“Table of Mercy”, how Egyptians feed hundreds in Ramadan | Religion

Cairo, Egypt – An hour before the Iftar, people began to slow down against the backdrop of Saeda Zayenab's bustle and gather on a street facing the Sayeda Zayenab Mosque.

Sayeda Zayinab is one of the most light places in Egypt, which is said to have buried the granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed. People come from all over Egypt to pray and keep vigil there, looking for miracles that many think are happening there.

During RamadanThe mosque neglects the “table of mercy” created by volunteers to feed the needy and passers -by during Iftar, an old tradition in Egypt.

Mercury

Confident people are in a hurry to be contained.

At one of the masses, two -year -old Yana crawled from one end to the other.

“Whose baby is this for God's sake?” A sitting man is joking. Other nights play with her as if she was their own.

“She belongs to the lady who distributes spoons,” replies a volunteer, pointing a thin young woman dressed in a black hijab that runs up and down. “She is not one of the usual volunteers.

Volunteers of all ages, most of them from the neighborhood mix to give each bottle of water, juice box and a dining package containing a dateRice, potatoes and chicken.

They are too starvation But he will eat last to make sure that none of the 400 nights has been left unchanged as the sun is setting, marking the moment when attendees can start eating and drinking.

“We are easy to organize to help”

“We are not unique.” (Egyptians) are easily organized to help. “

His hands are loaded with food boxes as Maghreb (sunset) calls for prayer sounds – he eats several dates and continues to serve.

Hami also lives in Saeda Zayinab, managing a small cafe in the narrow streets of the old market. Other volunteers, mostly his friends and relatives, also launch small shops and stands on the market, selling fabric, clothing and food.

After they do volunteering, they will return to their stores to try to make money in a month when revenue sinks as fasting changes the shopping time and models. Instead of stopping at this, they accept things slowly and focus on helping others.

“There is no place like Egypt during Ramadan,” Hadi says, as he looks at the cheerful lively when people start eating.

“We receive donations from many countries, especially in the Persian Gulf who want to do good deeds, but know that something like this cannot be organized anywhere else.

“In addition to cash donations, neighbors come and offer help.

There is a basic volunteer team of about 15 men, all suppliers on the market of Saeda Zeinab, dedicated to not missing a day of charity.

The kitchen is the Domain of Young Mostafa, which works as a cook in other charity cuisines throughout the year.

“The rest is made by anyone who shows up.

A little well -intentioned shouts as the food spreads is part of the magic.

“Rush boys.

The man says he has lived in Sayeda Zeinab throughout his life and has heard of this table, but today he is present for the first time. He explains quietly that this Ramadan is himself, which is why he has decided to come and share Iftar with others, but he doesn't seem to say much more.

Hassan, an energetic volunteer in the lime-green hood, quarreled by the older volunteers to joke around as he spreads the food, but everything ends in laughter.

“We were able to eat an Ifar with our families at home so that Mom doesn't feel sad,” Hassan says, as she smiles, “But in the other days, we're on duty and we're all like brothers now.”

Ethnic

In the warehouse where the food is stored, a sign with verse from the Qur'an reminds passers -by why the volunteers took this monthly mission:

“And (they) give food, despite their love for it, to the poor, orphans and captives, saying:” We feed you only for God, by seeking neither a reward or thanks to you.

In Islam, pilgrims are encouraged to do good deeds throughout the year, especially during Ramadan.

In Egypt, these tables of mercy are a mass phenomenon, which goes to the 800s.

It is said that in 872 the ruler of Egypt at that time Ahmad ibn Tulun organized something similar to the Ramadan mass of mercy for people from different circles.

However, the phenomenon is indeed formed during the Fatimid Dynasty under al-ma'ez Li-Din Allah al-Fatimi (953-975).

Preserved and transmitted through the generations, the tradition has become wider and essential during financial struggle.

For example, since the double disasters of the Covid-19 pandemic and Russian invasion of Ukraine struck an extremely heavy Egyptian economy, inflation reached a record high from 41 percent in 2023.

Talking about current struggles is common in the masses where newspapers are soon developing. The International Monetary Fund holds meetings with Egypt for past loans and a new package of $ 1.3 billion – which everyone knows that they mean more measures for strict savings.

The kitchen and storage that volunteers use belongs to a service that provides free weekly dishes to some poor families, but on a much smaller scale than this table of mercy, which is an independent initiative led by neighbors, which began five years ago.

“We decided to organize these tables during Ramadan, because every time there were more people in need, and the available tables of mercy in the neighborhood were not enough,” says Mostafa, one of the first volunteers to help this mass in 2020.

“Can I get an extra food box?” Yana's mother asks after completing her volunteer activity and returning her baby back – the question that volunteers are asked every day.

However, politics is strict: everyone receives a single box, whether you are a volunteer, a person in need, or someone who has passed the time to break fast and are invited to join.

Table for all

Hami emphasizes that these tables are open to everyone. Nobody asks if you need or judge you or your clothes.

“We feed everyone who passes.

Among those who sit, there is a couple of their 70s from the northeastern Cairo neighborhood in El-Marg, visiting a relative at a nearby hospital.

“We didn't have time to get home to break our fasting.

Several Sudanese families are at the corner at the other end of the table, and some younger people also sit, mainly students from other regions in Egypt.

“My family lives in the tanta and during my first Ramadan only these tables helped me feel at home,” says 24-year-old Ahmed.

After the stress of the spread of food, Hami and his colleagues, joined to passers -by, clean the tables and fold them to store until the next day. Inside the warehouses they eat some residues. Their smiles suggest that the effort is worth it.

“Seeing people sitting and enjoying their time, even for a few minutes of their days, he fills us with joy,” Hadi says as the other boys nod. “We wait all year so we can get together and do it again.”