Ramadan in Egypt
What to wait for tourists from holiday in Egypt during Ramadan – the Holy Muslims of the Muslim? What are the restrictions for tourists? How to plan a trip? What interesting traditions can be viewed? Read the answers below in this article.
The month of Ramadan and the holiday Ramadan – not to be confused!
Often on tourist forums you can find approximately such reviews: "Were in Egypt to Ramadan. Disgusting! Egyptian families, noisy, yell, eat right in the pool. ". This really takes place to be in Egyptian hotels. But it does not happen in Ramadan, but at the end of the holy month – on the holiday of the al-Fitr.
Month Ramadan – 9th month according to the Islamic lunar calendar. This month, Muslims will be fast – do not eat, do not drink (even water), do not smoke from dawn to sunset. Or rather, from calling for Morning Namaz (prayer) "Fajr" before calling for night Namaz "Magreb".
From the post are released: children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, patients, weak, people in heavy travels, engaged in especially physically hard work.
This month should teach believers to patience and humility. Moderation is practiced in everything. Naturally, in the days of the sacred month of Muslims in Al Inclusive hotels do not go.
Holiday ID al-Fitr (Sometimes they call the "Ramadan Holiday" or "Uraza Bayram") takes a few days after the end of the Holy Month. The post is over, and these days are made a lot, good, tasty.
Many Egyptians on Al-Fitr Eid goes to Al Inclusive hotels. And they are really quite noisy, eat and drink non-alcoholic drinks with almost no measure.
conclusions. Try to relax in Egypt or to Al-Fitra ID, or after it. Staying during the holiday in hotels not recommended.
Schedule
Dates of all Islamic holidays are determined by the lunar calendar. Dates are changing every year. Below schedule for the coming years. Schedule all holidays in Egypt, see our article "Holidays in Egypt".
| Month Ramadan | holiday ID al-Fitr | |
| in 2020 | from April 24 to May 23 | May 24-26 |
| in 2021 | from April 13 to May 12 | May 13-15 |
| in 2022 | from April 3 to May 2 | May 3-5 |
| in 2023 | from March 22 to April 21 | April 22-24 |
| in 2024 | from March 10 to April 9 | April 10-12 |
Phases of the moon predict not 100% accurately. The beginning and end of Ramadan confirms the special religious commission, in every Islamic country there is its own such commission. Sometimes it happens that the date is shifted from the planned.
The moon is observed in different ways in different regions of our planet. Therefore, the lunar months can begin and end in different countries in different days.
Pluses of relaxing in Egypt to Ramadan
During the month of Ramadan, demand falls on everything: food, clothing, equipment. Traders try to sell more, and the main tool – discounts. For shopping very good time.
In the water parks and on the beaches fewer people. Muslims under the terms of the post are forbidden to swim.
In hotels on the Red Sea less people. Muslims are not here. And what do they do here? Watch as European tourists eat and get drunk?
Hotels are trying to raise the clarity and often give discounts. On average, rest to Ramadan in Egypt is 10-15% cheaper.
If you go to the All Inclusive Hotel and you are not going to leave it
Then I don’t need to know anything about Ramadan. Observe the three rules:
First. Do not eat anything and do not drink after leaving the plane and do not sit down in the transfer bus. Egypt’s laws do not oblige anyone to observe the post, Egypt – a secular state, however, the Egyptians are around. They want to eat and drink, you should not provoke negative emotions in the surrounding people.
Second. If you want to smoke after leaving the airport, you will move away to the minimum of people to notice.
Third. Plan your holiday so to go home until the end of the month of Ramadan and the beginning of the holiday ID al-Fitr.
Remember that the airport staff may be a little nervous, as they want to drink and hungry. Try to treat it with understanding.
Rules for tourists
As we have already written above, in Egypt the law does not force fast. By the way, in some countries the law prohibits during Ramadan, and drinking even nonymulmans in publicly, for example, in the Arab Emirates. However, some restrictions for tourists have.
Sale of alcohol during the sacred month is prohibited, but besides bars in hotels and Duty-Free shops at airports.
In hotels, there are usually restrictions on animation. For example, do not show the belly dance. However, this rule concerns not all hotels, in some, everything is as usual.
Attractions and entertainment objects are closed for 1 or 2 hours earlier. Some work at all until lunch. Officially, working day in Ramadan is shortened to 6 working hours. Therefore, the excursion program is better to start in the morning and try to finish to dinner.
Day of restaurants and cafes closed. Although here is the situation in different cities of different. For example, in Alexandria, most cafes and restaurants close, in Cairo, on the contrary – most of the open. In Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh, almost all catering establishments remain open.
But the main point – the Ramadan is very difficult (almost unreal) to eat in the evening, because Iftars comes. Talk about it in detail.
Sujur and Iftar
Reception of food until dawn is allowed, this meal is called "Sukhur". Typius usually passes deeply at night, does not affect tourists.
Reception after dawn is allowed, this meal is called "Iftar". Iftar is considered a festive meal. It is customary to eat or houses all the family, or in a restaurant with friends, colleagues or family.
As a result, all cafes and restaurants are clogged in the evening. Find a free table is very difficult if possible. In good establishments, all tables for the evening are reserved in the morning. You can wait for a free table for a long time, people sit long – eating abundantly and communicate.
Therefore, in the evening it is better to be in your hotel, where for your guests there is always a table.
On the streets put up tents and organize a charity Iftar. The food is free and everyone, even the non-Muslims. But there are empty seats are rare.
Egyptian tradition
gunfire
At the end of Lent and beginning of iftar at the Citadel of Cairo gives a special gun salvo. This tradition has been known since the 19th century, from the reign of Khedive Muhammad Ali, we talked about it in the article "10 Great Egyptians". Although there are claims that this tradition existed as early as the reign of the Mamluks, with 1439.
This volley is called "al-Midfaa idrab Iftar" (Lane.: Iftar cannon shot). Now the city of Cairo is very large, and not all districts heard the volley, and outside of Cairo especially not heard. However volley broadcast on national television.
flashlights
For Ramadan Egyptians manufactured buy or flashlights of various shapes, sizes, colors and with a variety of sometimes even fanciful decorations.
Legend has it that the tradition has gone from 969, when Caliph Muezz Al-Din Al-Allah of the Fatimid Dynasty conquered Egypt. It was he who ordered to found the city of Cairo. Once in Ramadan Caliph arrived in Cairo after sunset, and the people came out to meet him on the streets with flashlights. And I went into Egypt tradition to make colorful lanterns and light them on the night of the holy month.
Lanterns called "Fanus". Previously, they lit candles, now they are electric. Large Fanus decorate the house and the mosque. Children love small Fanus, run them through the streets, singing songs. Flashlights – is the main symbol of Ramadan in Egypt, much like we have Christmas tree – a symbol of the New Year.
drummers
These are people who for an hour or two before dawn, walking the streets, beating the big drums and shout. So they awaken people so they could eat Suhoor. In Egypt, these drummers called "mesharati".
It is an ancient tradition. Previously, people did not have watches or alarm clocks, people just do not know when they will wake up to eat before dawn. Mesharati – it is rather not a profession but a voluntary public activity. At the end of the holy month of mesharati go from house to house, asking for a fee for his work.
Naturally, in the resort areas of drummers-no mesharati. In cities they meet, but not everywhere. If settled in the city where they go, then the output is one – earplug.
New trends in Egypt
Over the past decade, many interesting social phenomena appeared in Egypt during Ramadan. And most of them are new to the whole Islamic world.
In Egypt, the holy month of crowded clubs. Even sold special subscriptions for the entire sacred month.
During Ramadan, everyone will be losing weight in a natural way. Even those who eat a lot in Iftar lose a few kilograms by the end of the month. Many people try to use the moment for weight loss. Naturally, no one wants to limit themselves in food, so prefer to go to fitness centers. Of course this only applies to those who normally suffered day and not "falls down".
In Egypt, in the holy month, the ratings of the TV channels "Sleep". And it is not surprising, people watch a lot of TV to distract from thirst, hunger and thrust to cigarettes. Now the television series is specifically removed by Ramadan.
In Egypt, a fashion appeared to look for a couple on the prayer "Tauguevich". Something it reminds the distribution of "dating sites for Christians".
Prayer "tarawih" takes place in the night of Ramadan, usually for the prayer attend the mosque. Young girls, if they want to find the groom, try to go to the mosque, dress up as it can. Young people also "picked up" the idea, also try to look as presented as much as possible. Naturally, get acquainted after prayer, and not during, because in mosques, men and women’s halls are divided.
Also remained the old tradition, when the mother of a young man communicates with young women in a mosque in the female hall, looking for a suitable candidacy for a son.
It is important and useful to know
– During the month of Ramadan on Friday, there are the same limitations as in the usual Friday. Read our article "Friday in Egypt";
– In Ramadan, it is customary to cook and there are some very colorful sweets. What exactly, read in our article "Sweets in Egypt";
– Metro Cairo in Ramadan finishes work at 2 am, and not at midnight. Details in our article "Metro Cairo".
Have a good holiday in Egypt, and read our interesting articles about this country (Links below).
