It’s only when Ramadan comes

Nada Tarek - Apr 2021

Business

Have you ever thought about the special characters that only appears in Ramadan?

If you give it a try, you would find some people that you only see in the holy month and once you do, you can feel the vibe.

Those people are doing jobs only related to the holy month that begins with it and ends at the last Ramadan Fajr Prayer.

El-Mesaharaty

El-Mesaharaty is a man who walks in the streets with a drum to wake Muslims up before Fajr Prayer to eat their Suhoor.

He uses the drum to call out the names of people to make them feel special and to encourage them to wake up.

The origin of the Mesaharaty goes back to the era of the Prophet Mohamed.

This tradition is not very common nowadays, but it’s well known around many Arab Countries like Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Libya, Syria, Lebanon and the Gulf states.

Ramadan Folkloric Dances

In Ramadan, you can find many activities done.

There is the Sufi dance which is performed by men wearing a wide skirt and they keep turning and turning.

You can find also a small band with basic instruments walking around Cairo's streets after iftar to entertain people in their homes.

Kunafa Guy

You can buy kunafa all over the year from different deserts shops but you can only see the Kunafa guy in Ramadan standing on his round table doing it fresh infront of you.

Kunafa is originated from Arab countries and it’s well done in Egypt. As people used to offer it to the Caliph of Fatimids to greet him. This became an Egyptian ritual in Ramadan.

Qatayef Guy

The Qatayef Guy is the one who only appears in the holy month with his special desert.

Qatayef is a famous Ramadan desert that we all love. Its origins is from the fatimids era where people used to sell it in streets. Some people believe The Qatayef was called with this name because it had the same texture as plush cloth, which is “qatifa” in Arabic.

Ramadan-Drinks Guy

The Ramadan-Drinks guy is the most important one in the holy month as he quenches the thirst of muslims.

He used to sell Karkadey (hibiscus rose petals), Erk Sous (licorice), Kamar El Din (dried apricot paste juice), Kharoub and Tamr Hini (Tamarind)

All of these drinks goes back to the origins of Fatimids.

Fawanees

Last but never least, the Fawanees Guy who make all the Ramadan spirit because Ramadan is never Ramadan without a Fanoos!

Thousands years back, The Caliphs used to offer people in Egypt gold lanternes to celebrate the back of his son and this was at the beginning of the holy month, so it became a habit.