Al-Qāhirah

Cairo: Not a ghetto nor a slum. Cairene call it 'Umm ad-Dunya.' Whatever...

2008 Winter Break

25^th Jan (Friday) - Winter holiday begins. Today, I am supposed to go to Makkah with Zaim and Izzat Hadi performing Umra but I have to call it off due to several reasons.

28^th Jan (Monday) - Go to Cairo.

30^th Jan (Wednesday) - Go to some association carnival with Haikal and Faeid. Haziq asks me if I could be one of the judges. I accept it for table-tennis contest, helping Haikal up. It’s the day Faizal, Hafiz and Halim arrived from Moscow. But I couldn’t meet them because they go straight away to Sinai after arriving at 2.00 am. At afternoon, Abdullah Tahir asks me to join Mansoura team for Win, Lose or Draw game. I accept it. We lose at semi-quarter round.

Cairo International Book Fair 2008

31^st Jan (Thursday) - Go to 40^th Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF) with Azrul Azly at 11.00 am. We arrive there at the General Office for International Exhibitions and Fairs’ ground, Nasr City approximately on 12 pm and visit Saudi’s booth before praying because there is too much crowd at the mosque. After praying, we go to every booth there. I buy A History of Modern Middle East by William L Cleveland and The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking by Dale Carnegie. We meet Faisal ‘Arif and Izzul at Hall No. 5 and continue our roam at the exhibition. Then, we go to District 7 after Maghreb prayer and have our dinner at Restoran Nil. I and Azrul returned to Sayeda Zeinab and both Faisal and Izzul returned to ARMA, Abbasia.

1^st Feb (Friday) - After Jumu’ah prayer, I go to some association’s carnival closing ceremony with Haikal and Yusri. At last, I manage to meet Faizal before he and his friends go to Asfour, Shoubra el-Khaima. I was so lucky today because three friends of mine treated me! First, by Yusri. Second, by Ust Jamal. Third by Haikal. Thank God and thanks to them. Then, I go to Sayeda Zeinab to stay at Faeid’s house with he himself, Haikal, Hanifah and Yusri.

2^nd Feb (Saturday) - I, Damak and Faeid go to Cairo International Book Fair. Entrance is free with Student ID, otherwise we have to pay LE 1. Wandering around booths selling international books, just for window shopping. Damak plans to buy Coloured Atlas of Human Anatomy and I manage to buy مصحف دارالصحابة في القراءات العشر المتواترة من طريق طيبة النشر . But, I have no idea what Faeid buy.

3^rd Feb (Sunday) - I planned to return home tonight but I had to cancel it. I go to District 7to attend editorial meeting for SKEK Issue No. 40 and No. 41. I am proud to be here and to work with great people of the top Malay magazine in Egypt. Muhammad Firdaus Mat Daud was replaced by Wan Mohd Hafiz as Editor-in-Chief. During this meeting, I manage to change ‘Perubatan’ column into ‘Kesihatan’ column. And I propose general election issue and it was accepted as mini focus of SKEK No. 40. After the meeting, I visit Lah Hussen’s house. We go to Rumah Perlis and have our dinner and some hard-talk there. The meal is Nasi Paprik. It is extremely hot, so as our discussion. Later, I go back to Sayeda Zeinab.

4^th (Monday) - CIBF is extended until Thursday, 7^th of February.

Mosque of Sultan Hassan

Mohammed Ali's Mosque

6^th Feb (Wednesday) - Approximately at 11.30 am, I go to Citadel of Salah al-Din (best known as Qal’ah Salahuddin) with Damak, Safwan and Baihaqi. We take taxi ride for LE 6 fare. We visit National Military Museum before praying Zuhr at an-Nasir Muhammad Qalāwūn Mosque. Next, we visit Mohammed Ali’s Mosque. It was built on the hilltop. Then, we enter a museum that was once al-Gawhara Palace. After that, we take a scenic view of ‘The Triumphant City’ (Cairo) before visiting National Police Museum. We return to Mounira at 3 pm and have our lunch (you can call it tea time ‘coz it’s too late in the afternoon) at Baghal Restaurant. The meal is ‘ish bread, shakshukah and shawerma. I pray ‘Asr and went to Akmal Huzaifah’s house to attend I-MAN’s editorial meeting. I am suffering of headache and ask Akmal for some painkiller. Then, I returned to Sayeda Zeinab - again.

7^th Feb (Thursday) - 8.30 pm: Bring Faizal and his gang to Mansoura from District 7. We try to take a van at Ramses Square. 30 minutes has passed and since we cannot afford to wait any longer as there’s no transport to go to Mansoura, we opt to move to Abboud Station to take transport from there. We arrive at Mansoura on 11.30 pm – too late for visiting people. Unfortunately for Ikram, we hit his house first and have kabbsah meal, thanks for his kind treat.

8^th Feb (Friday) - 3.30 am: Crazy thing I’ve ever done in my life. Staying for only four hours at home before returning to Cairo with Faizal and his fellas. Luckily, there’s a Peugeot awaiting for us at Utubis Gadid. The road to Cairo is covered by fog but thank God, nothing bad happens. We arrived at Abboud at Fajr prayer calling. We go to District 7 via Ramses and pray Fajr at ‘Ibad ur-Rahman Mosque (a mosque converted from a church). Faizal and his gang go to Souq Shafi’e (Cairo’s Sotheby’s) - somewhere around Mausoleum of Imam Shafi’e and Sayeda Nafisa Mosque, well, I donno exactly, while I go to Ust Din’s house. They return to Moscow tonight. Farewell and have a good journey.

What about 2009? Coming soon...

Eid al-Fitr 1428 H

The blessed month of Ramadan year 1428 Hijrah had ended and the blissful month of Shawwal gave its rise.

Celebration Day

I was arrived at Kelantan Student Hostel at District 7 of Nasr City, Cairo on a day before Eid to attend the Eid Well-Wishing Ceremony and Tasbīh prayer representing Kelantan medical students of Mansoura University. At the ceremony, I was honored for being given a chance to deliver a speech and to wish all Kelantanese students in Egypt a happy and blessed Eid. After the ceremony, we were served Eid cookies and some breads as well as a glass of coffee for each of us. As a consequence, I was unable to sleep on that night due to caffeine intake.

Father called me at 1.50 am after receiving my SMS asking him to call me. It’s because I weren’t able to buy telephone credit to call my family in Malaysia in conjunction with the Eid and I had no other resort. So, I sent him SMS and asked him to call me. I spoke to my family for 6 minutes before returned to bed. Since I couldn’t sleep, I could hear many strange ‘hymns’ and see a person experiencing strange nightmare.

I woke up at 4.30 am, took bath and had my morning prayer. Then, I took my breakfast and went to Musa ibn Nusair mosque to have Eid prayer and listened to Eid sermon. After that, I went to Kelantan Student Hostel to attend MAAF '07 (Majlis Aidilfitri 2007) - an official open-house organized by KPKM. The ceremony begins with speeches, followed by nasheed performance and ended by feast. It was a joyous occasion.

Well-wishers. From left: Shakir, Faisal, Faris, Ilham, Haikal and Ashraf

Haikal, Ashraf and Shakir

Kelantan Student Hostel during MAAF 2007

After delivering his official Eid speech. Never wished to have a Chief like him...

After Zuhr prayer, together with Haikal, Faris, Faeid and Shakir, led by brother Malik, we went to visit open-house around District 7 and the roam ended just before ‘Asr prayer. These freeloaders continued roaming after Maghreb prayer and this time their destination is 10th District. Two houses were under attack.

Abg Din’s home-made Eid ‘kahks‘ (English: cookies). Who said that Malaysians in Egypt are desperate for Eid cookies?

The Eid celebration was continued on next day as these freeloaders’ energy were drained out...

Shawwal the 2^nd, 1428 Hijrah

The celebration started after ‘Asr prayer. First, YDP KPKM’s open-house. Next, Ust Rosdi Senik’s open-house. Then, Ust Najid’s open-house. And after that, Ahmad Muhaimin Mustapha’s open-house.

Bunch of freeloaders at KPKM Chief’s open-house

Making hilarious Eid parody

But this time, a large group consist of fourteen freeloaders namely me, Faris, Farid, Faeid, Shakir, Haikal, Azlee, Najib, Albaihaqi, Muaz, Mat, Taufik and KPKM Chief went to these open-houses. This time KPKM's Deputy Chief led our journey to these open-houses. Same as the day before, though. Nothing special. But, it didn’t matter. As long as we’re full, it’s okay. (Grin)

Shawwal the 3^rd, 1428 Hijrah

I was staying at Sayeda Zeinab, Cairo to help Faris, Faeid, Damak, Haikal and Shakir for their open-house. The open-house was at Haikal’s house. They imported a special chef from Abbasiah to cook curry noodles and the man was Adli. I just helped them to prepare drinks. I made rose syrup and it was too sweet. Many guests complained. Nonetheless, Adli’s curry noodle was very special and it was worth for the guests to come and tasted it.

Menu of the day: curry noodles. Prepared by Adli and the crew

After that, I went to Yusri Arif’s house just a storey above Haikal’s house together with Ust Hafiz, TYDP, Deq Mad, Taufik and Shakir. There, we tasted delicious Eid cookies from the landlord. It felt like having Eid in Malaysia and maybe even better than that, so as to say! Thanks to all. The next day, our lectures start but this year’s Eid is really meaningful for me.

At Yusri’s house with KPKM's Deputy Chief (now an ex-)

Shawwal the 4^th, 1428 Hijrah

Non-heavy downpour in Cairo, and elsewhere...

Summertime Blues...

“Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do because there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues...”

-Rush

Exam is just ended and behold, the summer holiday is just started!

In front of Sultan Hassan’s mosque with Faris

At Sultan Hassan’s Square, with Faeid. Behind us is Saladin Citadel compound and Mosque of Mohamed Ali.

I went to Mugamma’ Tahrir to apply for re-entry visa. The clerk said my passport can be taken back at 2.30 pm. Since there was 5 hours to wait until 2.30 pm, so I went to Nasser Metro Station to get microbus to go to Malaysian Embassy at Mohandessin as told (read: misguided) by my friend in Mansoura. However, when I arrived there, there was no microbus to Mohandessin except to Kubbar and el-Amirah. I was so extremely mad. I then took a 357 bus, hopefully, it will go to Mohandessin, Giza.

During my journey, I felt strange as the bus wasn’t using the route to the Embassy. It used different route and took too much time to reach the ‘Embassy’. The journey ended at Great Pyramid of Giza station and I wasn’t intended to go there even though I was carrying my matric card and adequate amount to pay for entrace to the historical site of one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World’. I need to go to the Embassy to take letter of support to perform Umrah in the Holy Cities of Makkah and Madinah, that matters the most!

Feeling tired, grumpy and disappointed, I had to take the same bus to return to Tahrir. I stopped in the middle of the journey and visited my friends in Sayeda Zeinab. After spending 2 hours there, I went back to Mugamma’ to take my passport and then return to District 7 of Nasr City.

Window shopping at City Stars, Cairo. From right: Me, Azim, Faris & Shakir

All these happened on the 1^st of July year 2007, one of the hottest day in summer as the temperature nearly reached 40° Celsius in Cairo.