Breaking the fast in Alex

I don't think I've gone into a lot of detail about Ramadan in my posts, but hopefully most of you know by now that Ramadan is the fasting month in the Islamic calendar. For an entire month, from sun up to sun down, Muslims are to refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual activity. The sacrifice a time of reflection and prayer as well as a chance to bring the faster closer to God.

When the sun sets, a call goes out from all of the mosques signaling that it is time to break the fast (lftur). I experienced three Ramadan's in Morocco, but never experienced anything like I have in Egypt at sundown.

Last thursday a group of us hung out downtown after class and just happened to be wandering the streets as people were preparing for the lftur. The city was all a buzz and smelled of meats roasting over the fire. During the walk, I stopped to buy a nightgown. Me and another person in our group chatted with them for a few minutes and they asked us to join them to break the fast. We didn't accept as our group had moved on, but that was just one of many invitations we received from complete strangers as we continued our walk.

An incredible thing about breaking the fast in Egypt is that after a day of fasting, no one is to go without breakfast. Tents, tables and chairs are set up in places all over the city and everyone can go and eat for free. Not only Muslims, but non-muslims, tourists, anyone at all is allowed to take part in the feast.

After leaving the clothing shop were were invited into one such free breakfast area. Unfortunately, they had run out of food, but they insisted that we return at an earlier time the next day to partake. One man, feeling bad that we'd not eaten, led us for 15 mins to the restaurant where we'd end up eating.

A few days later we went on another excursion to downtown Alex and were hopping into taxis to go home just as the call went out to break the fast. "Won't you break the fast?" I asked the taxi driver (Why else would he still be in his cab and driving me home?). He responded- Of course! During the 30 minute ride to our apartments I found out what he meant.

During lftur, men and children stand all over the streets with dates, juice and other foods which they throw into the passing cars as they drive by. People, after fasting all day, stand in the middle of the road (often in various precarious positions!) to throw bags of free food at complete strangers passing by.

It amazes me that there are people who spend their days creating tiny bags of food to hand to those still driving when they should be eating. To be shocked at the level of kindness- what a great feeling.