So I'm an atheist in a Muslim country, and a guy with a bloody axe comes up to me...

[onager]

And I say: "Sabbakher!" (Good morning.) And "Eid mubarak!" (Happy feast.) And he says: "Shukrun!" (Thank you.)

Yes, that happened to me yesterday morning when I was out for a stroll. Actually it was two guys. The other one had a long, curved bloody knife, commonly used here to cut the throats of animals.

Which is exactly what they were doing. Going around the neighborhood offering to help sacrifice sheep and goats. And for the very fortunate/wealthy few, maybe a tasty young camel. (Camels are rare here in northern (Lower) Egypt. I only see them during this feast every year, tied up outside the butcher shops.)

But all perfectly normal. For the Muslim world, yesterday (Monday) was the first day of Eid al-Adha--the Feast of the Sacrifice. It coincides with the annual Greater Pilgrimage to Mecca.

As most of you know if you have encountered my rambling, tedious and tiresome posts, I've lived in Egypt for over 3 years now. Before that I lived in Saudi Arabia for over 2 years. I consider myself lucky to have lived in the most liberal and cosmopolitan cities in both countries--Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Alexandria in Egypt. Though in Saudi Arabia, I have to note that "liberal" is a VERY...erm, relative term.

Muslims basically have two major holidays, this one and Eid al-Fitr--that's the last week of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Both last for several days and in some respects are much like Western/Xian holidays.

Families get together. Everybody eats too much. (My Egyptian co-workers, landlord and housekeeper loaded me down with more Eid goodies than I could possibly eat in two lifetimes, so I'm sharing the wealth. With the building's bahwab--concierge, sort of--among others.) Kids get toys, new clothes or (most preferable) cold, hard cash.

I'm trying not to resent being blasted out of bed at Zero-Dark-Thirty yesterday morning by the Allahpalooza--i.e., the call to prayer, followed by what I'm sure was an edifying and EXTREMELY LOUD amplified sermon in Arabic. Jeez, it sounded like the guy was standing in the living room of my apartment ranting at me...

Tourist Warning: do not come to Egypt during Eid al-Adha if you are a PETA member or a very sensitive person. The sacrifical animals are often slaughtered right on the sidewalk, or even in the courtyards of apartment buildings. In both Alexandria and Cairo during this time, I have literally walked thru streets where blood was ankle-deep. Piles of animal limbs litter the sidewalks and the sights and sounds can be...well, overwhelming. Even to a former Marine and Fundamentalist Atheist like myself.

This might make you feel better. Traditionally, half the meat of a slaughtered animal is given to the poor. The rest goes to the extended and immediate families of the donor. Many people cannot afford a sheep or goat. Some of them make do with squab, i.e., pigeons.

I hope this post doesn't sound judgmental or condemnatory. I didn't mean it that way, and am only passing along my observations. I am a guest in this country, as I have been a guest in many different countries, and the last thing I would do is knowingly insult my hosts in ANY country.

For the record, some of my staunchly Muslim co-workers know I'm an atheist. One of them said: "That's cool. Some of my best friends are non-believers. But I think everybody believes in something." That led to a quite interesting exchange. A few months ago, I went to his wedding. Which, considering all the BS I hear about Muslims emanating from Faux News and other bonehead sources, was an amazingly secular ceremony. Music, a big cake, lots of food, a jewelry exchange by bride and groom. And only one short prayer.

I had a point a few hours ago...oh yes--wherever I've been in the world, people are more alike than they are different. I wish I could be more original, but that pretty much sums it up.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. Fascinating post. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences.

[appal_jack]

3. +1

I had not seen any of your (onager's) posts, but this one is a fascinating glimpse into a land I have never visited. Thanks!

K&R

-app

[SallyMander]

23. ...

:hi:

:*

[watrwefitinfor]

2. I enjoy your ramblings. n/t

[rgbecker]

4. Thanks for a nice report from abroad. Eid Mubarak. Gobama!

[babylonsister]

5. Thanks, onager, for sharing a little 'slice' of life where you are.

Your attitude is great, and I think you're very lucky to be able to witness so much of the world.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Eid mubarak!

Thank you for this fascinating account. It is interesting to know that you are accepted by your co-workers. This has been my impression of Islam. I know Sufis in general believe in having a secular state rather than a theocracy. Our idea of spirituality is that it is private, individualized, and not something a person needs to bandy about or lord over anyone.

That being said, a feast is a feast, and giving gifts brings joy to people. These things are something I think most people enjoy, regardless of their opinion about religion.

[barbtries]

7. what do you do

that allows you to live all over the world? it sounds enchanting. i enjoyed your post very much.

[onager]

10. Thank you.

I'm a technical-type person. Geek Without Portfolio, I guess. I work for a big aerospace company.

How did I get this job? Well, not too many people are dumb enough to volunteer for work in the Middle East nowadays...:-)

[Christa]

8. Isn't it dangerous

for them to know you are an atheist?

[onager]

12. Nah. Maybe if they were Islamic Fundamenalitsts...

But they're not. There are certainly Islamic Fundamentalists around here: the Muslim Brotherhood, a/k/a Al-Queda v.1.0, founded in Egypt in 1928. And still causing trouble. Nowadays they are trying to present a more moderate face. But they tend to blow that image by doing stuff like denying the Holocaust ever happened.

Since I've lived in Alexandria, sadly this beautiful city has been wracked by two major religious-based riots. In both cases, between Muslims and Coptic Christians.

One of those riots blew up very close to where I live. Major suckage. Fire-bombed cars and buses in the street, trashed businesses/homes, tear gas clouds, riot police with loaded shotguns, etc. etc.

I was horrified. I pass thru that neighborhood twice a day on my way to work, and every day I saw Muslims and Xians chatting amiably as they waited for the school buses, shopped in the markets, etc.

My Egyptian co-workers were even more horrified--whether they were Muslim or Copt, and I work with both. To sum up their reaction: "This is Alexandria. Everybody gets along here. This kind of thing doesn't happen."

I have to say I've never seen the slightest animosity between Muslims and Christians where I work. Just the opposite--they cover the religious holidays for each other. I know one Xian guy wanted to spend Coptic Easter this year with his family at a resort. The Muslims arranged a work schedule where they covered his shift. And right now, during the big Muslim holiday, he is doing the same for one of them.

[slutticus]

9. Nice post

:thumbsup:

"wherever I've been in the world, people are more alike than they are different." I think that's pretty profound. We tend to lose that very likely fact in our humanity.

[Cults4Bush]

11. I live for these kinds of OPs.

Thank ya kindly for sharing your observations and simple but always true and beautiful point .

[OnionPatch]

13. Thanks for the post.

It brought back memories of the year I lived in Cairo. What a culture shock for a little farm girl from Ohio. But I learned so much about people during that year and how much the people in the middle east are just like everyone else, only with slightly different customs. I could never again stereotype all middle-easterners into the same category after living there. This is why my heart broke when the war in Iraq started. I knew that people just you and I would suffer and be killed.

Our building Bahwabs became fast friends. They regularly went way beyond their line of duty to help us out and we in turn helped them when we could. (What comes to mind is the time we paid for one of their kids to go to a specialist for a badly broken arm.) They invited us to their village in the Fayum, where they proceeded to slaughter a goat for us and throw a feast! I knew they were very poor and the goat was a big sacrifice for them to make just for us. I'll never forget them.

Well, I lost my point too, except I think I just wanted to say "Hear Hear" to yours. Think of me the next time you have a bowl of 4-alarm koshary! :hi:

[kwassa]

14. I have some wonderful Egyptian neighbors

One of their daughters babysits for us.

A big friendly warm family, who invited us over for the dinner at the end of Ramadan. They send us Christmas cards!

[file83]

15. That was very interesting - thanks for sharing!!

It may seem regular to you after having been there for 3 years, but you opened my eyes to a part of the world I've never been and a tradition I've never heard of before. I love learning new things (even after all these years!).
:yourock:

[Duppers]

16. Merhaba!

Thanks your post.

I imagine you don't do anything for the coming western holidays there, since your environment is not conducive for such? Do you have any western co-workers, even atheists?

:hi:
-a fellow atheist

Edited to add that my family and I celebrate C'mas with a tree, cards, meal, etc. as if it were thanksgiving, nothing more.

[Silent3]

17. .

[Patiod]

18. Thank you for this

Always good to understand how other people live day to day. Nothing brings a smile to a the face of a Muslim co-worker like asked "are you going to celebrate Ramadan here, or take vacation and fly home?" asked at the appropriate time of year.

And nothing gets one more irritated than forgetting for the third time during Ramadan and asking "are you coming to lunch with us?"

People do appreciate when you know a little something about their culture and faith.

How do the Copts celebrate Christmas over there?

[onager]

22. Family feasts, religious services, etc.

Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. That's also an official government holiday in Egypt. Banks and government offices are closed, and so are many businesses. So pretty much everybody gets the day off, regardless of creed. Just as it should be, IMO. :-)

All Egyptians also celebrate a springtime holiday that dates back to the Pharoahs: Sham el-Nessim, which literally means "smell the breeze."

You're pretty lucky if you can smell anything over the traditional foods used to celebrate--aged, salted fish (feseekh) and green onions.

Lots of people head out for family picnics on that holiday, which is always nice to see.

[Marrah_G]

19. Allahpalooza!

I love it !

Now walking through blood, that might gross me out a little.

I love your occasional posts about life over there.

You should include some pictures once in a while (except not of slaughtering animals, which might upset some folks!)

Someday I would love to see Egypt, but not Saudi Arabia.

I have issues with SA and their treatment of women.

[bertman]

20. Excellent, onager!! Keep these posts coming. This would be a better world if more folks

knew how the "other" lived. Your story belies the bloodthirsty muslim image that our corporate media love to spew.

Interestingly enough, before and throughout the Dark Ages muslim countries were known for their tolerance of other religious groups. The Crusades were the wedge that drove the muslims farther apart from christians and jews.

it's always the radicals on either side that cause the problems. Or so it seems to me.

As I am a non-believer, I will wish you a Happy Winter Solstice.

[HamdenRice]

21. What a lovely anecdote! Thanks! nt

[Greyskye]

24. Shukrun for the post!

My wife and son were in Egypt this year, and loved it. Thanks for the insight!

[Sentath]

25. Thank you

for raising the tone

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

26. I feel sorry for butchers.

They serve an important and necessary service for the community, but every time somebody talks about really bad murderers, they use "butcher" as a euphemism.

[nomorenomore08]

35. "Butcher" as in somebody who knows how to do killing right, I guess...

:shrug:

[UpInArms]

27. great post and great writing style

- many many thanks for sharing and for being a part of the DU community, onager

:toast:

[1620rock]

28. Well, "butchers" murder animals. Why feel sorry for them??

[harun]

29. I loved getting blasted with the Allahpalooza in the morning in Turkey

but I'm a Muslim.

Enjoy your adventure.

[geckosfeet]

30. Wow - faux news in Eygypt. That must be a treat. Have a good Eid al-Adha! eom

[democrank]

31. I thoroughly enjoyed this posting, onager. Thank you.

~PEACE~

[grantcart]

32. enjoyed living in Indonesia and Malaysia and about 1/3 of my employees in Thailand were Muslim

Many of the elites that I met, and this was before the nut job fundamentalist Muslims got really efficient about killing, went out of their way to share their scepticism with a wink and a nod.

I would say however that for many Asian Muslims (most Muslims are Asian with Indonesia, Pakistan and Bengladesh being the 3 largest Muslim countries and China having more Muslims than Saudia Arabia) Muslim holidays are not like Western holidays, they are much more family oriented and go on for hours and hours and days and days.

I made the mistake of agreeing to be an official observer to a wedding only to find out that it consisted of appearing for 5 nights in a row. However if you join in, put on a happy face and make an effort you have not an employee but a klan relationship that would last to your grandchildren.

Out of curiousity what is the nature of your work? I enjoyed this post and look forward to similar updates in the future.

[santamargarita]

33. Nice story, thanks onager - it would be nice to hear more stories...

like this from DU folks living outside the US

[dbackjon]

34. Good story

I chat with a muslim who I met on a gay bear site - he was telling me about Eid al-Adha, which he had been celebrating with his family last night. Has the whole week off from school.

[valerief]

36. Nice post. I imagine most people are the same. It's just the media bobbleheads

doing the bidding of the ruling class that make us out to be different for their own advantage.

[Kajsa]

37. Thank you, Onager!

You have a very interesting life.

Travel offers one of the best educations around.

I'm a grounded travel nut ( finances), but I go
when I can.

Thanks so much for sharing your story with us.

It especially helps to hear first person accounts
from a person living and working in a country.

:)

[Nihil]

38. "Allahpalooza" LOL!

We called the adhan the "Muezzin Alarm" :-)

Just writing that brings back the memory of waking up in the flat
in Al Gezira (on the West bank by Luxor). I was only there for a
few weeks but it was absolutely brilliant. I learned a lot about
the modern Egypt there, not just the ancient world that I'd come
to examine.

Lovely post - thanks!

:applause:

[Chorophyll]

39. Hi Onager, and thanks for this post!

It's refreshing to read a post on the Middle East from someone who actually lives there. Shukrun! :)

[acmavm]

Wow! The server is running fast today. Or I'm really jumpy

[acmavm]

40. These kinds of posts is one of the best things about the internet. Real

experiences, real stories, real information. By someone who is really living it.

Thank you.

[sledgehammer]

41. You'd be surprised...

...how many Muslims are agnostic.*

There's a cultural and spiritual component to all religions. Many Muslims I know engage in the cultural part because that is how they were brought up, and that's how people around them lived. But they don't get too tied up with the spiritual part, or are just fatalistic at best.

Also, I'm happy that you see it as no big deal to exchange a religious greeting (e.g. Eid Mubarak) with someone who follows that religion/culture. I think it's such a respectful thing to do. Just like I feel if someone wishes me Merry Christmas or anything else for that matter (as long as they are not proselytizing, which 99% aren't). I know this topic been discussed extensively on other threads so I don't want to belabor it, but I just wanted to give you a thumbs up on your respect and understanding!

*I say agnostic rather than atheist because there is some sort of an ingrained guilt among most Muslims in totally renouncing faith/God; so it's easier to be unconcerned rather than deny it outright.

[sinkingfeeling]

42. Very informative. Maybe I missed it, but what in the world do you do that takes you to such

interesting places? I've wanted to visit Egypt since I was thrown out of the Tut treasures exhibit in Washington DC in 1978. I just couldn't leave! All of my normal traveling companions have vetoed my trips to Egypt and Jordan (Petra), so we've been stuck with Europe and South America.

[Flying Dream Blues]

43. I too, love your posts...I hope you'll post things like this more often. Thanks!! nt

[Piewhacket]

44. wonderful postcard. thank you. (too late to rec)

[CitizenPatriot]

45. great post!

You're a great writer. I love your style, the voice that comes through is fun, witty, accepting, and urbane. Well done! Plus, I learned a lot as I saw this country and holiday through your non-judgmental eyes.

thanks. I hope to read more from you.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

46. Thanks for the report

I, too, love hearing about how people in other countries live.

There's something really enlightening about living in a culture where you can't count on any of your ingrained habits or expectations. It gives you a better understanding of where your own culture is worthy and where it is deficient.

I've sometimes been asked to take part in quasi-religious observances in Japan (burning incense before a photograph of the deceased during a condolence call, offering New Year's prayers at the local shrine, writing and burning a "fortune stick," accepting a Buddhist good luck charm from a friend), and I'm fine with that, because I've come to understand that it's just part of being Japanese, whatever the individuals actual beliefs are. I cringe on the rare occasions when I see fundamentalists or evangelicals get huffy about it and refuse to participate in "idolatry."

[charlie]

47. Heh, Onager!

If this world made any sense you'd have a Palinesque history-travel show.

But then again, if this world made any sense I'd be rich enough to sponsor that show for you.

[Deep13]

48. No midwinter holiday?

Or is that what you are talking about? I suppose the winter halfway point is not as significant in a hot climate as it is up north.