Tables of Mercy (Ma’edat Al Rahman): A Glimpse Into The Ramadan Social Ritual of Giving
By Shahinda Abdalla
During Ramadan, food, both the lack of it and the presence of it, becomes a central aspect of our days. From deciding what we’re going to eat to cooking and preparing the food, and finally eating it. It’s a month where everyone comes together around a table. Sometimes these tables are shared with family members. Sometimes they’re shared with friends. And sometimes, we share tables with people we barely know. When Ramadan arrives, the whole country can see it arrive, not only as the lights and lanterns appear on our streets, but as tables too begin to line the streets and the outside of mosques. These tables are an offering to those who cannot afford to feed themselves or those who find themselves on the streets and unable to make it home in time for iftar.
In Egypt, the Ramadan ritual of Ma’edat Al Rahman or Tables of Mercy found its way to us during the Islamic era in 880 of Ahmed bin Toulon when he prepared a feast for his merchants and dignitaries on the first day of Ramadan, and ordered them to do the same for the poor. The tables you see everywhere in Ramadan are a centuries-old tradition that has survived from the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Some link it to Surat Al Ma’eda in the Qu’ran meaning “The Table” which tells the story of the disciples of Jesus who asked Allah to bring down a table full of food from heaven so that they may eat from it and be a witness to the truthfulness of their prophet.
Throughout history, the tradition has disappeared for periods of time but always managed to make its way back into the culture. Al Mo’ezeldein Allah Al Fatimi during his rule was known to prepare a ma’eda (table) for the people who pray in Amr Ibn Al Aas Mosque. The food was cooked in his palace then distributed to the poor with tables reaching up to 175 meters long. In the Fatimid era, the palace workers would provide people with sugar and flour as well as sweets such as qatayef, kenafah, and baklava. During the Mamluk era as well, rulers were also known for their generosity and theirs extended even beyond food. They gave the poor, students, orphans and others in need extra wages.
So in Ramadan, a table is not just a table. A table becomes a place where love is shared, where acts of compassion prevail, where no matter how rich or poor you are, after a long day’s fast, you realize that you are just a human, that you have needs that you cannot survive without. There is no human power that can overcome our need for water, food and nourishment. Ramadan is precisely the month where we are reminded of our humanity, both the limits of it and the power we have as people to help and alleviate the suffering of each other. These tables of mercy are symbolic of that power of humans to help one another. Yes, we may not be able to survive without food but we can certainly help each other not go hungry or thirsty. One of the most beautiful aspects about Ramadan, that in showing us our vulnerability, it also shows us our power. Ramadan comes to remind us that we all have something to give, whether it’s a meal or a hug or a kind word and a prayer. Wishing you all a blessed month, a wonderful festivity of food surrounded always by love and family at a table!