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Al-Ahram Weekly 16 - 22 December 1999 Issue No. 460 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 16 - 22 December 1999 Issue No. 460
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Debate Focus Profile Living Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters A very happy Ramadan
By Mohamed El-Sayed Said *
I used to have reservations about the way people celebrate Ramadan. I saw the problem as follows. Ramadan is about fasting. Fasting means reducing the quantity of food we eat, reducing everything we consume. Fasting is about fighting greed and lust. We Egyptians fast to the letter. But at the end of the day, we feast -- we consume more of everything. Devout Muslims will find this inconsistent.
I have a totally different understanding of the matter. Egyptians have adapted Ramadan to their needs. Ramadan's spirituality and moral motivations are creatively blended with other inspiring values. For Egyptians, religion includes the centrality of family reunion, social communication and the art of socialising. By adding these factors, Egyptians have given religious rites a joyous atmosphere. In Ramadan, the fast is begun and broken by festivities shared by families and friends. Ramadan is imbued with a sense of love and peace. That is what is important, in our unique interpretation.
The whole dilemma is in fact the creation of the educated elite. The problem only exists when the form of religion or any other faith or ideology is seen as more important than its life expression. For ordinary people, there is no paradox at all. Egyptians recognise themselves as sincerely religious and also as a loving, peaceful and witty nation that cannot bear the harsh attitude of some self-proclaimed guardians of religion. In fact, it is the way people understand religion that gives religious symbols and rites all their charm and power. Just enjoy Ramadan, as it is in Egypt.
*This week's Soapbox speaker is deputy director of the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.
