After 29 days of fasting about 1.6 milliard of Muslims all over the world are again eating as usual during day and night time. And so they do in Egypt: Candy shops all over the country are crowded and in almost every home you can’t resist self-made cookies and all the different types of traditional food. Families are gathering and spending quality time together while houses and streets are lighted by shiny decoration and colourful Ramadan lanterns, which is a special tradition in Egypt only.
But of course the past days were not only about fasting. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and one of the five pillars of Islam. Besides fasting, Muslims are instructed to refrain from sinful behaviour and intensify their relation to Allah by increasing prayers and the recitation of the Quran. While charity is a very important pillar in Islam in general, it becomes even more vital during Ramadan. Furthermore, the Iftar (fast-breaking at sunset) during the past month was taken as an opportunity to gather with friends and all family members. As day and night time thus became very flexible and most people stayed awake during night hours, SEKEM had adapted the working hours for its employees during this special month.
Christine Arlt