By Heba Habib – The Washington Post –
During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the faithful abstain from food and drink from dawn until dusk. In Egypt, it is usually a time of unity and festivity, with little tension beyond family squabbles over food and the dozens of soap operas on TV to entertain people who are fasting.
This year has been different.
The official religious authority responsible for issuing religious edicts posted a fatwa on its Facebook page calling eating in public during fasting hours “a sin as it is in violation of etiquette in Muslim countries.”
Edicts issued by the authority, Dar al-Iftaa, are not legally binding but are given great weight when it comes to public conduct.
[Here are the basics of Ramadan]But this particular fatwa has provoked a massive outcry on Egyptian social media, with many criticizing it as an attack on personal freedoms. Some also noted that there are many non-Muslims in Egypt who are not required to observe the fast.
Famous broadcaster Youssef al-Hosiny was among the most vocal. He tweeted that the edict was “Daesh-like,” using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State, and said “that in a society like ours there is no need for such rules because Christians already respect Ramadan.”
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/17/ramadan-edict-against-eating-in-public-infuriates-some-muslims-in-egypt/
