days dedicated to the
Ancient Egyptian Deities). Each day celebrated, in turn, the birthdays of Osiris, his son
Horus, his sister and wife Isis, his arch enemy and brother Seth, and Seth's wife Nephtys.
This tradition of lights, which began with the torches of the Ancient Egyptians, continued with the candles of the Copts and finally ended up with the lanterns of Ramadan. The term "Fanous" is from the Demotic Greek "Phanos" which means "beeswax candle". |
The meaning of "Wahawi ya, wahawi iyyahah...", seems to be unknown to most people, but what it really means in plain Arabic is "light of fire". "Al-wahiyy" means "fire" in Arabic (Lisan al-Arab, page 893). A metaphorical meaning conveyed in the 24th Sura, verse 35 of the Qur'an called "Nur-The Light": God is the light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is as if there were a niche and within it a lamp: The lamp enclosed in a glass: The glass as it were a brilliant star: Lit from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though fire scarce touch it: Light upon light! God doth guide who He will to His light: God doth set parables for men: And God doth know all things.
The children parading in the streets, swinging their lanterns (fawanis), going from door to door chanting: "Wahawi ya, wahawi iyyahah..."
Hall hilalak shahr mubarak `alayna 'agma`in! Ramadan Kareem!
Copyrighted to Dr. Abdelhamid Attia, 1999.
(Pictures taken by John Feeney and David Douglas Duncan)
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