Eid al Fitr and Daylight Saving

Morocco will celebrate the end of Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr on Friday, June 15. Daylight saving will return on Sunday

Eid al-Fitr 2018 in Morocco will begin in the evening of Thursday, June 14 and ends in the evening of Saturday, June 16.

Daylight saving time 2018 in Morocco returns at 2:00 AM on Sunday, 17 June 2018. At 02:00:00 clocks are turned forward 1 hour to Sunday, 17 June 03:00:00 local daylight time instead

The next major event will be Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, August 22.

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Leilat Sabawachrine - the "night of the 27th"

Leilat Sabawachrine is a night especially for children - a time when they dress in their finest clothes. For children this is the most exciting time during Ramadan. The View From Fez photographer, Lauren Crabbe, took to the streets earlier in the day to check out some of the fabulous outfits

Handbags and a tiara seem essential

Young girl with ornate belt

Stylish handbag and henna on her hands

A princess for a day!

You can never have too many accessories! 

Mother and daughter - colour coordinated

Getting advice on the perfect tiara

Photo credit: Lauren Crabbe

Lauren is an Australian photo-journalist who is joining The View From Fez team to cover the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music

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Fez For Visitors - Daytime Eating During Ramadan

Many tourists stay away from Morocco during Ramadan, saying that it is hard to find places to eat during the day. Fortunately Fez does not have that problem. But a walk through the Medina shows that while there are plenty of food and drink outlets, there are few visitors eating in public

A guesthouse breakfast

Fortunately for non-fasting visitors, the guesthouses normally serve delicious breakfasts. There are a few cafes that serve breakfast of good simple food with coffee, tea or orange juice.

A cafe breakfast

Around Batha there are plenty of cafes with no need to wait - however, even after midday they are often deserted. This is not the case in the evening when the restaurants and cafes are full of locals and tourists.

Fortunately the markets have a plentiful supply of food

And for those wanting something substantial, there is always The Ruined Garden, Cafe Clock, Eden at Palais Amani and Fez Cafe.

Cafe Clock

Ramadan is a good time to visit Fez - and you certainly won't starve!

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The Case of the Missing D'kak!

During the pre-dawn hours in Ramadan you may hear a drumming, singing and loud horn playing. This is the signal that the D'kak is abroad. This year the D'kak seems to be missing

To make certain you don't miss this meal is the job of the Bou Damdoum in Amazigh or D’kak in Moroccan Arabic, (the drummer), who uses his drums or n’ffar (a long horn that makes buzzing sound) to guarantee that everyone in the neighbourhood wakes up in time to cook and then enjoy their Suhoor meal before beginning the day's fast. It is a tradition also in Lebanon where the drummer is referred to as the Musaharati.

Yassine Boudouàià - one of the D'kaks in the Fez Medina

This Ramadan people waited intently for the sound of our local D'kak Yassine's approach. Nothing. No squeak, no drum, no singing, no banging on doors. It occurred to locals that maybe he had slept in and that good folk should get their drums and n'ffars and bang on a few doors until they found him.

After 2 in the morning the kids dance with the D'kak

The history of the D'kak dates back many centuries. It seems that his function was part of the social life in the Islamic eras, particularly during the Mameluk and Ottoman times.

An early report of the role of a D'kak in Algiers is in the remarkable work by the cleric Antonio de Sosa. In his Topography of Algiers (1612) - Edited with an introduction by María Antonia Garcés. Translated by Diana de Armas Wilson - Sosa has a brief description of the D'kak during Ramadan. "When midnight approaches, some Muslims, out of devotion, walk the streets sounding certain drums, whose sound awakens sleepers so that they can return to their food..." This is the same custom that (hopefully) still exists in the Fez Medina today.

In Palestine the D'kak is known as "the public walker" and exists to this day. Sadly, he seems missing in action in Fez.

Public walker Mohammed al Jamalah in Gaza City

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"Ramadan Nights" - Concert in Fez

LES NUITS DU RAMADAN - CONCERT : MONICA PEREIRA

Sunday 27 May 22:00 Marriott Hotel - Fes

For Monica Pereira, everything starts in Guinea-Bissau where she was born. As a young girls she moved first to Portugal and at the age of 14 she settled in Paris where she discovered her talent for writing and singing.

She sings in French, Portuguese and Spanish, following her current inspiration with a subtle blend of Cape Verdean and Guinean sounds. Spontaneous, generous and charismatic, Monica Pereira epitomises the lusophone Creole tradition in which she has been raised since her childhood.

Monica is one of those endearing artists whose presence provides a real moment of pleasure and sharing. Her sweet and sensual voice blends perfectly with the rhythm of captivating sounds. From the first moment she sings, time is suspended on her lips, and we let ourselves be transported by the generosity of this charismatic singer.

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Breaking the Fast in Fez

Just before the cannon sounds to signal the breaking of the fast, the streets of Fez are almost completely deserted. There is a silence throughout the normally bustling Medina...

Once the cannon and the call to prayer are heard, the atmosphere changes. The streets around Batha come alive as locals and tourists fill the restaurants and break their fast.

Restaurant owners and workers find themselves eating as they work. The street restaurants soon fill up and latecomers have to wait for a vacancy before they can eat and drink.

After the first food and glasses of water or orange juice are consumed the atmosphere changes as people relax and the conversations begin. 

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Ramadan Kareem

We wish our readers a very happy, prosperous and peaceful Ramadan.

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Daylight Saving Ends on Sunday

With the approach of Ramadan, Morocco will turn clocks back this Sunday

13 May 2018 - Daylight Saving Time Ends
When local daylight time is about to reach
Sunday, 13 May 2018, 03:00:00 clocks are turned backward 1 hour to
Sunday, 13 May 2018, 02:00:00 local standard time instead.

Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour earlier on 13 May 2018 than the day before. There will be more light in the morning.



Daylight saving will return after Ramadan.  17 Jun 2018 - Daylight Saving Time Starts When local standard time is about to reach
Sunday, 17 June 2018, 02:00:00 clocks are turned forward 1 hour to
Sunday, 17 June 2018, 03:00:00 local daylight time instead.

Sunrise and sunset will be about 1 hour later on 17 Jun 2018 than the day before. There will be more light in the evening.

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Ramadan is Coming and Food Prices Rise

Ramadan 2018 is expected to begin on the evening of Tuesday, May 15 and end in the evening of Thursday, June 14. Although it is still a few weeks away, the annual price hikes have begun in the local food souks. Vegetables, seafood or arboriculture, white or red meats and fish are all suffering from soaring prices

Apart from the approach of Ramadan there is no other explanation for this bullish trend is advanced, especially as this year was particularly rainy and good for local agriculture.

Despite assurances given by the authorities in recent weeks about the control of prices and the quality of basic products, they remain particularly expensive two weeks before the start of Ramadan. Even with a good agricultural year, which should have contributed to a decrease, or even a mere stabilisation, the prices of many basic necessities are on the rise.

The daily Al Ahdath Al Magribia has toured the market stalls of Casablanca and reports that vegetables (onions, potatoes, turnips, carrots, tomatoes ...) are currently in a range of 7 to 10 dirhams, while observers announce the start of an inexorable uptrend that will continue until the end of Ramadan.

The same trend applies for fruits, especially those of local production whose supply is abundant and which should have seen their prices fall. However, apple varieties are traded from a minimum price of 10 to 12 dirhams in different markets of the economic capital, while the local banana is accessible at a minimum price of 11 to 13 dirhams, not to mention seasonal fruits of season for which sell for an average of 25 dirhams per kg.

As for meat, they display between 65 and 75 dirhams kg for red meats, while live chicken is currently sold at 16 dirhams per kilo, against 55 dirhams for turkey. Prices of which it is certain, as it happens every year, that they climb from the first week of Ramadan, recalls the newspaper. Indeed, meat and fish, products widely used during Ramadan, in the same way that the grains whose kilo price currently reached 90 dirhams or sesame which varies, according to its category, from 30 to 80 dirhams on the eve of each Ramadan, an increase of 15 to 25% of their prices.

A trend confirmed by the statistics of the High Commission's plan which, in a note of conjuncture relating to price indices, concluded that during the period from February to March 2018, the price of fish and seafood has risen 4.7%, compared to 0.9% for fruit and 0.7% for meat.

The Ministry of the Interior has also undertaken several checks to ensure the consumer, during Ramadan, a quality of products sold and a suitable selling price.

More than 1,000 field visits were carried out, throughout the month of April, by various regional and local control commissions in more than 20,000 large and medium-sized areas, but also in production units, product storage depots food stores, wholesale outlets, and small corner stores. This control led to the detection of nearly 500 infringement cases and the seizure of 300 tonnes of defective food products for sale or in stock.

But this year, the Moroccan citizen can also contribute to this control. Thanks to a national number that will soon be communicated by the Ministry of the Interior, consumers and traders can file a complaint against a sale of food products whose quality is poor or which would display a higher selling price than the market .

"A special commission will be listening to the citizens 24 hours a day and it is only with their help that we can be more vigilant and thus counter those who play with the health of the Moroccan consumer", announces Lahcen Daoudi adding that the commission will make sure to react in less than 48 hours to the complaint.


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Eid Mubarak!

Sunset - then waiting for the new moon sighting

According to a communique published by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, after a number of legitimate measures and calculations run by special moon-sighting committees across the country, it was established that Monday is the first day of Shawwal, marking the first day of Eid Al Fitr in Morocco.

Monday June 26, will be the first day of the month of Shawwal and thus Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

However, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, France, Qatar and Turkey, all announced on Saturday night that Eid El Fitr would be celebrated on Sunday. The sighting of the moon in most Muslim countries coincides with the astronomical calculations and predictions made by the International Astronomical Centre.

On the occasion of the advent of Eid Al-Fitr, HM King Mohammed VI, sent messages of congratulations to the Heads of State of the Islamic countries, expressing to them His sincere wishes for health and happiness and to their brotherly peoples further progress and prosperity.

In these messages, HM the King said, "It is a blessed opportunity which, because of its deep meaning and the noble values it bears, prompts us to reaffirm, through our faith and our conduct, our attachment to the teachings of tolerant Islam. It also urges us to incarnate the ideals of our religion which advocates fraternity, unity, and moderation, as well as the rejection of any form of division, discord, fanaticism, violence or extremism."

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Eid al Fitr - Expert Predictions?

While Moroccans await the official statement from the Moroccan Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs on the exact end of Ramadan, there are a couple of astronomers with a good record of forecasting the end of the holy month.

Abdelaziz Kharbouch and Hicham El Issaoui, say that on the basis of their calculations, which do not exclude observation of the crescent moon. "It will be invisible on Saturday evenings, in the east as well as in the south of the country". They claim that the month of Ramadan will go until the end of its thirty days and that "Eid al Fitr, will be celebrated in Morocco on Monday, June 26th".

It remains that a small margin of error and doubt will persist until the last minute on Saturday night when the observation of the first crescent of the month and the confirmation of its appearance in the Moroccan sky through the Official statement of the Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs.

On the other hand, if you ask Google, the answer is unequivocal. Google says Eid al-Fitr 2017 will begin in the evening of Sunday, June 25 and ends in the evening of Monday, June 26th.

Eid Mubarak to all our readers!

This is also the time for Zakat and Sadaqat al-Fitr

The significant role played by Zakat in the circulation of wealth within the Islamic society is also played by the Sadaqat al-Fitr. However, in the case of Sadaqat al-Fitr, each individual is required to calculate how much charity is due from himself and his dependents and go into the community in order to find those who deserve such charity.

Sadaqat al-Fitr plays a very important role in the development of the bonds of community. The rich are obliged to come in direct contact with the poor, and the poor are put in contact with the extremely poor. This contact between the various levels of society helps to build real bonds of brotherhood and love within the Islamic community and trains those who have, to be generous to those who do not have.

Zakat Fitr (alms of the fast breaking) is mandatory for "anyone who has food for a day and a night" and "has a surplus of food." It must be paid on behalf of any dependents. For example, a family man with three children will pay Zakat for himself, his wife and three children. This offering may be paid in cash, or food.

The amount to be paid is set by the Ministry of Religious Affairs which this year set it at around 15 dirhams.

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Laylat Al Qadr - the "Night of Power"

A statement from the Ministry of the Royal House, Protocol and Chancellery issued yesterday, says that King Mohammed VI will preside this evening (Wednesday June 21) at the Hassan II mosque in Casablanca

Prayers inside Hassan II Mosque on Laylat al-Qadr

The event is a religious evening in commemoration of Laylat Al Qadr.

Laylat Al Qadr is considered the holiest night of the year for Muslims, and is traditionally celebrated on the 27th day of Ramadan. It is known as the "Night of Power," and commemorates the night that the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, beginning with the exhortation, "Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)," - Surat Al-Alaq.

The Prophet Muhammad did not mention exactly when the "Night of Power" would be, although most scholars believe it falls on one of the odd-numbered nights of the final ten days of Ramadan, such as the 19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, or 27th days of Ramadan. In Morocco it is most widely believed to fall on the 27th day of Ramadan.

“Whoever stays up (in prayer and remembrance of Allah) on Laylat al-Qadr, fully believing (in Allah’s promise of reward) and hoping to seek reward, he shall be forgiven for his past sins.” - Imam Bukhari

On this night, the blessings and mercy of Allah are abundant, sins are forgiven, supplications are accepted, and that the annual decree of what will occur is revealed to the angels who also descend to earth.

We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the night of Qadr:
And what will explain to thee what the night of Qadr is?
The night of Qadr is better than a thousand months.
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission, on every errand:
Peace! This until the rise of dawn! — Sura 97 (Al-Qadr), āyāt 1-5

Many Muslims observe this occasion with study, devotional readings, and prayer. Some Muslims participate in a spiritual retreat called itikaf, where they spend all ten days in the mosque reading the Quran and praying, but according to a local Imam, the number of people doing this has declined over the years.

Then there is the Leilat Sabawachrine - literally the "night of the 27th" - is a night especially for children - a time when they dress in their finest clothes.

Leilat Sabawachrine - a tiara is essential!

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Fes Festival 2018 Dates Announced

The 2018 24th edition of the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music will be hot - in every sense!

The dates between the 22nd and 30th of June can expect average temperature highs of around 29 - 30 degrees Celsius.

The Festival theme for 2018 is "Ancestral Knowledge" 

(The dates place the festival after Ramadan, which runs be between May 15th and June 14th)

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Ramadan Greetings!

The View From Fez wishes all our readers a happy, peaceful and wonderful Ramadan

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Date of Ramadan 2017 Announced

In Morocco, the holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin on Saturday, May 27, and the day before in France

According to increasingly precise astronomical calculations that have not been wrong in recent years, the observation of the lunar crescent should be done the day before on Friday May 26th in the southern half of the country while for the northern half it will depend on the degree of clarity of the sky.

Moroccans will be called to fast for a last time in Ramadan on June 24th, just before the full summer season and possibly suffocating heat.

Unfortunately this year again, the baccalaureate exams in Moroccan public education will take place during the sacred month of Ramadan, on the 6th and 7th of June, as well as the catch-up sessions scheduled during the same period due to the difficulties of concentration for candidates. Last year, the exams also took place in the middle of Ramadan. It is to be hoped that the weather will be mild and that scorching heat will not come have a detrimental effect on students.

Ramadan has little impact on tourists in Morocco. The main changes are in bank hours and the early closing of some shops so that the staff have time to get home and prepare their evening meal.

Food and drink (alcoholic or otherwise) is available throughout daylight hours in hotels and tourist restaurants. As a matter of respect, you should not walk in the streets eating or drinking and if you are in a shop, you should try not to smoke. In many ways, Ramadan is a good time to visit Morocco as it is less crowded and less busy and some hotels reduce their rates during Ramadan.

Following Ramadan is Ede, a three-day celebration. During this holiday it is more likely that shops (including the souks, but not restaurants) will be closed, and other services may be disrupted.

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Morocco's Ramadan Heatwave Continues

Morocco's National Directorate of Meteorology is warning of a heat wave that will be experienced from Tuesday through to next Saturday

Several regions of Morocco will reach temperatures up to 43 ° C.

A special bulletin from the National Directorate of Meteorology says that the heat wave will strike the interior plains, Larache, Kenitra, Rabat, Safi, the Souss and the southern provinces.

In the interior regions, the Southeast slopes and the West Plains, maximum temperatures will range from 35 to 38 ° C. This significant rise in temperatures, which began Monday, June 20, is expected the peak on Wednesday.

In Fez:  Tuesday 39, Wednesday 40, Thursday 40. Friday 39, Saturday 36, Sunday 35.  Night temperatures will go down to 19 or 20 degrees.

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Ramadan 1437 to Benefit 2.4 Million Moroccans

Back on June 7th, King Mohammed VI launched Morocco's food support operation “Ramadan 1437″. Organised by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, the operation will benefit nearly 2.4 million people in 473,900 households, 403,000 of whom live in rural areas, throughout the country

King Mohammed VI launches Ramadan 1437

Initiated with the support of the Ministries of Interior and of the Endowments and Islamic Affairs, this 17th edition of the programme provides aid to the most vulnerable social categories, including widows, the elderly and those with special needs.

The “Ramadan 1437″ operation, which is worth 56 million dirhams, is a massive undertaking which takes some time to complete. This week it moved to the province of Nador where food distribution benefited 7,900 needy families.

The Nador operation, was launched by the provincial governor Al Mostafa El Attar, who was accompanied by civilian and military officials. The distribution took the form of lined baskets containing 10 kg of flour, 4 kg of sugar, 5 litres of cooking oil and 250 grams of tea. The overall volume of assistance devoted to Nador province was 79 tons of flour, 31.6 tons of sugar, 39,500 litres of cooking oil, and 1975 kg of tea, for a total cost of 1.5 million dirhams.


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Ramadan Fasting and Diabetes

The fast of Ramadan is for Muslims a sacred religious duty and one of the pillars of Islam. However, there are people with chronic diseases for whom fasting may cause serious complications and endanger their health. The largest section of the population at risk are diabetics whose numbers are increasing every year due to change in lifestyle and eating habits in Morocco

Check your blood glucose levels more often than you normally would

Around 2 million people aged over 20 have diabetes, 50% of whom are unaware of being affected by this disease.  According to the Minister of Health, El Houssaine Louardi,  awareness is urgently needed to inform diabetic people about the dangers of fasting and teach them about medical and dietary guidelines to follow.

The risks faced by diabetics who fast are higher this year because Ramadan coincides with hot weather and a fasting period of over 16 hours.

Under pressure from socio-cultural traditions and the burden of guilt associated with non-fasting, the large majority of Moroccan diabetics insist on fasting during Ramadan, despite the real risks they run of serious complications. Yet the Qur'an is clear about the conditions under which a person can be free of the observance of fasting. "(...) One of you who is ill or traveling then will fast the same number of days. Allah seeks to facilitate you the fulfilment of the rule, he does not try to make it hard for you."

According to Dr. Nadia El Ghissassi, an endocrinologist and diabetologist in Rabat, when you have diabetes risks of fasting include: hypoglycemia (low sugar levels in the blood) or hyperglycemia (increased the sugar levels in the blood) and even a diabetic coma. There is also the risk of new or worsening degenerative complications such as damage to the eyes and kidneys, as well as dehydration and increased chance of renal failure, given the number of hours of fasting during the summer.

Dr. El Ghissassi has called patients to consult their doctor and to adjust treatment if needed and know the precautions to follow in order to observe fasting in the best conditions.These precautions, she says, are to ensure to have a perfect glycemic control, drink lots of water between Iftar and Souhour, Iftar that should be a normal meal containing vegetables and pasta or bread and fruit, and at Souhour the meal should contain carbohydrates.

"We must educate patients not to overeat sweets during Iftar and eat salad containing vegetables, food containing protein, starch and fruit without forgetting the dairy product and the same for the Souhour," she says, adding that patients can be satisfied with a fruit or a dairy for dinner.

Dr. El Ghissassi also stresses the need of glycemic self-monitoring, morning, noon, before iftar and bedtime, noting that it is imperative to break the fast in case of hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia or discomfort.

Consult your doctor before fasting

If, after consulting with your doctor, you decide to fast:

If you are taking insulin, you will require less insulin before the start of the fast
The type of insulin may also need changing from your usual type
Pre-mixed insulin is not recommended during fasting
Before starting the fast, you should include more slowly absorbed food (low GI), such as basmati rice and dhal, in your meal, along with fruit and vegetables
Check your blood glucose levels more often than you normally would
When you break the fast, have only small quantities food, and avoid only eating sweet or fatty foods
Try to eat just before sunrise, when you commence the next day's fast
At the end of fasting you should drink plenty of sugar-free and decaffeinated fluids to avoid being dehydrated.

Ultimately, it is a personal choice whether or not to fast. However, if you do choose to fast, then you must consult your doctor to make sure that you are able to look after yourself properly. Failing to do so is in itself contrary to the Qur'an, which clearly states that you must not act in a way that harms your body.


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Morocco Tightens Security During Ramadan

With the arrival of millions of people during Ramadan, Morocco has strengthened the security apparatus in different border points around the country

There has been a strengthening of security on the northern border, including Melilla and Ceuta. This is done every year during the month of Ramadan, which sees the homecoming of thousands of Moroccans from around the world in order to spend the holy month in the country.

There is particular attention being paid to the border post of Beni Ansar, between Nador and Melilla, where security services have instructions for a drastic control of people from sub-Saharan countries.

Moroccan sources say that strengthening security against terrorist threats to the kingdom has been in place for a while. Since the effective support provided by Morocco to France and Belgium, which has helped thwart attacks, and resulted in the capture of terrorists, the kingdom has become a target. But the professionalism of the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations, the Moroccan version of the the FBI, has managed to stop attempts to attack Morocco.

In addition to heightened border security, the newspaper Al Ahdath Al Maghribia, reports that strict instructions have been given by the police to all hotels in the country instructing them to to report any suspect.

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Ramadan Mubarak

RAMADAN KAREEM 

We wish all our friends a peaceful Ramadan

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