Nile News for Kids Only, Issue # 4, Jan. 16, 2000
Hi kids! Boy has it been a long time since we last wrote to you.
The Islamic month of Ramadan is over, thank goodness, and a new year has sprouted wings. Since most American children (and adults) don't know much about Islam and Ramadan, we thought a quick Q&A session might be fun. We're trying to be as objective and fair in our answers as possible. So, here goes...
Questions and Answers about Ramadan and Islam.
Q. What is Ramadan?
A. Ramadan is the ninth lunar month of the Islamic year, and is considered the holiest of Muslim months.
Q. Why is Ramadan so special?
A. According to Muslim tradition, it is the month in which the Prophet Mohammad received his revelations. These revelations were later compiled into what is now the Qur'an (Koo-RAHN).
Q. What is the Qur'an?
A. The Qur'an is like the Christian Bible. It tells the Muslims how they should behave, how they should serve God, what they can and cannot eat, etc. The Qur'an has many things in common with the Bible -- including the belief in one God -- but differs from the Bible on some key Judeo-Christian beliefs. Among the differences is the role of sin in the world (no original sin), the role of Jesus Christ (a prophet only), and the fundamental way in which God should be worshipped (five pillars of Islam). The Qur'an also set the guidelines for what Muslims are to do during Ramadan.
Q. What do most kids do during Ramadan?
A. They fast from sunrise to sunset, which means they don't eat or drink anything from about 5 am to 5 pm. Imagine skipping breakfast and lunch every day for a month. Usually younger children (kindergarten age to about second grade) will not follow the fast, and eat their lunches as usual. But for 3rd grade through high school students, fasting is a big deal. If you're able to follow through with the fast, it's a way to show others how godly you are. After the 12 or so hours of fasting, the Muslims eat a huge meal, called Iftar. This meal breaks the sunrise/sunset fast. After the Iftar, there is lots of partying and shopping until about 1 am. Yes, the children are usually involved in this, too. The last meal before the sunrise is at about 4:30 am. Children are put to bed about 2 am (after the 1 am meal) and woken from their nap at about 4 am. The fasting begins again at about 5 am, when the cycle repeats itself.
Q. That sounds COOL! You get to stay up late and everything for a whole month! So what's wrong with that?
A. Nothing much if you're a Muslim. You've trained yourself to adjust somewhat, and you're used to the routine. Your family encourages you, as does your religion. Yet even for devout Muslims, it's difficult to concentrate on school work, to be alert to everything that a teacher is trying to convey. Sometimes, the urge for food and water is great, and they must remember that they can't get a drink of water. Physical Education (PE) classes are tough as well, especially if they're running around the track or playing some energetic game. They must remember that water drinking -- even if they're really thirsty -- is a no-no. So, this month of fasting is more than just a time for fun, it's a time for religious reflection.
Q. So, does a Muslim start fasting in 3rd Grade?
A. That depends a lot on who you talk with. According to the Qur'an, Muslims should not fast until they are at the age of puberty -- about 12 or 13 years old for boys, a little bit younger for girls. Yet, parents of younger children will "train" them by having them fast several years before puberty. This is why children here as young as 7 sometimes fast all day long.
Q. What is school like during Ramadan?
A. Our schedule started at 8:45 and went until 2 pm. This was to allow the students to travel through Cairo's more-than-crowded streets in enough time to make the Iftar meal. During the day the schedule was shortened (35 minute classes, not 45 minute classes). All specials areas: Music, Art, Arabic, PE, Computers, Library were also shortened.
Q. What does Cairo feel like during Ramadan? Is it like Christmas or New Year's?
A. Ramadan, which is a month long, is busy. People are spending lots of money on food, giving lots of money to the poor and needy, shopping for gifts to give hosts of the Iftar, etc. Traffic is a real mess. Rush hour is more like three hours long, tempers can get started easily because people haven't had food to eat for many hours, and generally the tension is high. It's like Christmastime (for about 30 days), in that people are trying to make the best of a stressful family time and celebrating a religious event. Everything must be just right for the Iftar, and for the extended family's comfort. No one should be left going hungry. For the two hours of the Iftar (generally 5pm - 7 pm), stores are closed, the streets are deserted (maybe a taxi or two), and it's difficult to find a restaurant in which to eat -- they're all PACKED! These two hours might make you wonder if you were the only human left alive. But about 7:15 pm or so, the traffic starts to pick up again, and the general busy-ness that is Ramadan takes those wonders away from the mind.
Q. So what happens after Ramadan?
A. Things go back to normal...kind of. Immediately after Ramadan is a period of three days, called Eid (pronounced EED), in which Muslims thank God for bringing them through the fast. They exchange gifts of money and clothing, slaughter lambs -- distributing the meat to the poor, and shooting off fire-crackers at all hours of the day and night. These "pop-pop-pop" sounds can be heard for blocks away, and can make the uneasy tourist feel as if he is in a war zone. The Eid celebrations are met with lots of singing, chanting and general friendly mayhem. People are allowed, once again, to eat three meals a day. Services to commemorate these days are held at the local mosques, who broadcast their prayers and thanksgivings over the loudspeakers.
If you have other questions about Ramadan, Eid or Islam, email us. We'll try to answer your questions.
Happy New Year!
Todd & Barbara Thomas :-)
