The Cairo Gyro

The streets are rainbowed with Ramadan decorations once again. The Faynoos lantern that comes in dozens of sizes, shapes and colors can be spotted hanging on the streets, on bags in the shape of keychains, in malls, and off of balconies. The colorful string-lights that line the masjids and buildings illuminate the night and draw your eyes towards the minarets. The tables and tents set up to feed people during the blessed month are being lined with chairs…ready to feed the fasting. All of these wonders said, “Welcome to Egypt” last year when I arrived in Cairo just before Ramadan in 2007. It served as such a warm welcome. Although the decorations and preparations are the same as before, this year it’s a stark contrast for me emotionally. I’m almost sad to see it again because this time Ramadan doesn’t mark the beginning of my stay…it marks the end of it.

Something I’ll miss the most about Ramadan in Egypt is the wake-up call we get for suhoor every morning. They call them the “Meseharaat” and their job is to walk the streets at tahajjud time every night banging their drum and calling out to the people to wake for Qiyam and Suhoor. There’s this loud thump thump - thump thump they beat on their drums and the follow it by calling out…

It’s kind of in ‘Aamiyyah (local) mixed with fus-ha (classical) Arabic. From what I understand he’s calling the servants of Allah to declare the Oneness of Allah, to get up and declare the Oneness of the Permanent One (Allah - ‘azza wa jal -). He wishes everyone “Ramadan Kareem!” and advises that the pursuit of fasting is better than sleep so he tells the sleepy heads to get up! He ends it by telling them to declare the Oneness of the One Who Provides (Allah).

We will be praying Taraweeh tomorrow night insha’Allah (Sunday, August 31st). I’m so excited about getting the opportunity to pray Taraweeh in Egypt again…the masajid here are blessed with Imams with astounding recitation. I did manage to record most Ramadan nights last year, I just couldn’t upload them as promised because of the slow connection speeds here…but I plan to add more pictures and audio to this blog after I return home next month, insha’Allah. In the mean time, I’ll try to catch up on posting…so wake up everyone! Ramadan Kareem :)