Friday, September 29, 2006

Swarms of Memory

Well, as Ramadan was approaching ( now we are spending the holy days of ramadan, five days already gone) my friend M kept insisting that she wants a Fanooos (Ramadan Lantern), any kind of fanoos I have to give it to her, Picture, real one or whatever indication about it, not sure why it's always the Fanoos exactly, maybe coz Fanoos Ramadan is an ancient unique symbol associated with Ramadan, It has passed from generation to generation.
it gives a wonderful atmosphere to the place, u feel a kind of pleasure when u see it, and immediately you think about Ramadan Days, when u were a kid (whether u were doing that or not) before Ramadan Arrival you become excited about having a Fanoos. Playing with your own fanoos that ur parents or any member of ur family brought to u.
Ramadan that month in which The Holy Spirit "Gibril" started to deliver Allah messages to the Prophet Mohamed (pbuh). at Ramadan's night we all sit and wait for " Al Roaya".
The Stories behind (Ramadan Lanterns) back to Al-Fatimi dynasty, many stories mentioned in that place. one of them back to Alhkim Bi-Amr allah … when he wanted to light streets during Ramadan that he ordered all mosques to hang Lanterns ( Fawanees ) illuminated by candles and since then it became a custom associated with Ramadan.
Another story during Al-Fatimi dynasty too, it's said that women were not allowed to leave their houses except in Ramadan. And due to that they were preceded by a young boy carrying a lantern as an indication that a woman is passing by the street to caution men. Later boys used to carry this Fanoos to play with during Ramadan.
Ramdan in Egypt is totally different than any other where, we Egyptians adopted certain mysterious traditions that gave to Ramadan a real special taste & mode, even if some are objectionable & has no intrinsic link to religion, I really like its spirit and the way it's associated with it, Not only, Ramadan Lantern, but also, AL-Misaharaty " The one who wakes people to eat before the dawn prayer (Al-Sohour) ", the canon which used to be fired and heard throughout Cairo from a citadel over the "Al-Mokattam" to announce end of the daily fast, but now it's no more used, the streets full of coloured lights and decoratios, The Konafa & Katayif man, Abd al Motilib Song "Ramadan Gana", Families and friends gathering …. And much more of these traditions which started to go extinct, every year less rituals and less feelings of Ramadan arrivals. Why?

I still remember when I was a kid, the family gatherings at my grand ma house, waiting for Al Maghrib prayer (Sunset Prayer) which always related with the voice of Al-Shiekh " Mohamed Rif'aat " ( till now when I just hear his voice I smell and recall memories of the old classical days)
Things change, I cant see children playing out in the streets, swinging their fawanees & sinning wahawy ya wahawy, instead I can see obvious beggar children everywhere. even Fanoos Ramadan ,,, is that snazzy, lack the spirit, Chinese plastic fanoos that plays music.
We Egyptian tried to cling with our heritage as much as we can. But with days, ages, generations, everything has to fade out, to give the space to other things to emerge!
Happy Ramadan to all …

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Conjecture … The X thing

I don’t know, I'm sure that my impression about that X thing no matter what it is ( a situation, feeling, person, idea …. ) is correct, but why people don’t see what I see?, or they do see but they don’t say!. I notice that X thing since the first day, it steamed my temper in many ways but I tried to not be prejudgment. Later the vision became ways clear. but I'm still silent; maybe waiting for someone, only one to approve my vision, People tend to find meaning where they can, and they believe it. Maybe it's wrong maybe it's right, that's not the point, the point is that people believe it. why you people don’t see what I see?, or it's me who can look more deeply beyond people's minds, so I can feel & touch what they can't reach at. Do I analyze too much into this? Do I?

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Pageantry …. This is to you 'A'

There is no such type of people that would annoy me like those pretentious, bombastic, conceited, lofty, cocky persons. They feign things they don’t have. or maybe they do have but exalt it more than it really deserves. or they keep talking about it in so many different ways till you are fed up and satiate their stories about their gaudy eminence. even if that prominence is real, but that kind of windbag makes it lose its luster and grandeur. I believe that type of peoples if they weren't realizing where they are going to put their feet their grandiloquent ways and rhetorical words will be ephemeral soon, and nothing would last except that scornful put-on.
That much brag blinds their eyes to see facts, to notice people around them, coz they don’t watch or care about anyone except themselves, and how much of imposing words they get. how much a vaunting air of superiority against others they have. They could be grandiose at certain point. but their cavalier attitude may destroy them and lead them into circles & circles of that apish, haughty behavior, be cognizant of that!