Egyptian Customs And Festivals

Samia Abdennour

• Publisher: The American University in Cairo Press
• Year: 2007
• eBook ISBN: 9781617970573
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Anthropology
• Index: Social Sciences

How do Egyptian Muslims celebrate Ramadan? How do Copts Egyptian Christians celebrate Easter? What should you expect to find on the table when invited to eat in an Egyptian home? What do you say when an Egyptian colleague sneezes? Exactly what do Egyptians do with a mortar and pestle, a sieve, and a bag of nuts seven days after the birth of a baby? Samia Abdennour, once an outsider from Palestine, now thoroughly at home in Egypt, is here to tell you all about these matters and many more. In a book that aims to introduce the unfamiliar newcomer or interested foreign reader to the hows, whats, and whys of Egyptians life, the author covers such diverse topics as birth, marriage, and death; religious festivals and fasting; food in the home and on the street; business etiquette and terms of politeness. She describes how some traditions differ between the two religious communities, the Muslims and the Copts, and how some customs are shared by all Egyptians like the spring festival of Shamm al-Nisim ('smelling the breezes') that goes back to pharaonic times. With Egyptian Customs and Festivals, you need never be at a loss in a social situation in Egypt or fail to understand what your neighbors are up to. Illustrated throughout with color photographs of daily life and special occasions, this fascinating and informative book is a must-have for anyone new to Egyptian culture.

Customs and Traditions

Names

Egyptians are generally known by three names: the name given to them at birth, their father’s name, and their grandfather’s name. Thus Samir Hanna Sadeq denotes the name given to the infant, Samir; his father’s name, Hanna; and his grandfather’s name, Sadek.

A small number of Egyptians have surnames or family names. The origin of this custom dates back to the nineteenth century. Muhammad Ali, viceroy of Egypt (1811–49), appropriated all the land of the country and became its sole owner. However, as a reward for various services rendered he bestowed gracious endowments on a few of his subjects in the form of land. These individuals became feudal landlords, and on their death their offspring naturally inherited the land. To emphasize their claim of ownership, these heirs retained the name of the original recipient and thus became known as the family Badrawi, Doss, and so on. Thus until today the concept of acquiring land through inheritance, as opposed to buying it, is stamped with the hallmark of prestige, prosperity, and good background.

Names sometimes bear a religious identity: Ragab, Ramadan, Sha‘ban (names of Islamic months), Muhammad, Hassan, and Zeinab are undoubtedly Muslim names, while Boctor, Kirollos, and Dimyana are distinctly Coptic. It is also common in Muslim families to register two names as a first name on their son’s birth certificate, starting with the Prophet’s name, then following it with the chosen name. Thus in a family of two sons the birth certificates may read Muhammad Hosni and Muhammad Anwar, although the boys will be known as Hosni and Anwar. Meanwhile, some Coptic families will choose as a name for their newborn the first name they come across on opening the Bible at random. For this reason, names like Esther, Israel, and Rachel are not uncommon among Copts.

Names in Arabic usually have a meaning. They may be epithets like Karim (‘generous’) and ‘Adel (‘righteous’) or a humble attribute to God such as ‘Abd al-Muntasir (‘slave of the Victorious’), ‘Abd al-Hafez (‘slave of the Preserver’), and so on. As a result of travels and conquests, other foreign names, mainly Turkish, Persian, and British, have also infiltrated the naming rules and have become popular with the Egyptian community. Thus ‘Esmat and Mervat are Turkish names, Safinaz and Nermin are Persian, while William and Victoria are definitely British.

Names are always written in full—that is, the three names: the child’s, the father’s, and the grandfather’s or the family name—and initials are not used in Arabic. Although officially a person has three names, he or she is commonly known by only two. As a second name, some people will prefer to use their grandfather’s name over their father’s and will attach it to their names, omitting the father’s name. This can naturally cause confusion, especially for westerners, as siblings will then have different second names, and outsiders are at a loss to understand the family link between them. For example, flautist Inas ‘Abd al-Dayem is the sister of soprano Iman Mustafa; writer Mursi Saad Eddin is the brother of composer Baligh Hamdi; and musician Mursi Gamil is the brother of singer Fayda Kamel. To overcome this ambiguous situation some families—mainly in the middle and upper-middle classes—have recently started adopting the grandfather’s name as a family surname.

Under all circumstances, women officially retain their maiden names after marriage and do not automatically assume their husbands’. This is a Muslim doctrine applicable to all women of both faiths and is related to ownership of property and the protection of women’s rights. However, on the social level and as an exception to the rule, the presidents’ wives, Jehan and Suzanne, are known as Jehan Sadat and Suzanne Mubarak.

Among the lower classes, some women prefer to conceal their names from strangers, and are called, for example, Umm Karim (‘Mother of Karim’), Karim being the first-born son. Such women do not view this as a negation of their identity, but on the contrary are proud of this appellation and feel that it ennobles them. Men too are often pleased to be called, for example, Abu Karim, to show their pride in conceiving a son, although this is less common.

In the immediate aftermath of the July 1952 Revolution—the heyday of secular Pan-Arab nationalism—Egyptians tended to shun names too closely identified with religion, opting instead for names such as Samer (‘entertainer’) or Soha (the name of a star) that had no obvious religious connotations. Today, however, that tide has been reversed. A name like Islam was never heard of in the early 1950s, yet now it is not uncommon among Muslims, whereas Fadi (‘sacrificed’—referring to Christ) is now in vogue among Copts.

Addressing people by their first names is less common in Egypt than in the west. A title—not necessarily merited—frequently precedes the first name. Thus:

• Adults will address one another as Ustaz (Mr., literally ‘professor’) or Anisa (Miss) or Madam (Mrs.).

• If a person has a professional degree, the first name will be preceded by his or her title: Mohandis (‘Engineer’) Medhat, Doctor Mona.

• As a mark of respect, a vendor may add Hagg or Hagga (literally, a person who has been on pilgrimage) before a customer’s name, even if he or she has never made a pilgrimage; or they might follow it with Bey or Hanem, thus conferring a respectable title on this person.

• A friendly epithet of Abla (‘big sister’) or Abey (‘big brother’) sometimes breaks the severity of mere acquaintance, and at the same time keeps a polite distance.

• Children will call any acquaintance of their parents ‘Ammu (‘uncle’) or Tante (‘aunt’), rather than Mr. or Mrs., and definitely not by their first name alone.

• An older man of lower social status may be addressed as ‘Amm X (‘uncle’ X), again to show friendship.

• Children among themselves will address one another as kabtin (‘captain’) if they do not know the other child’s name.

• Among the lower classes, women’s names are seldom mentioned, and women are usually called Umm X (‘mother of X’), as mentioned above.

Some Arabic names and their meanings:

Name	Meaning
‘Adel	Righteous
Amal	Hopes
Amani	Wishes
Amin	Honest
Amira	Princess
‘Azmi	My Will
Badr	Full Moon
Bahaa	Glory
Basma	Smile
Bushra	Annunciation
Camelia	a type of flower
Dalal	Coquettishness
Doha	Dawn
Farid	Unique
Faten	Bewitcher, Seducer
Fuad	Heart
Gamal	Beauty
Gamil	Beautiful
Hadil	Cooing of Pigeons
Haitham	Brave Lion
Hana	Health and Happiness
Hassan	Good, Beautiful
Hosni	My Beautiful One, My Good One
Kamal	Perfection
Karam	Generosity
Karim	Generous
Khaled	Eternal
Magdi	My Glory
Maher	Adept
Mahmoud	Thanked
Manal	Aspiration
Nada	Dew
Nargess	Narcissus
Osama	Brave Lion
Rafiq	Friend, Companion
Ragaa’	Entreaty
Reda	Accepting Destiny
Safaa’	Purity
Sahar	Dawn
Salah	Righteousness
Salma	Safe
Samer	Entertainer
Sawsan	a type of flower
Sherif	Honest
Soha	the name of a star
Suhail	the name of a star
Tarif	Pleasant
Tawfiq	Success
Wadi‘	Tame, Gentle
Zaghloul	Chick
Zarif	Pleasant

The Name of God

Egyptians are by nature religious at heart. They are forever invoking God’s name at every occasion and circumstance: in love, hate, disapproval, despair, surprise, and so on. Punctuating all conversations with incantations of In sha’ Allah (‘God willing’) and al-Hamdu li-llah (‘thanks be to God’) is as natural to an Egyptian as breathing. This is not superstition but a deeply ingrained belief in God’s power and a plea for benediction in all matters.

The simple word Allah (‘God’) given different intonation or stress can have many different meanings, and will eloquently replace a whole sentence or expression. Thus, in admiration, the second syllable is stretched to sound like Allaaaah; in confusion the word is repeated two or three times: Allah, Allah, Allah; while in astonishment, surprise, or perplexity, the stress is on the first syllable: Aaallah.

Male names including the word Allah abound: Hamdallah, Shukrallah (both meaning ‘thanks to God’), and Sa‘dallah (‘God’s happiness’), to name a few. At the same time, names starting with ‘Abd (‘slave’ or ‘servant’)—such as ‘Abd al-Rahim (‘slave of the Merciful’) and ‘Abd al-Mu‘ti (‘slave of the Giver’)—are all expressions of servitude to God.

Muslim women often wear brooches, pendants, or other jewelry bearing the word Allah in beautiful calligraphy, accepted as a sign of piety and uprightness. A very popular gift to a newborn Muslim infant is a brooch bearing the word Allah—apart from its material value, it is an amulet believed to dispel evil spirits and bless the child.

In many Coptic families, the words al-Rabb (‘the Lord’) or Rabbina (‘our Lord’) replace Allah.

The word Allah has become such a part of the language that expressions including the name of God abound. Following are some of the most common expressions used, with their meanings:

Allahu akbar (‘God is greatest’): Apart from being the opening to the Muslim call to prayer, this expression is used to ward off the evil eye. To express admiration for a child or object without following it with Allahu akbar or Ma sha’ Allah (‘As God wishes’) is inviting trouble (see the section on Superstition, below). Copts in this context will use the expression Bism il-salib (‘In the name of the cross’).

Allah yiddilak tult al-‘umr (‘May God give you long life’), Allah yikhallik (‘May God keep you alive’), Allah yis‘idak wiykhallik (‘May God keep you happy and alive’) are all wishes for longevity, and said as a favorable answer, as thanks, or simply in answer to a greeting.

Allah yigazik (‘May God punish you’) is said jokingly in reply to a prank, or with great disappointment when someone fails to live up to expectation, but of course with a different tone of voice.

Allah yihfazak or Allah yikhallik (both meaning ‘May God preserve you’) are said to express appreciation or thanks.

Allah yirhamuh/yirhamha (‘God have mercy on him/her’) is said when someone dies.

Astaghfar Allah (I ask God’s forgiveness’) is used to do just that or to modestly decline a compliment.

Bismillah (‘In the name of God’) is an expression used as an opening or foreword before any new venture, whether a speech, a journey, or a meal. This expression is used by both Muslims and Copts, unlike Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim, which is used only by Muslims. It is expressed to validate important agreements, to give courage at times of uncertainty, and to lend auspiciousness to countless daily events. A Bismillah is also used as an invitation to partake of food. Any person, whether an acquaintance or a stranger, coming upon another person eating will automatically be invited to share the food using this expression.

al-Hamdulillah (‘Thanks to God’) is used at the end of a meal, or in answer to a question. The reply is the same whether it is in the affirmative or negative, but the inflection of the voice determines which is which. “Do you want another helping?” Al-Hamdulillah (meaning ‘No’). “Did you enjoy your outing?” Al-Hamdulillah (meaning ‘Yes’).

In sha’ Allah (‘God willing’). It is unheard of to declare an intention to do something, go somewhere, or even plan an event without preceding or following it with In sha’ Allah. Even in answer to a question—for example, is Mr. Sherif going somewhere? Are you doing anything tomorrow?—when the answer is in the affirmative, the same expression, In sha’ Allah, is used, adding eloquence to the ‘yes.’

Ism Allah (God’s name) is used both as an invocation to God for protection—for example, if a person is about to fall—or, with a different inflection of voice, contemptuous astonishment.

Khalliha ‘al-Allah (‘Leave it to God’) is said when a problem is complicated and does not seem soluble.

Tawakkalna ‘al-Allah (‘We have placed our trust in God’) is said before starting on a journey or a new project.

Yarhamukum Allah (‘May God have mercy on you’) is the expression used when a person sneezes.

Marriage

In Egypt, the peak of the crescendo of life’s events is marriage. This is one of society’s major goals. Normally girls become eligible for marriage at the age of 18, and their chances of marriage dwindle as they approach 30. Men, on the other hand, have no age limit—if they are young when thinking of marrying, between 25 and 30, they are viewed as ambitious and eager to shoulder responsibility. If older, they are described as mature and able to afford a comfortable life for a family, as is expected of a breadwinner. It is said of an unmarried woman, Fat-ha il-’atr (‘The train has passed her by’), and mention of her name is usually accompanied by Rabbina yifukk di’it-ha (‘May God relieve her of her difficulty’).

The traditions binding marriage are very well defined. The parents are usually the sole authority when it comes to deciding matrimonial matters. They sit as counselors, judges, and executors of their children’s best interests. They ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• Introduction
• Customs and Traditions
• Rites and Festivities
• Recipes