Egypt 5: The Citadel - Religion, Culture and the Winds of Change

Today was an introspective day. I thought a lot about millennia old cultures reaching into the modern age.

View from The Citadel

It all started with a trip to the Citadel, also called Al-Qalaa. Here's the factoid section - it was built so that it provided a view over the city of Cairo, by one of the first Fatimid rulers, Muhammed Ali (no, not the boxing champion you philistines). It has some interesting Persian-looking minarets, which are spindly and ornate, not like the grand soaring affair that some other mosques have. These ones are delicate, a delicious irony compared to the Neanderthal fortress walls that surround the Citadel.

The courtyard was magnificent, very grand and bright with clean square designs and ornate domed hallways. The detail here is very much a celebration of Persian style art.

The interior of the mosque - well - I didn't see it at first.I was prepared with a headscarf to cover my hair before entering a mosque. I had read up on what I should not do in a mosque e.g. show the bottom of my shoes, etc. But from asking around, apparently some people view that a person who is not "of the book" (“book” defined as the Torah, the Bible, or the Koran) should not enter a mosque. There was some anxiety as various scholarly friends were contacted to find out the “rule”. A visitor from Tunisia, who is a Muslim, witnessed our little struggle and she told us off a little - Islam is a tolerant religion and all are welcome in a place of peace, prayer and introspection, she said. Thankfully that turned out to be what these scholarly friends agreed on, so in I went, properly humble and penitent.

What amazing chance that I went in, because the main prayer hall is magnificent. Its grandeur was a little subdued as the lights were off, like a sleeping giant. I can imagine how the decorative motifs, golden podium and glass globes will wake up as light is introduced into the prayer hall, rousing within all present the awe and adoration for their almighty.

But in the dimness, it was a peaceful, quiet time for people to sit and think and bathe in the history of the place. It happened to be prayer time so I sat quietly and watched others worship.

After which Neveen, Mona and I had an interesting chat about the Egypt of today. Mona, who has lived here all her life, saw a progressive place - with some serious problems like unemployment, polarization of the rich and the poor. Neveen reminisced about the Egypt that was. She saw a people that lost its roots, where tradition was not observed, where the Islamic heart of a people had been replaced by pop culture. We all agreed that it was an incredible shame for the majority of Egypt's most valuable relics to be kept by the colonists. We did not agree that having a westernized younger generation led to an obliteration of the national identity. At what point does progress become brainwash? When do you consider your roots lost - when you absorb other cultural traits to complement your own? Or when you forgo traditional actions and trappings, but retain the core ideas?

So it was an introspective day. It ended on a lighter note, with dinner at Neveen's aunt and uncle's house - where we had the most delicious roasted salmak (fish). Two incredibly fresh and huge trout-look-alikes were roasted in the oven, spiced specially by Neveen's uncle’s mix of salt, cumin, pepper, jalapeno, capsicums, tomatoes, and celery. Set on top of potato slices and roasted, it was heaven on a piece of aish.

Dessert was scrumptious - fas and alfans mangoes, sweet as honey and so ripe its juice and flesh were melded into one delicious bite of paradise. I had never had mangoes like these before, and I don't think I ever will anywhere else. Fas mangoes are not exported - and I can see why Egypt will want to keep them their national secret. They are about the size of plums, but they are such powerhouses of flavor their little sizes are unbelievable. When I taste such wonderful creations, when all my taste buds are collectively sighing in pleasure, I stop thinking deep religious issues and just enjoy.

Next: Islamic Cairo http://atygerontheloose.blogspot.com/2004/08/egypt-6-islamic-cairo-renaissance.html