Ibn Warraq's Ramadan musings...
Spare a thought for those who, as I write, are slaving over stoves or charcoal burners, preparing the food that everyone is hanging out for. Too often we focus on our own hunger, exhaustion and tiredness, but without the hard work, the food would not simply appear. And, as any good Ftour cook will tell you, cooking is only part of it - presentation is important.
Fancy a litte Ramadan Hip Hop?
Yes, strange at as it may seem, there is a Hip Hop-World Music Concert with French Artist FLEM, Med Demens, & the ALC-ALIF Music Club, at 9:30 PM at the ALIF Riad, 6 Derb Drissi, Batha.
The concert is free and open to everyone. Here are some of FLEM's music videos: www.youtube.com/user/FlemArtManagement www.facebook.com/flemart
Meet a mesaharati
At the beginning of Ramadan I mentioned the ancient tradition of the Dkak, the man who walks the Medina streets after one in the morning, banging his drum and singing, in order to wake people up for Suhoor - the last meal before dawn.
In Eygpt they have a similar tradition in some older more traditional neighbourhoods of Cairo. The man who performs the important duty is known in Egypt as a mesaharati, - a "dawn caller."
Unlike Yassine Boudouàià, the Dkak in Fez, the Forty-five year old Essam Sayed sets out after midnight on a donkey. But, apart from his mode of transport, his role is virtually the same as that in Morocco. He bangs a small drum, chants traditional religious phrases and calls out to residents to wake them in time for the pre-dawn meal.
The job was passed down by his father and Essam Sayed still uses his father's 50-year-old drum. As in Fez, the residents give him small donations in thanks for his service.
That mouse incident
More details have emerged about the "mouse incident" during Laylat al-Qadr. According to reports a mouse causes panic in the Hassan II mosque with eighty-one people injured in the ensuing stampede.
The little mouse had slipped into the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca at a time when mosque was particularly full as it was Laylat al-Qadr, the most sacred night of the fasting month of Ramadan. According to a statement released yesterday by mosque authorities, a woman, "frightened by the appearance of a mouse" suffered a panic attack. The panic spread with some women screaming while running. The effect was to increase the panic and to generate a major stampede in the mosque.
"Some eighty-one people, mostly women, have sustained minor injuries and fractures while some fainted", said a statement of the Wilaya of Casablanca.
There were five cases of fractures and four cases of shoulder injuries, in addition to other general injuries. The victims included a pregnant woman who suffered a double fracture to her lower leg and is still under medical supervision. Seventy-three people were able to leave the hospital.
There are no reports of the mouse being injured, or indeed sighted again. There is also no truth to the rumour that the mouse was a Shia!
And now it is all about Eid
Several of our readers have written to ask what is different about Eid. The answer is a lot!
Firstly Eid Al Fitr "festival of breaking the fast" is the celebration which marks the end of Ramadan and is traditionally the time to show kindness to others and love for Allah.
Eid Al Fitr is predicted to begin on Friday July 17. The moon-sighting committee in Morocco will confirm the end of Ramadan and it is that announcement that automatically signals the start of Eid Al Fitr.
Technically Eid lasts for just one day, but be prepared for anything from a couple of days to a week before things get back to normal.
It is customary for a Muslim to wake before sunrise and clean themselves and dress in smart clothes before going to offer the Fajr prayers. Muslims donate to charity to help the poor and needy before the Eid prayers. This “Zakat” amount is based on one’s personal possessions.
Traditionally Muslims are required to walk to Eid prayers and forgive and forget any arguments that they may have had over the previous year.
And the really good news? Fasting is forbidden during Eid. Many Moroccans will have a light breakfast, or simply some dates, after which they attend special prayers - "Salaat".
Another of Hamid's moderately funny jokes...
It was almost Eid and Karim's work supervisor made a pointed commented about his shaggy mane of hair.
He went on to extol the virtues of a good haircut, which, he insisted, makes an elderly man look younger and a younger man seem more mature.
"How would a haircut make a middle-aged man like me appear?" Karim asked.
"Still employed," was the answer.
See Ibn's Ramadan Dairy
DAY ONE DAY FIVE DAY NINE DAY THIRTEEN DAY SEVENTEEN
DAY TWO DAY SIX DAY TEN DAY FOURTEEN DAY EIGHTEEN
DAY THREE DAY SEVEN DAY ELEVEN DAY FIFTEEN DAY NINETEEN
DAY FOUR DAY EIGHT DAY TWELVE DAY SIXTEEN DAY TWENTY
DAY TWENTY-ONE DAY TWENTY-TWO DAY TWENTY-THREE DAY TWENTY-FOUR
DAY TWENTY-FIVE DAY TWENTY-SIX DAY TWENTY-SEVEN
Spare a thought for those who, as I write, are slaving over stoves or charcoal burners, preparing the food that everyone is hanging out for. Too often we focus on our own hunger, exhaustion and tiredness, but without the hard work, the food would not simply appear. And, as any good Ftour cook will tell you, cooking is only part of it - presentation is important.
 |
| A mother preparing Ftour in Australia |
 |
| Presentation is just as important as the food |
 |
| Little by little, Ftour in Pakistan |
Fancy a litte Ramadan Hip Hop?
Yes, strange at as it may seem, there is a Hip Hop-World Music Concert with French Artist FLEM, Med Demens, & the ALC-ALIF Music Club, at 9:30 PM at the ALIF Riad, 6 Derb Drissi, Batha.
The concert is free and open to everyone. Here are some of FLEM's music videos: www.youtube.com/user/FlemArtManagement www.facebook.com/flemart
Meet a mesaharati
At the beginning of Ramadan I mentioned the ancient tradition of the Dkak, the man who walks the Medina streets after one in the morning, banging his drum and singing, in order to wake people up for Suhoor - the last meal before dawn.
In Eygpt they have a similar tradition in some older more traditional neighbourhoods of Cairo. The man who performs the important duty is known in Egypt as a mesaharati, - a "dawn caller."
Unlike Yassine Boudouàià, the Dkak in Fez, the Forty-five year old Essam Sayed sets out after midnight on a donkey. But, apart from his mode of transport, his role is virtually the same as that in Morocco. He bangs a small drum, chants traditional religious phrases and calls out to residents to wake them in time for the pre-dawn meal.
The job was passed down by his father and Essam Sayed still uses his father's 50-year-old drum. As in Fez, the residents give him small donations in thanks for his service.
That mouse incident
More details have emerged about the "mouse incident" during Laylat al-Qadr. According to reports a mouse causes panic in the Hassan II mosque with eighty-one people injured in the ensuing stampede.
The little mouse had slipped into the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca at a time when mosque was particularly full as it was Laylat al-Qadr, the most sacred night of the fasting month of Ramadan. According to a statement released yesterday by mosque authorities, a woman, "frightened by the appearance of a mouse" suffered a panic attack. The panic spread with some women screaming while running. The effect was to increase the panic and to generate a major stampede in the mosque.
"Some eighty-one people, mostly women, have sustained minor injuries and fractures while some fainted", said a statement of the Wilaya of Casablanca.
There were five cases of fractures and four cases of shoulder injuries, in addition to other general injuries. The victims included a pregnant woman who suffered a double fracture to her lower leg and is still under medical supervision. Seventy-three people were able to leave the hospital.
There are no reports of the mouse being injured, or indeed sighted again. There is also no truth to the rumour that the mouse was a Shia!
And now it is all about Eid
Several of our readers have written to ask what is different about Eid. The answer is a lot!
Firstly Eid Al Fitr "festival of breaking the fast" is the celebration which marks the end of Ramadan and is traditionally the time to show kindness to others and love for Allah.
“Greet people by saying “Eid Mubarak”. This translates into “Happy Eid”. Join the celebrations by using the hashtag #EidMubarak”
Eid Al Fitr is predicted to begin on Friday July 17. The moon-sighting committee in Morocco will confirm the end of Ramadan and it is that announcement that automatically signals the start of Eid Al Fitr.
Technically Eid lasts for just one day, but be prepared for anything from a couple of days to a week before things get back to normal.
It is customary for a Muslim to wake before sunrise and clean themselves and dress in smart clothes before going to offer the Fajr prayers. Muslims donate to charity to help the poor and needy before the Eid prayers. This “Zakat” amount is based on one’s personal possessions.
Traditionally Muslims are required to walk to Eid prayers and forgive and forget any arguments that they may have had over the previous year.
And the really good news? Fasting is forbidden during Eid. Many Moroccans will have a light breakfast, or simply some dates, after which they attend special prayers - "Salaat".
Another of Hamid's moderately funny jokes...
It was almost Eid and Karim's work supervisor made a pointed commented about his shaggy mane of hair.
He went on to extol the virtues of a good haircut, which, he insisted, makes an elderly man look younger and a younger man seem more mature.
"How would a haircut make a middle-aged man like me appear?" Karim asked.
"Still employed," was the answer.
Saha F'tourkoum!
See Ibn's Ramadan Dairy
DAY ONE DAY FIVE DAY NINE DAY THIRTEEN DAY SEVENTEEN
DAY TWO DAY SIX DAY TEN DAY FOURTEEN DAY EIGHTEEN
DAY THREE DAY SEVEN DAY ELEVEN DAY FIFTEEN DAY NINETEEN
DAY FOUR DAY EIGHT DAY TWELVE DAY SIXTEEN DAY TWENTY
DAY TWENTY-ONE DAY TWENTY-TWO DAY TWENTY-THREE DAY TWENTY-FOUR
DAY TWENTY-FIVE DAY TWENTY-SIX DAY TWENTY-SEVEN
Please feel free to contribute your Ramadan stories, thoughts, observations and photographs. You can contact me via The View from Fez contact page. Just put "Ibn's Diary" in the subject line - Shukran!SHARE THIS!
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