As the history goes, Ramadan is the month that the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was first contacted by the Angel Gabrielle to receive the verses of the Qu'ran. Through the passing of time fasting became a part of the lifestyle of the Muslim especially during the month of Ramadan. The breaking of the fast occurs at Magrib (sunset) with the Adan (call to prayer). Iftar (breakfast) often begins with dates and fruit juices, such as Manga, Omar El Din (apricot) or Kharoub. Kharoub is my favorite, but I do not know what the equivalent of it is in English. It is a rich meal to give an energy boost to those that are fasting. After eating the dates and drinking the juice, Muslims like to pray the Magribprayer and then return to a meal. Many Muslims like to pray most of the prayers in the mosque during Ramadan, but some do remain to pray at home. The meal can be any type of food nd most of those that are fasting find that they lack a large appetite for consumption. It could be just soup and some meat with rice, or just soup and some foul (fava) beans. It depends on the family and their personal palate. One thing is for sure during Ramadan, you will definitely find sweets in any household in the Muslim world. Basboussa, which is made from semolina mixed with eshta (cream) and a syrup, Konaffa is made from wheat, sugar, honey, raisins and nuts, Atief, made from the same ingredients but rolled to encase the nuts and raisins. Omm Ali is my favorite, it is made from phyllo dough, eshta, milk, sugar, nuts and raisins. Many Muslims like to watch shows that are specifically made for Ramadan and visit with family and friends in the evenings after Iftar. A lot of sweets are consumed between the Iftar and Sohour. Sohour is a meal taken before the Fajr (dawn). Again, this depends on the palate of the person who is eating. It could be dates, milk, water, foul, meat and rice. Most of us in the Muslim world loose a lot of sleep during Ramadan, but that is another post.
Until then,
A Woman of Egypt

Muslims are celebrating the Holy Month Of Ramadan.Siyam or Fasting during this month is the third Pillar of Islam. Islam has five Pillars and Fasting is one of them. From dawn until sunset, one must abstain from eating, drinking, telling lies, complaining, arguing, rudeness, and exhibiting bad behavior. Basically, it is an annual training program to remind us to behave like decent, kind hearted, disciplined and civilized people. It is to help us learn self control, help overcome greediness, lack of patience and intolerance, laziness, and other character faults. This is my first year to participate in the Siyam (fasting) and I can tell you it is not a simple thing to do. OK, I have no problem going without the food all day. Sometimes we get busy and cannot eat, so the rumbling inside of my tummy does pass. I miss my caffeine in the mornings, I am now sure I am addicted to caffeine. That is no longer a question for me. Folks, I am here to tell you that within the first 30 minutes of my fast I was already swearing. I woke up and stumped my toe on the edge of my sofa and out came an expletive. Expletives, during Siyam, are also considered a no-no. That should have been enough to disqualify my fast for the day, but since I am a trooper, I pressed on. Within 25 mininutes of arriving in my school, I was already complaining about a co-worker, the copy machine, and the janitorial staff. This is the 11th day of Ramadan, and I am sure that every single day of my fast thus far, has not been acceptable by God. I have always know my character defects and have never tried to hide them. I am selfish, self absorbed, and arrogant. I am now even more aware of how judgmental, stubborn, and egoistic I am. I am sure that God, all knowing, wants me to become more accepting, more tolerant, and to awaken my senses about what is right and wrong in my own behavior. The moral and spiritual climate of Ramadan has certainly been ripe for personal reflection. Now, I just hope, insha allah, I can move forward and improve all of the problem areas with a positive changes. I will keep you posted on my progress and the rest of my journey through Ramadan.
Until next time,
A Woman of Egypt