Longest Ramadan "Free" Iftar Table in Egypt (Pictures)

Publish date: Monday، 18 April 2022 Last update: Monday، 11 March 2024

20 image

The holy month of Ramadan is celebrated around the world and started on the 2nd of April, 2022. The month is celebrated by over two billion people around the world. Muslims are required to fast (food and water) from sunrise to sunset.

Upon sunset, families and neighborhoods gather to share and break their fast. This year, Egyptians in Cairo, set up a street-long table to break their Ramadan fast together in a mass "Iftar" meal on the 15th day of the Muslim holy month, in the Matariya suburb in the northeast of Egypt's capital Cairo.

"The idea of the (Iftar) table isn't only to eat and drink, the idea is 3,000 people are sharing the same table with the same religion and nationality and are eating together at the same time," said Ihab El-Shah- at, an event organizer.

Around 6,000 people within the neighborhood participate in this colorful event full of decorations. Neighboring communities also do attend to enjoy the food and the atmosphere.

"The table isn't specified for specific people, it is for everyone, all the neighbors and their children are participating, anyone passing the street can join the table," said a resident.

Health authorities had initially directed the governors to apply the precautionary and preventive measures for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) to preserve the safety and health of citizens during the holy month of Ramadan.

After a two-Ramadan hiatus due to Covid-19, Cairo began receiving requests of holding Mawaid el-Rahman, or charity iftars, this Ramadan. -

"The Coronavirus has stopped us from attending (Iftar table) every year, many people used to come here from different areas to break the fast, not only this (Iftar) table but also to any other (Iftar) table," a resident said.

Big tables that have diverse types of foods are offered for free for anyone to join at the call of Maghrib prayer, announcing the time for Muslims to break their fasting. The guests are usually the poor or people who did not go home in time.