Friday

Went on a little exploration trip today. Started off with a short taxi ride to the citadel where I attended one of the Sultun some-thing-a-rather mosque for Juma’a (Friday) Prayer. The Mosque was amazing – a labrynth of tunnels with rooms that once accommodated scholars and students of knowledge in time past leads to the main prayer area. In the centre of the open-roofed stone courtyard is a functioning wudu (the washing of the body that muslims perform before prayer) fountain. The walls are covered with brilliant calligraphy carved into the stone of the ancient walls that have seen some of the greatest thinkers of Islam sitting against them. Around the courtyard are four large alcoves – now the areas for prayer, they once provided space for scholars from each of the four Sunni schools of legal thought to teach their respective science – in fact the name of each school is inscribed in their alcove. No segregation barrier in sight – just like in the time of the Prophet (saaws) women prayed behind the men in their own alcove. Testament to the dirt and pollution of Cairo, the classic red and white block pattern of Andalus was barely discernable from the rest of the stone wall. I sat to the back, leaned against the cool stone and watched the clouds move across the sky behind the minaret that stands solidly against what is visible of the blue sky through the thick smog.

After prayer we went down to the downtown area and got lunch at a great Lebanese restaurant – Tabouli – near the American Embassy. We took the food and wandered down to the Nile to hire a boat. After some haggling with the operator we were off on the Nile eating our lunch. I was amazed at the disgusting colour of the water – it looked like a watery brown soup, with more trash than I’ve ever seen in a body of water floating in it. The sun was warm and the wind was low – if it wasn’t for the operator blasting his horrible Egyptian pop songs it would have been beautiful.

After lunch we headed off to the Metro (Egypt’s underground rail) and caught a train to Nasser (only one stop, but too far to walk). We rode in the car for women only – don’t ever be fooled into thinking that women have better manners or are less agreeive than men. There is no waiting for people to get out of the carriage when the train pulls in, rather all the women on the platform push each other around in order to force their way through the carriage doors as soon as they open. There is no concept of “if we get on on the right side of the door and you alight from the left there will be no need for us to try to trample each other in order to get on”... Safely on the train (which was not even full, seats were taken but plenty of standing room) we arrived at our stop quickly. Out of the station we were hunting for the hostel that my friend will be staying at from tomorrow with her aunt. Found it checked it out – staff were lovely and it looked clean and neat (Let Me Inn). From there we wandered to a coffee joint where they told us we had to spend a minimum of 20EGP each (one coffee was 7EGP) we got up and found a famous fruit and vegitable market hidden in one of the side streets. I picked up my fruit and veg for a week for the equivalent of A$1.60! AWESOME!!!

Jumped back on the metro and went to Pottery Cafe (most awesomest cafe I’ve been to – rivalling Pattersons Patissarie)! Had a delicious coffee, jumped in a cab and finally got home just as the adhan (call to prayer) was being sounded for Maghreb (sunset prayer) Al-hamdoulillah.

But when I walk through my front door I find that as I was sitting in the taxi returning from my day out, five children aged between 7 and 12 years of age, along with their mother were being obliterated – their father “moderately wounded” – only a short distance away. How do you continue to live when your family is wiped out in the blink of an eye? Would you not be crazed with anger? Lost in grief? How would you rise every morning knowing that everything you loved was gone? I’d say the “G” word but someone would call me “anti-semetic”.
Doesn’t really make one want to discuss the mundane details of life as a student/visitor.

All praise is to you Allah, Lord of the Worlds. And salutations and greetings upon our master Muhammad and upon his family and companions. Ya Allah, grant the innocents of Palestine respite from the oppression under which they suffer and provide for them protection from the brutality of their oppressor. Ya Allah, for those who are wounded grant them wellbeing, for those who have passed on grant them the peace that they could not attain upon this Earth, for those that continue guide them and keep them steadfast. Ya Allah for those who oppress the weak either guide them or humiliate them and give them the recompense of which they deserve. Ya Allah, protect humanity form the baseness of our natures and raise amongst us the just as leaders who will direct towards good for the wellbeing of all.

With Sadness...Much Love and Ma’a Salama