Dr. Mohamed Nasr El Din, president of the African association in Cairo, stated that the Islamic countries in Africa adopted Egyptian rituals during the holy month of Ramadan.
“They decorate streets besides media celebrations,” he added.
Regarding rites of worship, people in African countries are also keen on reading the whole Quran and pray “Taraweh” in the evening.
A similar version of Iftar tables “Mawaed Al Rahman” spread everywhere in Sudan; as at breakfast time, people set food trays in front of their home for passersby.
Somalia and Eritrea are also on top of these countries because Al-Azhar sends its delegations to these two countries as well as welcoming students from both countries here in Egypt.
Moreover, these countries have close relations with Egypt politically and economically. The commercial exchange between both sides across the sea remains a fundamental source of exporting Egyptian culture during Ramadan.
At the education level, Egyptian students used to travel there to attend the general secondary examinations as embassies’ examinations are much easier.
Furthermore, many Egyptian teachers work there and consequently, they transfer all Egyptians customs, traditions as well as meals.
Nigeria; the largest Islamic African country with a population of around 200 million people, contains two extremes during Ramadan.
In Lagos city, people were not fasting nor praying before converting to Islam; especially the Pagan and Christendom worships.
On the other hand, Muslims in the northern cities of Nigeria like Kaduna are closer to religious extremism and they fight people dissenting Islam.
Countries along the African coast and desert like Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Mauritania are notable for writing and singing poems that describe the Prophet Mohammad.
They don’t hold weddings during Ramadan and they usually hold flags marked with Quranic verses and supplications like “No God except Allah” and “Allah is the greatest”.
People in most of these countries don’t work during the holy month due to a very high temperature that usually exceeds 50 degrees.
Contributed by Salma Yassin
