Yemen Update

Well, what's new... The petrol azmeh seems quite serious this time, with hardly any petrol available around the city. A military committee is still trying to remove the barricades, sacks filled with sand that are all over the place, checkpoints, and army vehicles from the public streets, but it's not quite clear whether or not this is really working. Protesters seem to have decided to continue their protests (against what exactly??) until they are in the government themselves. There is the idea of starting Friday demonstrations again from the pro-government side until the protests of the anti-government side stop. Anything new here? Not really...

Interesting Remark

I just read the following in a Reuters article and thought it was an interesting remark of the American Embassador in Yemen:

Al Masdar Online, one of the publications which attended a briefing with Feierstein, cited him as saying, in Arabic translation: "Being peaceful isn't just about not carrying weapons. If 2,000 people decided to march on the White House, we wouldn't consider it peaceful and we wouldn't permit it."

Picture (Garbage)

Could it be that the garbage collectors are protesting, too?
Or is it just the lack of fuel that Sanaa is suffering from again?

Democracy in Yemen - Some Thoughts

Yemen, for years, has known more democracy than many other Arab states. There is a multi-party system, with an opposition. The 2006 elections between President Ali Abdullah Saleh and an opposition member were free and observed by the international community. Another sign of democtracy, or maybe it should be called freedom, is that the sit-in wasn't immediately taken away by the armed forces. Instead, the youth got the opportunity to speak up.

Some people say that the President has too much power, though. We should ask ourselves if this is wrong in itself. Going back to the early days of Islam (and we should, since Yemen is an Islamic society), we notice that the khalifas who ruled the Muslim world had exclusive power. They would consult with some trustworthy men on important issues but then the final decision was theirs. And, especially in Abu Bakr and Umar Ibn al-Khattab's time, no one would dare to go against their orders. Why? Because the leader should be obeyed.

Surely, the khalifas at that time were better Muslims, more just, honest, and Allah-fearing than any leader nowadays. This, however, doesn't change the obligation to obey them unless they openly demonstrate unbelief.

This cannot be said about Yemen's President. He gave his people the freedom to live their lives in an increasingly peaceful environment. He solved many problematic obstacles in this process and somehow kept all quarreling parties satisfied to a great extent. The things that he did wrong Islamically will be on his record on the Day of Judgement, as is the case with any other human being.

Yemen is a tribal society and needs a strong leader if the country is to stay together. Too much democracy, or discussion, will inevitably lead to losing grip> Each tribe, group, or even individual may not know what to expect next and may therefore do whatever is in his own advantage. That this is not what Yemen needs is something the (western) international community is not fully aware of. Yemen cannot copy western democracy, simply because it isn't, and will never be, a western country.

Friendly, but not Polite

Since no one is perfect, it's time to let you know a bit about some negative traits the Yemenis possess.

An old colleague of mine used to say, when asked about his opinion of the Yemeni people, "friendly, but not polite." I guess you get used to it, but coming from the west it may be awkward to see customers in a shop calling out, "Give me this and that!" The words 'please', 'excuse me', or 'sorry' seem to be rarely used.

Yemenis are straight-forward, too. A stranger may ask you all sorts of personal questions you may feel uncomfortable with. Of course you don't have to give a straight answer, but this needs some practice! A good tactic is to turn the attention to your questioner by asking him/her some questions instead.

And then you have the staring-the trait that I personally feel is the most annoying. Not only kids, but also adults may even stop walking to just stand there and stare at you, without even uttering a greeting. They don't consider this to be rude behavior. A firm "assalamu 'aleikum!" or remark like "Are you looking for something?" often helps.

Oh, and the people always try to get in front of you in a line, whether that's a line at the bank or a line of cars waiting at a check-point. In the latter case, three or four lines are formed, and they all want to push their way through. The solution? Simply doing the same!

Democracy?

For the time being, things have quieted down after the forming of the new interim government. However, the situation is all from stable because WHO is actually happy with it? Only the opposition members who have gotten a place in the new government. The youth was warned, and it turned out to be true: the opposition took over their uprising and it's them who won. The youth is mad since they haven't gained anything. The President-supporters are sad because they feel they have lost.

Moreover, the country is on the verge of bankruptcy and it will take years to recover. "Yemen has been destroyed" is what many people say, quite rightly.

On the TV and radio we can hear the new people in charge thank everybody for backing the GCC agreement. They now talk about law and order, while it was them who backed the lawlessness for nearly a year! As if it's all a big game, a big show.

They praise the early presidential elections, which have been set for February 21, 2012. But what kind of election will that be? There'll be only one candidate: the current vice-president. This is all very well, since he has the most experience for this arduous job, but they shouldn't call it 'elections' then, should they? And why weren't parliamentary elections held? Is this democracy? Many Yemenis have their doubts.

It's also not clear what the separation movement in the south will do, the Huthi's in the north, and other groups that have been striving for local power.

It's quite well possible that Yemen will stay divided - not in name, but in reality.

Interview met Abdu al-Janadi (in het NLs)

Ondanks Ali Abdullah Saleh's handtekening onder het GCC akkoord
afgelopen woensdagavond gaan demonstraties en gevechten in Jemen door.
Daags na ondertekening vielen er in Sanaa vijf doden, en dagelijks
protesteert de jeugd in Sanaa en Taiz om vervolging van Saleh te eisen
– waarvan hij is vrijgesteld in het akkoord. De oppositie-leiders
hebben laten weten dat de jeugd het recht heeft om dit te doen.

We hebben een geweldige vice-minister van Voorlichting in het land, Abdu al-Janadi. In zijn toespraken behandelt hij alle facetten van de huidige crisis op een open en humoristische manier. Zozeer zelfs dat ook mensen die niet van politiek moeten hebben he teen genot vinden om te luisteren!

Onlangs kreeg ik de kans om de man een paar vragen te stellen, wat resulteerde in het volgende:

Hoewel al-Janadi het akkoord 'historisch' noemt en 'het begin van een
nieuwe fase' geeft hij toe dat Saleh's handtekening is gezet onder
internationale druk: "De internationale gemeenschap heeft enorme druk
gezet op Ali Abdullah Saleh om het GCC akkoord te ondertekenen. Dit is
omdat de omstandigheden waarin we zitten en die de 'Arabische Lente'
wordt genoemd geen onderscheid maakt tussen democratische landen en
landen die geen democratie kennen. Dus hebben ze met ons gehandeld
zoals ze met de andere Arabische landen handelen."

Vraag: Hoeveel kans van slagen heeft het akkoord nu echt?
Al-Janadi: "Van onze zijde zullen we alles doen wat we toegezegd hebben. Tot nog toe lijkt het er echter niet op dat de oppositie overtuigd is van het akkoord. Dit blijkt uit hun acties en woorden; er verandert niets. Wat zij ervan menen te
bemachtigen is de helft van de zetels in de regering. De andere helft
wordt overgelaten aan de demonstranten. Dat is hun manier van denken.
De internationale gemeenschap zal alles observeren en de waarheid
ontdekken.
Hoe dan ook, wij willen ons niet inlaten met allerlei taktieken omdat
het land niet nog meer onenigheid en misleidingen aankan. We hebben nu
duidelijkheid en eerlijkheid nodig."

Vraag: Als de sit-ins van de oppositie niet worden opgeheven en de demonstraties doorgaan, wat dan?
Al-Janadi: "Als de sit-ins en demonstraties van de oppositie niet stoppen is het onmogelijk dat het GCC akkoord een succes wordt. Daarom is de president ook niet eerder opgestapt maar riep daarentegen op tot vervroegde verkiezingen. Hij weet wat de oppositie in gedachten heeft. Hij weet dat ze door zullen gaan met hun
spel."

Saleh is afgelopen zaterdag in Sanaa aangekomen waar hij een poosje zal blijven
voordat hij voor medische behandeling het land weer zal verlaten. Zijn
rol is geenszins uitgespeeld: "Saleh zal het hoofd blijven van zijn
partij, de GPC. Hij zal zijn politieke leven doorzetten in de rol van
een oppositie-lid. Hij is en blijft een voornaam deelnemer aan de
politiek."

Zondag j.l. is oppositie-leider Mohammed Salem BaSandwah als prime minister
aangesteld door vice-president Abdu-Rabo Mansour Hadi. Hij heeft
veertien dagen om een overgangsregering te vormen. Als het allemaal
goed gaat.

After Signing the GCC Agreement...

I had expected bullets to be shot into the sky after the signing of the GCC agreement two days ago in the early evening. However, this didn't happen.

Is anyone really happy with President Ali Abdullah Saleh's signature? Of course, the US, the EU, the Golf countries. The UN envoy who stayed in Yemen for a couple of weeks. It's their victory.

However, in Yemen, people are not quite happy. The youth is mad at the opposition because of Saleh's immunity. They also feel they're set aside.

President supporters are sad. Tears reached many eyes during the signing ceremony. At the same time, many people feel the whole agreement won't work out anyway because there are so many obstacles on the way. The forming of a government of unity and dividing the minister posts. The reorganisation of the military. The sit-ins that will not disappear for at least three months. Clashes that will most probably go on...

Differences between Holland and Yemen (2)

Another remarkable thing is that it's very easy to make contact with Yemenis.

I remember train trips in Holand of a couple of hours during which nobody said a word to each other. Here it's quite usual to have a conversation in a bus trip of twenty minutes.

At the market, customers advise each other on what to buy, or you man 'borrow' a child to check the length of a piece of clothing that is meant to be for a child of similar length.

Many shopkeepers take their time to chat with their customers, and even at government institutions you soon 'know' the employees. If you have to wait for a doctor's appointment, you talk with the secretary to make the time pass more quickly. Whoever enters a shop, etc. at meal-times will most probably be invited to join (men only, of course!)

This sociable behavior gives a personal touch to daiy life.

Verschillen tussen NL en Jemen (in het NLs) (2)

Een ander opmerkelijk iets is at je heel snel oppervlakkig contact maakt met de Jemenieten.

Ik herinner me urenlange treinreizen in NL waar niemand een woord tegen elkaar zei. Hier hebben mensen al snel een gesprek in een busritje van twintig minuten!

Op de markt geven klanten elkaar adviezen, of je 'leent' even een kind om een kledingstuk te passen dat bestemd is voor een kind van ongeveer dezelfde lengte.

Veel winkeleigenaars maken tijd voor een praatje met hun klanten, en zelfs bij overheidsinstellingen 'ken' je de employees al snel. Als je bij de dokter moet wachten heb je een gesprek met de secretaresse. Wie een pwinkel e.d. binnenstapt en er wordt juist ontbeten, wordt uitgenodigd mee te eten (dit geldt uiteraard alleen voor mannen).

Men staat open voor de ander, en dit geeft een persoonlijke touch aan het dagelijks leven.

Differences between Holland and Yemen

There are obviously significant differences between a western country like Holland and a Middle-Eastern country like Yemen. However, the differences aren't only about poverty, climate, or warfare. There are some other ones, too.

The other day I was driving home in the dark. The car window was open while I was slowly driving through a pretty busy street. Groups of teenagers were crossing the street jumping right inbetween the cars.

It suddenly occured to me how safe I felt, while in a big city in Holland it would have something frightening. The boys could be drunk, aggressive, or even violent.

But here you always have the reassuring feeling that you can rely on others in case something happens. When there's an accident, everybody comes to discuss a solution. If a car breaks down, someone will tun up to help fix it, or at least to push it out of a crowded areas. When some people are shouting or fighting, they'll be quieted down by passers-by.

This gives you a safe feeling, also for women, at any time of the day.

It must be said that these days there are some areas in the city where this feeling has disappeared due to demonstrations, snipers, etc. Of course these places should be avoided as much as possible.

Verschillen tussen NL en Yemen (in het NLs)

Natuurlijk is er een wereld van vershcil tussen een westers land als Nederland en een Midden-Oosters land als Jemen. Die verschillen zitten echter niet alleen in armoede, klimaat, of oorlogsvoering. Er zijn ook andere, minder tastbare verschillen die het waard zijn aangestipt te worden.

Laatst reed ik in het donker naar huis met het auto-raampje open, langzaam-aan door een redelijk drukke straat. Groepjes jongeren staken dwars door het verkeer heen de weg over.

Ineens bedacht ik me hoe veilig ik me daarbij voelde, terwijl in een grote stad in NL er iets beangstigends vanuit zou gaan. De jongens daar zouden dronken kunnen zijn, agressief, of erger.

Hier heb je altijd de rustgevende gedachte dat je ervanuit kan gaan dat er iemand te hulp schiet mocht er een probleem zijn. In geval van een botsing bijvoorbeeld komen alle omstaanders kijken hoe ze de situatie kunnen oplossen. Als een auto het begeeft zal er iemand zijn die 'm helpt te repareren of op z'n minst om 'm uit de drukte te duwen. Als mensen onenigheid hebben en schreeuwen of vechten, worden ze gekalmeerd door toevallige aanwezigen.

Dit geeft een veilig gevoel, ook voor een vrouw, op elk moment van de dag.

Toegegeven, dezer dagen zijn er plekken in de stad waar dit gevoel verdwenen is en plaats heeft gemaakt voor iets onbehagelijks, bijvoorbeeld door de aanwezigheid (of kans daarop) van demonstraties of sluipschutters. Het is dus zaak deze plekken zoveel mogelijk te mijden.

Eid in Sanaa (in het NLs)

Eid al-Adha, het belangrijkste Islamitische feest, is in Jemen dit jaar niet helemaal hetzelfde als gebruikelijk. Door de moeilijke financiele omstandigheden van veel mensen kunnen zij dit jaar niet naar hun dorpen afreizen, terwijl dat een geliefde bezigheid is daar alle employees een week vrij hebben. Om dezelfde reden zijn er veel meer ondernemingen open dan normaal gesproken. Ook kunnen aanzienlijk minder Jemenieten het zich veroorloven een schaap, geit, of koe te kopen om te slachten - een traditie op dit feest. Bovendien, door gebrek aan electriciteit, en dus koelkasten, zou het vlees sowieso niet bewaard kunnen worden.

De bevolking van Sanaa houdt het dus voornamelijk bij familie en vrienden bezoeken, qat kauwen, of de kinderen meenemen naar een van de stadsparken. Men legt de moeilijke lands-situatie even naast zich neer.

Behalve in het zuiden, waar naar verluidt doorgevochten wordt, hebben zelfs de strijdende partijen een pauze genomen. Even geen nieuws over aanvallen over en weer in Taiz, de zuidelijk gelegen stad die er de afgelopen weken erger aan toe was dan andere delen van het land. In Al-Hasabah, de geplaagde wijk in Sanaa waar steeds weer hevige gevechten uitbreken, is toegankelijk voor verkeer. Niet dat het er druk is; wie de buurt kan omzijlen doet dat nog altijd. De rijenlange zandzakken liggen nog steeds dwars over de weg maar er zijn twee gaten in gemaakt voor auto's. De tunnel onder de bekende klokketoren is nog wel dicht en de klokketoren zelf geeft allang niet meer de juiste tijd aan. Hij is gehavend door geweerschoten, net als vele gebouwen. Gruis en glas en brokstukken liggen op straat. Legerauto's en soldaten achter nog meer zandzakken houden de boel in de gaten. Het gebouw van de Jemenitische luchtvaartmaatschappij Yemenia, een van de hoogste gebouwen in de stad, dat maanden geleden geraakt werd door een raket is nu een uitgebrand skelet dat prominent in het oog springt. Maar, het is weer even stil.

"We kunnen amper meer in slaap komen nu er 's nachts niet geschoten wordt" laat een kennis, die vlakbij al-Hasabah woont, weten. Het klinkt gek, maar hij lijkt het te menen.

In een Eid-toespraak liet de president Ali Abdullah Saleh nogmaals weten dat overleg en vervroegde verkiezingen de enige manier zijn om uit de huidige impasse te komen. "Verandering kan niet komen door chaos, geweld, en een cultuur van haat en plots" zei hij. Of de oppositie dit keer gehoor zal geven aan de uitnodiging om de tafel te gaan zitten, is echter zeer de vraag.

Eid al-Adha

Eid al-Adha starts today, the second of the two Islamic Eids.
Apart from slaughtering a sheep or cow for whoever can afford it, which is sunneh for Muslims who did not go on hajj, I don't think most people in Yemen will be able to have a real "Eid feeling". With all the security problems it may not be possible for some to travel to their villages, which many people like to do since employees have a week off. Let's hope, inshallah, that at least the fighting (mainly in Taiz these days) will stop for a bit.

EID MUBARAK!

The Day of 'Arafah

Tomorrow is the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah, which is the Day of 'Arafah. It is recommended to fast this day for those who are not performing hajj (pilgrimige) in Mecca. The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Fasting the Day of 'Arafah expiates the sins of two years, the previous year and the forthcoming year" (Muslim)

The people who are performing hajj stand on this day at a place called 'Arafah, where they offer Dhuhr and Asr prayers and remember Allah and make supplications. It is considered the most important part of hajj.

"Azmeh"

Whenever a few petrol stations are out of fuel, lines appear at the ones that are still working. It doesn't necessarily mean that there has come a stop on petrol again, but people immediately fear the worst. This way, we might well create an 'azmeh' ourselves!

'Azmeh' is literally translated as 'crisis, emergency, impasse' but can also be understood as a lack of something. There is the general azmeh, pointing to the situation the country is currently in, the petrol azmeh, gas azmeh, diesel azmeh, and even agricultural azmeh. They happen when products are difficult to get or increase in price to such an extent that it is feared they may not be available anymore soon.

Tomatoes, for example, are sold per piece these days. This is the agricultural azmeh. Potatoes are incredibly expensive at 400 rials a kilo.

Whenever gas cylinder prices go up, people say "azmeh, azmeh!" and fill up all the empty ones they have.

And so today we lined up for petrol although we aren't even sure if there was a real need to do so or not!

A Visit to the Internet Cafe

Nowadays, when there is electricity for an hour or so, it is like a real treat although it is often too weak to do much with it. This is especially frustrating for the owners of Internet cafes. Because with the current petrol and diesel prices it is impossible to have the generator working all day, they only open when there are enough customers.

I found the owner of the Internet cafe chewing qat at the grocery store next door.
"Are you going to turn on your generator?"
"In an hour, inshallah, when there are some people." was the answer.

I sat down on the steps. The only alternative was another internet cafe around the corner with a moody owner and an extremely slow connection. Another one down the road had closed months ago at the time of the petrol shortage.

The door was opened and I was told I could wait inside. So I did. I read all there was written on the wall, counted the computers, studied the ceiling. And waited. I watched the people walk and drive by. And waited. Some customers came in and went out again. One of them told the owner of the Internet cafe to reserve a certain computer for him. I waited. Nothing worth mentioning happened.

Finally, the guy started to check the oil of the generator. He had already poured in some oil the day before and a discussion started whether or not he should fill it up again. He came inside and took a piece of paper out of his printer. I thought he'd fold it into a funnel for the oil, as one does, but he just cleaned his hands with it. A pack of tissues would be cheaper for this purpose!

He took a container filled with petrol or diesel, I'm not sure which, and filled up the generator, after which he started it. Then he walked off. I waited. Some customers came in, sat down, and waited, too. When the generator was warmed up, the handle was pulled down and the computers were turned on. Exactly an hour had passed. Patience is a great good indeed!

The guy who had reserved a certain computer came in and sat down, but the chair broke so he ended up on the floor. Everybody laughed. He changed the chair and sat down again. Nobody complained about anything. What good would it do to complain? When the Internet finally worked, we sat in silence, only to hear the whirring sound of the generator outside.

A Hadith (2)

The following hadith is taught to Yemeni children as early as in second grade. However, too many of us forget about its real meaning. Otherwise, Yemen wouldn't have ended up in the current mess.

Abdullah Ibn Amr reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "A Muslim is he from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe" (Bukhari/Muslim)

Though this saying contains few words, it encompasses many meanings. A person can harm others with his tongue in many ways: by cursing them, attacking their honor, backbiting them, slandering them, or mocking them.

Similarly, a person can harm others with his hand in more ways than just punching or striking them; one may use his hand to write abusive words or slander, one may use it to concoct poison, to kill another person with a gun, and so on.

One of the beautiful teachings of Islam is that when a person refrains from harming others, he is giving charity to his own self.

(taken from the Book of Manners - Darussalam)

Friday Sermon

Last Friday, imam Jabri Ibrahim Hassan held a great sermon that was very clear. In Islam, it is prescribed to help each other do good deeds and forbid each other to do evil deeds. This is called الأمر بالمعروف ولنهي عن المنكر.
Also, the Islamic scholars have agreed that it is prohibited to oust your leader, and doing this is unbelief. The imam said:
لا يجوز الخروج عن ولي الأمر وان ذلك كفر

The imam asked the ummah whether they see that killing a person you are not allowed to kill is 'helping each other do good deeds and forbid each other to do evil deeds':
هل ترى قتل الأنفس المحرمة أمرا بمعروف ونهي عن منكر؟
Are the rockets that were fired at the Nahdayn Mosque (the mosque in the Presidential palace that was attacked in June)'helping each other do good deeds'?
هل الصواريخ التي دخلت إلي جامع النهدين أمرا بالمعروف؟
Is killing Abdul-Aziz Abdul-Ghani 'helping each other do good deeds'? هل قتل عبدالعزيز عبدالغني أمرا بالمعروف؟
Is using bad language, insulting, and cursing 'helping each other do good deeds'? هل الهتافات والسب والشتم واللعن أمرا بالمعروف؟

The imam also said (sorry, translating is tiring!):
"ما هو الأمر بالمعروف وكيف يكون النهي عن المنكر حتى بين يدي السلطان
والنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول كلمة حق أم صاروخ حق وقنبلة وتفجير حق هل هذا هو الحق
عندكم ؟ قال كلمة حق فما معنى الكلمة عندكم يا عباد الله ؟"

" إن التغيير جاء بتدمير ولن نرى تغيير لكن نرى منشئات هدمت وطرقا قطعت وشوارع
حفرت وجامعات أغلقت ومدارس تعطلت ، فهل هذا هو التغيير ؟ وهل هذا هو المشروع الإسلامي؟
وهل دين رسول الله ان نعطل دين الله والمدارس ؟

فهل كان النبي في ساحة الاعتصام؟ هل كان النبي ينادي ويلعن ويشتم ويسب؟ هل كان
النبي يقول سلمية ويقتل الناس ويقطع الطريق ؟

Kentucky Junction

The other day I went to the Kentucky junction, where heavy fighting took place between the opposition and the national army just before President Ali Abdullah Saleh's return to the country last month. I simply wanted to see it with my own eyes.

It was shocking, honestly. The silence that hung over this otherwise crowded junction in the center of Sanaa was weird. It had been completely blocked off for traffic - even for pedestrians. So all you could see was empty streets with quite some broken glass scattered around (the result of explosions), closed shops, empty apartment buildings, some army vehicles, and soldiers - most of them in their early twenties.

It was a war scene - although right now it's pretty quiet. Except for snipers, the soldiers told me. That is why they stop anyone who wants to pass. They are also there to protect the empty buildings from being broken into because all of the inhabitants of the areas have had to flee.

It's not a fun place to be stationed. "We don't know if we'll still be alive tomorrow," said one of the soldiers. "We may suddenly be attacked again and ... it's over." Brave guys, these soldiers, sacrifying their lives for their homeland.

"Why don't we learn from the past?" I heard someone ask on the radio today. "In Lebanon, there was a civil war for 17 years that killed everything and everybody. And what happened in the end? They sat around the table to discuss a solution. Is this what we want in Yemen, too?"

Traditional Clothing (men)

Traditional Yemeni clothing for men may consist of a 'thobe', locally called a 'zenneh', which is a long, often white, garment. It is worn with a 'jambia' (dagger) and often a western-style coat. Others wear a 'ma'awaz', which is a long woven piece of cloth wrapped around the waist and a shirt on top. Instead of a 'ma'awaz', people in the south often wear a 'futa', an Indonesian-style sarong which is stitched together at the ends, unlike the 'ma'awaz'. A 'shawl' or 'smadeh' may be wrapped around their heads or simply put over their shoulders.

Although many men go to work in pants, you will also encounter employees in traditional clothes. Most shop-owners in the Old City wear traditional clothes. On Fridays and at qat chews, most men also dress themselves in a 'zenneh' or 'ma'awaz' because, they say, they're more comfortable.

Straatnamen (in het NLs)

Het Kentucky-kruispunt ligt in hartje Sanaa, al zou de naam je dat niet doen vermoeden. Het verhaal gaat dat vele jaren geleden er een filiaal van de KFC-keten, Kentucky Fried Chicken, op de hoek zat. Die sloot de deuren, naar ik meen vanwege de burgeroorlog in 1994. Een Jemeniet nam het pand over om er een eigen restaurant te openen die dezelfde naam hield. Vandaar.

Sowieso hebben veel straten hier twee naamsaanduidingen: een officiele en een in de volksmond. ZO is de kans groot dat je niet begrepen wordt als je naar 'Moqadishu Street' vraagt omdat iedereen 'm 'Sakhr Street' noemt. Zelfs de beroemde Hadda Street heet eigenlijk anders. Stadsplattegronden zijn echter amper verkrijgbaar dus je zou een straatnaambordje moeten gaan zoeken. En waarom zou je?

Veel van de nieuwere brede straten worden aangeduid met een nummer; zo hebben we '60 Street', '70 Street', en '45 Street', zo genoemd vanwege de breedte in meters. Kleine straatjes hebben meestal helemaal geen naam, en huisnummers kennen die straten ook vaak niet. Wil je dus een adres uitleggen, dan gaat het in de trant van: "Ken je.....?" (invullen: een bekend gebouw, ministerie, moskee, supermarkt, etc.). "Ja? Okee. Dan sla je daar rechtsaf en het huis ligt in de straat tegenover ...... Het heeft een blauwe deur." Ik noem maar wat.

Het is maar goed dat er geen post aan huis wordt bezorgd.

Hoe dan ook, door de recente gevechten tussen de oppositie en het leger kent de hele wereld nu het 'Kentucky' kruispunt in Sanaa - waar het restaurant net zoals alle andere ondernemingen in de buurt alweer wekenlang dicht zijn.

Ali Abdullah Saleh Back in Sanaa (2)

So far, fighting is continuing in different parts of the city between different parties. Later today, the President is expected to give a speech to the public on the occasion of the 49th anniversary of Revolution Day (26 September). What he is going to say may well be important for the future of the conflict.

For your information, Yemen has two Revolution Days: one of the north (against the imamate) and one of the south (against the British invasion). The date of the latter is 14th October 1963, while the former, which should be celebrated tomorrow, started one year earlier, on 26th September 1962.

Ali Abdullah Saleh Back in Sanaa

We just heard the news that the President has returned to Yemen this morning. What a surprise! When we heard shooting from all sides, we knew something had happened - although it could just as well have been the beginning of a war in yet another part of the city.

Saleh has come back in the middle of a big mess - with many parts of Sana'a blocked (Zubeiry Street and environments) and fighting continuing. Let's hope, inshallah, that he will be able to find a solution!

Fasting the Six Days of Shawwal

Ramadhan is over, and so is Eid al-fitr. Work and schools have started again. Still, some Muslims choose to continue fasting for six more days any time during this month of Shawwal, which is the lunar month after Ramadhan.

The Prophet (PBUH) siad: "He who fasts Ramadhan, then follows it with six days of fasting from Shawwal, it wil be (in terms of reward) as if he has fasted the whole year." (Muslim)

According to most scholars, these six days can be fasted either consecutively or separately. However, some scholars are of the opinion that these six days of fasting in Shawwal must be completed in a continuous order right after the end of Ramadhan.

The voluntary fast of Shawwal may only be done after making up any missed days of Ramadhan due to, for example, illness, monthly period, or travels. This is explained as first paying off a debt, which is compulsory, while fasting the six days of Shawwal is not.

A Beggar

If you give beggars, who are mainly found at junctions, money, there's a big chance that they buy qat with it. That's why I decided to buy some packets of tea to hand out instead.
An old man asked me for 'sadaqah', and I gave him a packet of tea. He looked at it with interest. "What is this?"
"Tea" I said, "so that you can drink tea."
He looked at me. "Where can I drink tea?"
It occurred to me that he might be homeless. "Give it to the cafeteria so that they can make you tea," I suggested.
His face cleared up and he thanked me, still studying the package in his hand.

Een Bedelaar (in het NLs)

Als je bedelaars, die zich voornamelijk op kruispunten bevinden, geld geeft, wordt dit veelal omgezet in qat. Daarom besloot ik een stel pakjes thee te kopen om her en der uit te delen.
Een oude man vroeg me om 'sadaqah' (een aalmoes), en ik gaf hem een pakje thee. Hij keek er geinteresseerd naar. "Wat is dat?"
"Thee" zei ik vrolijk. "Kun je thee drinken."
Hij keek me eens aan. "Waar kan ik thee drinken?"
Hm. Het begon me te dagen dat ik misschien met een dakloze van doen had.
"Geef het aan het cafetaria; dan kunnen ze thee voor je maken" raadde ik hem aan.
Zijn gezicht lichtte op en hij bedankte me hartelijk, nog steeds het pakje in zijn hand bestuderend.

Picture (Old Sana'a Street)

(Photo by Eveline Kuhlman)

English in Yemen

The young generation is very much into learning English. Unfortunately, English education in schools is not of the highest level, which is why the numerous language institutes (which all teach one language, namely English) do good business.

Most of these institutes are small and offer reasonably cheap courses of questionable quality, but the bigger ones offer education of better quality for a considerable sum of money, which can only be afforded by the upper-class.

Many signs are bilingual in Yemen (Allah knows why because there aren't exactly many foreigners here, and the ones who are usually know some Arabic) - street signs, signs on bigger shops and businesses. You do encounter funny English sometimes. For example, at the bank I read a sign at the teller which read: 'the bank is an irresponsible for mistaking'. A petrol station has a huge sign which reads: 'statsion and cleaned'. :)

I personally think this is perfectly all right; Yemen is not an English-speaking country after all. And it gives the rare English speaker something to smile about every now and then!

Picture (Sign)

This is a sign that you can see in many parts of the city these days.

The man in the picture is Abdul-Aziz Abdul-Ghani, head of the Shura Council, who died in Saudi Arabia some ten days ago due to his injuries sustained in the attack on the Presidential mosque in the beginning of June. His body was flown to Sana'a last week where he was buried.

The signs are both in Arabic and English.

Eid Mubarak!

Ramadhan: Zakat-ul-fitr

At the end of the month of Ramadhan every Muslim has to give zakat-ul-fitr as a purification for those who fasted. It is to be given on behalf of himself and all the people he takes care of - young or old, male or female.

Its quantity is one saa' of one of the basic foodstuffs of the country, e.g. rice, wheat, dates, etc. These days, many Muslims have started giving money as zakat-ul-fitr, but from the hadith we learn that it has to be paid in food.

Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri said: "We offered, during the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH), a weight of saa' of dry food of our main staple, such as barley, raisins, cheese, and dates." (Bukhari)

(a saa' is four mudds, and a mudd is the amount held by both hands cupped together. Many scholars have estimated a saa' to be approximately three or three-and-a half kilograms)

Zakat-ul-fitr must be offered (to the poor) prior to offering Eid ul-fitr prayer, or one or two days before the end of Ramadhan.

Ramadhan: Lailat-ulQadr

It was in Lailat-ulQadr that the Quran was sent down and in the Quran we can read that this night is better than 1000 months. Muslims, therefore, are encouraged to stand in prayer during this night, hoping for forgiveness and great reward.

But when exactly is Lailat-ulQadr? Some Muslims these days fix its date on the 27th of Ramadhan. However, there is no proof for that at all. There are several hadiths about this night, such as the following:
Aisha said: "Allah's Messenger (PBUH) used to practice i'tikaaf in the last ten nights and say: 'Seek out Lailat-ulQadr in the odd nights of the last ten of Ramadhan'". (Bukhari and Muslim)
Therefore, we should look for Lailat-ulQadr in the odd nights of the last ten: the night of the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th. Remember that the night precedes the day, and so the 21st night is the night before the 21st day!

We know that the most significant sign of Lailat-ulQadr is that the sun rises the day after that night with no rays, as in the sayings of the prophet PBUH narrated by Muslim, Ahmad, An-Nassaa'e, At-Tirmidhi, and Abu-Dawood. Many Muslims may have watched the sunrise on some of the last ten days of Ramadhaan, and saw the sun without rays and knew that the night before was Lailat-ulQadr, so he would praise Allaah for the good deeds he did in that night, or regret the time he had wasted...

Ramadhan: Cartoon (3)

I'm sure you all know those people who simply sleep their time away in Ramadhan. They may wake up to pray dhuhr and go back to sleep, or they may even abandon prayer and get up a couple of hours before sunset. These people imagine that fasting is hard on them, but if they tried with spiritual willingness, they'd experience the opposite. It's not too late yet: get up early this last week of Ramadhan and encourage the people in your household to do the same. Get the most you can out of your fast. And always keep this hadith in mind:
"For the fasting person there are two times of joy; a time of joy when he breaks his fast and a time of joy when he meets his Lord" (Bukhari and Muslim)

Ramadhan: Cartoon (2)

Ramadhan in the past and the present...

Ramadhan: Cartoon

Ramadhan: Breaking the Fast

"For the fasting person there are two times of joy; a time of joy when he breaks his fast and a time of joy when he meets his Lord" (Bukhari and Muslim)

A fasting person breaks his fast at the approach of the night, when the daylight is passing away and the sun disappears below the horizon. This is the Messenger's (PBUH) explanation of the Quranic verse: "Then complete your fast till the nightfall" (Surat al-Baqarah)

It is sunnah to break your fast with dates before praying maghrib (the sunset prayer), according to the following hadith:
From Anas, who said: "The Prophet (PBUH) used to break his fast with fresh dates before praying, and if not with fresh dates, then with older dates, and if not with dates then with some mouthfuls of water". (Ahmed, Abu Dawud, and al-Tirmidhi)

Supplicating Allah at the time of breaking the fast is encouraged.

Here in Yemen, many people indeed seem to break the fast with dates. Others start with sambusa or a glass of juice. Again others start with 'shafoot'. And then you have those who taste a glass of coffee before anything else...!

Ramadhan: Praying at the Mosque

Islamically, men are encouraged to pray all their obligatory prayers at the mosque in congregation the whole year round, and the Friday noon prayer is compulsory. In Ramadhan, however, people feel it is even more important to attend the mosque regularly.
Women, on the other hand, are encouraged to pray at home although they can go the mosque if they wish:
The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Do not prevent the female servants of Allah from the masjids (mosques) of Allah" (Ahmed and Abu Dawud)
And Zainab Ath-Thaqafiyah narrated: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to us: "When one of you comes to the mosque, let her not wear perfume." (Muslim)

In the Prophet's (PBUH) time, women used to pray behind the men at the mosque, i.e. in the same room. For some strange reason, in Yemen (and, I heard in some other Gulf countries as well - but not in Mecca), they have chosen to give women separate rooms to pray in. These rooms are often small, dark, and undecorated - not at all like the men's places of prayer. Moreover, the women can not see the imam from such a room, so they have to follow him over the loudspeaker.

Personally, this really saddens me. First of all, the sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) is broken. Secondly, you miss the feeling of being part of the 'ummah'. And most importantly, as far as I understand from fatawa, a woman's prayer in this way is invalid. For more information on this, you can read the following fatwa:

http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=88204

Benzine (in het NLs)

Er is weer regelmatig benzine bij de pompen, en de rijen zijn ook verdwenen nu de prijs ruim twee keer zo hoog is geworden. Je kunt zelfs weer jerrycans opvullen.
Een hele opluchting, maar duur is het wel, 3500 RY voor 20 liter (ruim tien euro). "Ach, 't is beter dan de 10,000 RY van de zwarte markt" merkte een auto-bezitter op. Altijd positief blijven!

Je moet de prijs natuurlijk in perspectief zien: voor een gemiddelde werknemer die 30,000 RY per maand verdient waarvan de helft aan huur opgaat is een auto rijdende houden nu wel heel moeilijk.

Ramadhan: Taraweeh Prayer

There is a special night prayer that is prayed at night in Ramadhan: the taraweeh prayer. It can be offered in congregation or individually, and it can be prayed anytime after the time of isha prayer (the last prayer of the day) until fajr prayer (the dawn prayer).

Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "He whosoever stays awake during the nights of the month of Ramadhan (offering prayers, supplications, and reciting the Holy Quran), Allah will forgive his past sins". (Bukhari)

It is also reported that the Prophet (PBUH) prayed during the nights of Ramadhan when he was in Madina, but that he didn't lead the people in prayer lest it would become obligatory upon the Muslims to pray taraweeh. This means that it is sunnah, not obligatory, to pray this night prayer.

It is sunnah to limit the taraweeh prayers to eleven rak'ah. Each prayer consists of two rak'ah, after which the witr should be prayed:

The Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said: "One should offer the prayer in pairs (two rak'ah each). If one fears missing the fajr prayer, then let one offer a single rak'ah to make an odd number." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Ramadhan: Its Rulings

Fasting in the month of Ramadhan is an obligatory act upon each and every Muslim who has attained the age of puberty and is residing in a certain locality on a permanent basis, as opposed to traveling.

A Muslim is not required to make up days he missed before embracing Islam.

Minors are not required to observe the fast but are rather encouraged to observe it, even partially, in order to get accustomed to it.

A mentally ill person is also not required to observe fasting, and he is not required to expiate for this.

A person who cannot observe fast due to a chronic disease or old age must feed a poor person for each day he misses of the obligatory fast of the month of Ramadhan.

A sick person who will face true difficulty if he maintained the fast may break the fast and make up the days he misses after he gets well.

Pregnant and nursing women may not fast if it constitutes difficulty for them. If such women fear harming their fetus, nursing child, or themselves, they may break their fast but should make up the days they missed later.

Menstruating women and women in the maternity period after giving birth must not fast but must make up the days they missed later.

A traveling person is free to choose either to fast while traveling or not to fast; one may break his fast while traveling and make up the days he misses while traveling. This ruling stands valid regardless of the type of travel that one makes. If one is traveling to Makkah to perform Umrah or works as a bus or truck driver - all such individuals may break their fast if they are traveling long distances and do not intend to reside. They have to make up the missed days later.

(taken from Fatawa on Fasting, Zakat, and Taraweeh by sheikh al-Othaimeen and sheikh al-Jibreen)

Ramadhan: the 'Suhoor' (pre-dawn meal)

From 'Amr ibn al-'Aas, that Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "The distinction between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book (i.e. Christians and Jews)is the taking of the pre-dawn meal (suhoor)". (Muslim)

Taking suhoor is following the sunneh of the Prophet (PBUH). It also strengthens a person for fasting. According to the Prophet (PBUH), there is blessing in this meal, as we can see from the following hadith:

From Abdullah ibn al-Harith, who said: "I entered upon the Prophet (PBUH) and he was taking the suhoor and he said: 'It is a blessing which Allah has given to you, so do not leave it.'" (Ahmed and an-Nasa'i)

And Anas reported that the Prophet (PBUH) said: "Take suhoor for there is blessing in it". (Bukhari and Muslim)

It is recommended to delay the suhoor until just before fajr since the Prophet (PBUH) and Zayd ibn Thabit took suhoor and when they finished their suhoor, the Prophet (PBUH) stood up for the prayer and prayed.

Anas reports from Zayd ibn Thabit that he said: We ate suhoor along with the Prophet (PBUH) then he stood up for the prayer. I said: "How much time was there between the adhaan and the suhoor?" He said: 'The interval was sufficient to recite fifty ayat'". (Bukhari and Muslim)

Dates make a good suhoor, but if you have no dates, you can eat or drink anything you like. It's best to keep it light. Even a glass of water will do for those who have no desire for food in the early morning.

Here in Yemen, they eat basically anything for suhoor; some people eat the left-overs of the evening before, including salta. Others make something that looks like an average breakfast - beans, or even eggs.

Recipe (Sambusa) (2)

Instead of minced meat, you can also fill the sambusa with brown lentils. The preparation is very similar to the minced meat-variation.

How to prepare:
Soak the lentils for a few hours. Chop up an onion and fry it in a pan. Add a chopped-up tomato and garlic, a little salt and black pepper. Stir for a few minutes. Then add water and bring it to the boil. Add the washed lentils and some fresh parsley and fresh coriander. Also add a little vegetable stock (or chicken stock). Cook the lentils until soft and until all the water has evaporated. Then fold and deep-fry the sambusa the same way as described in my last blog post.

Recipe (Sambusa)

Ramadhan knows some special dishes, of which sambusa is the most popular: pastry filled with minced meat or lentils. You can find varieties over the whole Middle East in different shapes and under different names.

You need:
- fillo pastry cut into long strips of approx. 25 cm. and 7 cm. wide. One corner should be cut off.
- some flour mixed with water to make a paste to close the sambusa
- oil to deep-fry the sambusa in

for the filling:
- 250 gr. of minced meat
- one chopped-up onion
- one chopped-up tomato
- some garlic
- some fresh parsley, chopped
- some fresh coriander, chopped
- salt and pepper

How to prepare:
- Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the onion until golden. Add the tomato and garlic and stir for a few minutes. Then add the thoroughly cleaned minced meat, salt, pepper, parsley, and coriander. Stir every now and then. You may need to add some water to get the meat cooked well - as long as the meat mixture is dry in the end.

- Put a little of the filling near the cut-off corner on a strip of fillo and fold the corner a few times until you have a triangle. Make sure there are no holes as liquid from the filling can ooze out. Close the triangle with a little paste of flour mixed with water.

- Heat oil in a deep pan and deep-fry the sambusa for a few minutes until golden brown.

They're best eaten hot.

Ramadhan in Sanaa (in het NLs)

De Ramadhan in Sana'a is dit jaar gearriveerd met enorme regenbuien waar door een bijzonder droog voorjaar al maandenlang naar werd uitgekeken. Regen wordt hier 'barakah' genoemd, een zegen, en is dus een goed teken voor de vastenmaand.

In Ramadhan onthouden Moslims zich van eten, drinken, en roken van zonsopgang tot zonsondergang – dit jaar in Jemen zo'n 14 uur per etmaal. Om het wat gemakkelijker te maken verandert de dagelijkse routine drastisch. Officiele werktijden zijn veel korter dan normaal en beginnen veelal rond het middaguur – uitzonderingen daargelaten. Wie eigen baas is kan de werktijden zelfs helemaal naar de avonduren verschuiven, zoals tandartsen of makelaars, bijvoorbeeld. Veel Jemenieten blijven de hele nacht op en slapen vanaf zonsopgang tot in de vroege middag – of langer!

Als je om een uur of negen 's ochtends een ommetje gaat rijden kom je bijna geen mens tegen, afgezien van de soldaten van de checkpoints en een enkele andere vroege vogel die nergens naar op weg lijkt te zijn. Een heerlijke rust is over de stad neergedaald.

Na het vroege middag-gebed komt het leven een beetje op gang; men gaat inkopen doen voor het avondeten. Er zijn een aantal speciale gerechten voor deze maand waarvan de populairste 'sambusa' is – bladerdeeg gevuld met gehakt. Dit gehakt komt uit Arabische buurlanden en is normaliter diep gevroren. Probleempje dit jaar is dat de electriciteitsvoorziening minimaal is en het gehakt dus half-ontdooid wordt verkocht. Het schijnt de mensen niet te deren.

Na het avondeten na zonsondergang wordt er gebeden in de moskeeen, en dan wordt er – als de electriciteit het toelaat – TV gekeken en qat gekauwd. Het lijkt er op dat qat verkopers de enigen zijn die ondanks alle problemen in het land goede zaken doen.

De President, die zich nog altijd in een ziekenhuis in Saudi Arabie bevindt, gaf een speech ter ere van het begin van de vastenmaand waarin hij o.a. handelaars opriep de prijzen niet onnodig te verhogen. Wat heet onnodig met benzineprijzen die onlangs zomaar ruim twee keer zo hoog zijn geworden! Het enige voordeel hiervan is dat er geen rijen meer staan bij de benzinestations.

Ook riep Saleh wederom op tot vergeving en overleg tussen alle rivaliserende partijen; de Ramadhan is een goede gelegenheid voor zulke zaken. Of hierop gereageerd zal worden valt te betwijfelen, al zou het voor de inmiddels aardig verregende betogers die nog altijd in tenten kamperen geen slecht idee zijn.

Schrijvende bij een rap kleiner wordend kaarsje blijf ik me over de Jemenieten verbazen. Het is een vasthoudend volk, koppig ook, en gewend aan een hard leven. Ik hoop dat de regen deze Ramadhan inderdaad een voorbode is voor betere tijden.

Ramadhan: Reading the Quran

Reading the Quran should be done the whole year, but in Ramadhan it is especially encouraged.

The Quran is divided into 30 parts and many Muslims try to finish the Holy bok at least once during this month - one part a day. Just reading is not enough, though, and the reader should also contemplate on the meanings.

Here are a few ayahs (parts of a surah, which is a chapter) to contemplate:

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and earth are signs for a people who use reason. (Surah al Baqarah 164)

It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a derived light and determined for it phases—that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allah has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know. (Surah Yunus 5)

And it is He who spread the earth and placed therein firmly set mountains and rivers; and from all of the fruits He made therein two mates; He causes the night to cover the day. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought. (Surah ar-Ra'd 3)

And your Lord inspired to the bee, "Take for yourself among the mountains, houses [i.e. hives], and among the trees and [in] that which they construct. (Surah an-Nahl 68)

Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you]." There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought. (Surah an-Nahl 69)

And do not walk upon the earth exultantly. Indeed, you will never tear the earth [apart], and you will never reach the mountains in height. (Surah al-Isra' 37)
(meaning: Man, for all his arrogance, is yet a weak and small creature.)

Allah has created every [living] creature from water. And of them are those that move on their bellies, and of them are those that walk on two legs, and of them are those that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. (Surah nl-Nur 45)

And it is He who has released [simultaneously] the two seas [i.e. bodies of water], one fresh and sweet and one salty and bitter, and He placed between them a barrier and prohibiting partition. (Surah al-Furqan 53)

Say {O, Mohammad], "I do not ask you for it [i.e. the Quran] any payment and I am not of the pretentious. (Surah Sad 86)

It is but a reminder to the worlds. (Surah Sad 87)

Ramadhan: Make Use of Your Time!

Here in Yemen, many people like to stay awake all night long and then sleep their time away until dhuhr (midday) prayer - or longer. Personally, I don't think this is supposed to be the custom in Ramadhan. Isn't it all about fasting, practicing patience, reading Quran, etc.?

So, here are some tips for Muslimahs without a job outside the house to use your precious time in this blessed month in a good way:

- Get up early. OK, maybe a little later than usual, but don't sleep your whole morning away. Do the usual chores around the house (the dishes of the night before, laundry, sweeping, etc.) and then sit down to read Quran until the dhuhr prayer.

- Don't spend too much time in the kitchen; Ramadhan is not a month for eating. Of course it is nice to make some special dishes, but not all on the same day! Anyway, you feel better if you don't eat too much.

- Encourage your children to fast as much as they can, too, from an early age. And take some time every day to sit down and memorize some surahs of the Quran with them. When you see that they get tired, hungry, or thirsty, you can read them an Islamic story or let them sleep a little.

- Try to pray taraweeh regularly. If you cannot go to the mosque, do it at home. It's not prescribed that you have to do it in congregation. Whatever number of rak'ahs you pray is good!

- Get some sleep at night. You feel much better when you get up for sahoor (pre-dawn meal) if you've had some hours of sleep. It's also better not to watch too much TV, especially soap operas, etc. Just socialize with your family for a bit.

May Allah accept our fasts and forgive our sins. Amin.

Ramadhan Kareem

Ramadhan: the Burning of Tires

A strange habit in Yemen is that people burn car tires the day before Ramadhan starts. Black smoke hangs over the city and tires smell terrible, too!

Luckily, it's quite rainy today!

Ramadhan: the Sighting of the Crescent

Each lunar month has either 29 or 30 days, and when the crescent is observed, a new month starts. Today is 29 Sha'ban, the lunar month preceding Ramadhan. Therefore, Ramadhan will either start tomorrow or after tomorrow. The following hadith explains this:

From Abu Hurairah, who said: Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "Fast when it (the crescent) is seen and cease fasting when it is seen, and if it is concealed by clouds, then complete 30 days of Sha'ban." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Last year, many Muslims believe to have fasted one day too early. There were no credible reports about the sighting of the new crescent; however, Saudi Arabia declared it to be Ramadhan. If the crescent really wasn't seen, we made a big mistake. Fasting on the 'day of doubt', as the last day before Ramdahan is called, is forbidden. Inshallah this year the scholars will wait until there is certainty.

A Hadith

The Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said: "He who obeys me, obeys Allah, and he who disobeys me, disobeys Allah. He who obeys the Muslim chief, obeys me, and he who disobeys the Muslim chief, disobeys me. The Imam is like a shelter for whose safety the Muslims should fight and where they should seek protection. If the Imam orders people to be dutiful to Allah and fear Him and rules justly, then he will be rewarded for that, and if he does the opposite, he will be responsible for that."
(Bukhari)

Price Increases (2)

We all got an SMS yesterday from the oil authorities which said: There's no increase in the price of fuel, and normal petrol will be available again within days.

The past few days people have been spreading the news that 20 liters of petrol at the petrol station more than doubled in price from 1500 rials to 3500 rials. This, of course, worries us all. Now it seems that the unleaded petrol (and all petrol used to be unleaded) will cost 3500 per 20 liters, while some petrol stations will be allowed to sell leaded petrol for the old price. Bad for your car and the environment, but most people won't have a choice.

While drivers are waiting for this leaded petrol to arrive, the long lines at empty petrol stations have largely disappeared. Possibly just for a few days.

Een Sterk Volk (in het NLs)

Stel je voor, je gaat naar de supermarkt en merkt dat alle producten ineens in prijs zijn gestegen. Een paar dagen later ga je nog eens boodschappen doen en is alles weer duurder geworden. En dan niet een paar centen, maar 30 tot 100%. Uiteraard blijft je salaris hetzelfde. Hoe zou je reageren?

Dit is nu al wekenlang de situatie in Jemen, en ik blijf me verbazen hoe kalm de bevolking het opneemt. Er wordt simpelweg meer geleend, in de hoop dat de situatie zich vanzelf weer oplost.

Om het nog wat zorgwekkender te maken raken steeds meer mensen hun baan kwijt, al dan niet tijdelijk. De talenschool waar je als leraar met een los contract lesgeeft, is bijvoorbeeld voor onbepaalde tijd gesloten, of de bouwwerkzaamheden waar je als bouwvakker werkte liggen voorlopig stil. Het kan ook zijn dat het kantoor waar je voor werkt maar helemaal de deuren sluit, of dat je werkgever je moet ontslaan door gebrek aan inkomsten.

I.p.v. 2500 rials kost 25 kg. meel nu 3400. Tien kg. suiker is van 2000 naar 2800 rials gestegen. Twintig flesjes mineraalwater kostten 700 rials. Nu is dat 1350. Een pakje kaarsen van zes stuks is van 120 naar 240 rials gestegen, en bij sommige winkels zelfs tot 300. Kreeg je voor 50 rials eerder drie komkommers, nu nog maar eentje. Een broodje kost nu 15 rials i.p.v 10, en is nog kleiner dan eerst. 250 ml. melk ging van 50 rials naar 70, toen 90, nu 100. En het eind is nog niet in zicht.

De reden voor deze onwaarschijnlijke prijsstijgingen is het chronische gebrek aan benzine en diesel, waardoor de distributie van goederen vreselijk bemoeilijkt wordt. Ofwel de distributeur moet steeds als zijn tank leeg is drie dagen in de rij staan bij de pomp om 'm weer opgevuld te krijgen, ofwel hij moet de brandstof op de zwarte markt kopen voor inmiddels zeven tot acht keer de eigenlijke prijs. Dit enorme verlies wordt doorberekend in de verkoopprijs.

De minister van handel en industrie heeft aangekondigd dat een gesaboteerde oliepijplijn is gerepareerd waardoor, volgens zijn zeggen, het benzine- en dieseltekort spoedig zal zijn opgeheven en de prijzen weer zullen zakken.

Op straat lacht men om zijn optimisme. Prijzen gaan in Jemen doorgaans nooit omlaag nadat ze zijn gestegen. En zelfs al zou de toevoer van benzine toenemen, dan nog zullen de mensen in de rij blijven staan om voorraden aan te leggen: auto opvullen, met een stuk tuinslang de benzine overhevelen naar jerrycans, en nogmaals in de rij aansluiten. Je weet immers maar nooit wanneer de toevoer weer zal stoppen. Het zal dus nog een hele poos duren voordat je weer gewoon kunt tanken wanneer je daar behoefte aan hebt.

De ellenlange electriciteits-uitval is ook een bron van problemen voor fabrieken, ondernemingen, en alles wat koeling nodig heeft. Zo zijn bevroren waren zoals ijs, kippen, of gehakt allang niet meer verkrijgbaar. Sommige postkantoren sluiten zo nu en dan omdat er geen brandstof is voor de generator om de computers aan het werk te houden. En de post wordt nog maar eens in de zoveel dagen opgehaald omdat ook de postauto's zonder benzine staan.

En toch gaat het leven door, met of zonder inkomsten. Jemenieten zijn een sterk volk.

Petrol Stations

These days, you can divide petrol stations in three different categories.

First, you have the extremely chaotic ones where cars surround all three sides of the station trying to get in, this way blocking entire streets. Every time a car is being filled up, at least fifteen men gather around it. There's a lot of shouting and fighting, and sporadically even gun fire.

For a woman there's no hope at these places to enter with her car. However, with a lot of luck you might find someone who fills up a 10-liter container for you (which is actually forbidden) - especially if you happen to know someone there.

The second category consists of petrol stations that are still chaotic but are slightly organized. Here, the cars will line up at both the entrance and the exit to go inside, but at least you can recognize lines. To have a container filled up you need just as much luck (and, to be honest, that luck has decreased enormously lately), but if you happen to know the owner of the place or meet some friendly soldiers (who help organize the lines outside), a woman may be permitted to enter the station from the exit and have her car filled up. This is possible because not all cars are let in at the same time so there is some space to move - unlike at the petrol stations of the first category.

The third category, of which there are very few, are the real organized ones. There is a neat line of cars at the entrance, and no line at the exit so that cars move only in one direction. Cars are let in two by two only and there are no crowds inside. The disadvantage of these places is that they won't allow anyone to fill up a container and they won't allow women to enter from the exit either - although this would be very possible. In short, for women, who cannot line up for three days until the petrol arrives at the station, these petrol stations are useless.

It has to be said that not many women in Yemen drive a car, and that if they do, they usually have a male family member who could line up for them and sleep in the car until a supply arrives. This is probably the reason why women don't get a lot of help at petrol stations these days and are sometimes even chased away - especially at stations of the third category.

Now the minister of industry and trade has said that the petrol shortage will end shortly because a sabotaged pipeline has been fixed. So far, we can't notice it, though.

Grapes

It's grape season again. The grapes are green and have seeds, and their taste ranges from sour to sweet. Black grapes come later in the year.
According to the book "Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet (PBUH)", the best types of fruits are three: grapes, dates, and figs. Grapes are a good laxative and provide a good source of nutrition. They also strengthen the body. The book also tells us that eating fresh grapes two or three days after harvest is better than eating them immediately; otherwise, they may cause diarrhea.

Jerrycans (in het NLs)

Ik had een 20-liter jerrycan geleend van iemand en 'm nog kunnen opvullen ook, dus moest een nieuwe kopen om de benzine in over te gieten.
"700 rials" zei de handelaar.
Hmmm... dat was nog niet zo lang geleden 350. En toen waren de jerrycans ook nog van goeie kwaliteit. Deze zag eruit alsof 'ie van alle kanten zou gaan lekken en hij kon ook amper dicht.
"Deze 10-liter jerrycans zijn sterker" zei de handelaar. "600 rials per stuk."
Sterker zagen ze er inderdaad uit.
"Zijn die voor water of benzine?"
"Wat dan ook" was het antwoord. "Er is sowieso geen benzine meer.... en ook geen water" voegde hij daaraan toe. Ik moest lachen.
"Nee, echt" zei 'ie. "Water kost nu al 7000 rials!"
Als je een leuk praatje kunt maken of zelfs kunt lachen met een handelaar is wat meer betalen meteen een stuk minder erg. Ik kreeg de twee jerrycans voor 1100 rials. Nu nog even de benzine overgieten.

Embargo (2)

The German embargo on Yemeni parcels that was implemented about 9 months ago (if I'm not mistaken) has still not been lifted yet. The German aviation authority told me: "We keep on banning import flights and overflights from Yemen. It's not foreseeable yet when the ban will be lifted."
A reason was not given. Because some European countries have copied this embargo and, if a country has no embargo, because most mail from Yemen goes through Germany, we cannot send parcels to most countries in Europe, the U.S., Canada, and Australia.
An employee at the post office told me that sending letters is possible again, but not parcels. Can anyone tell me why??!

President Ali Abdullah Saleh (3)

It is said that Ali Abdullah Saleh is supposed to return to Yemen today, exactly 33 years after he came to power. Nobody knows if these rumors are actually true, so we'll have to wait till we hear the bullets and fireworks, I guess!

A Discussion with a Lady (2)

The problem with the anti-government people is that they can never answer any questions. They simply repeat statements they hear on Suhail TV, and that's it.

I know I shouldn't try anymore, but sometimes you can't escape it. A neighbor exclaimed something against the President while we were sitting and chatting about nothing in particular. Since she looks rather Islamic in appearance, I asked her if she knew the hadith that tells us to obey our ruler, however nice or mean he may be. Yes, she had heard about that, but also said that she didn't consider Saleh to be our ruler. This, of course, has no base in logic and certainly not in Islam.

Another point. Democracy. "No, we want no elections" she said.
"But you ask for democracy. What is democracy then, according to you?"
She ignored the question a couple of times, but when I insisted, she muttered that it means that you can say whatever you like. And that's exactly what you have been able to do in Yemen for all the years that Saleh has been in power. She couldn't deny it.

The most shocking was something her daughter said: "We don't want a khadem as President". A khadem refers to one of the poor blacks in Yemen, who usually sweeps streets or collects garbage. And she said this, of course, because of the burns which have made the color of his skin dark - at least in his face.

"Since when do we laugh about each other's appearance?" I wondered. "First, you agree with the attack on the President, and then you laugh about the consequences?"

It's frustrating to talk to those people who don't think themselves and only repeat what others say. They even compare Ali Abdullah Saleh to a brute ruler who ruled about 1200 years ago. Not that they know anything about the history. And they don't appreciate the peacefulness of the President either. Who else would stay this calm after an assassination attempt?

Anyway, he is said to return on Sunday.

Gunshots out of Joy (3)

And again, last night we saw red bullets and fireworks over the city. This time it was because the President, who had been seen on TV talking to a US official, looked much better than in the last video that was broadcasted some days ago. This was enough reason for the people to show their happiness publicly.

Gunshots out of Joy (2)

And again, last night, we were treated with an hour of red bullets flying over our heads. This time, however, we immediately understood it had everything to do with the President's speech on television.

It was the first time since the assassination attempt in the beginning of June that he appeared on TV, and we had all been waiting for it. It seems that the main purpose of his speech was to reassure the people that he's alive and well. Alhamdulillah. However, it was quite a shock to see his appearance, to be honest. His face looked rather burned.

Ali Abdullah Saleh thanked the Yemeni people and the Saudis and told the public he has undergone eight successful surgeries because of the burns on his body. He didn't talk about when he'd be back in Sana'a. So far, nothing has changed right here.

Picture (Henna)

Traditionally, Yemeni women apply henna patterns on their body (hands, arms) on the occasion of a wedding, etc. At the pro-President women sit-in I met a lady who had written on her hands, in henna, which means, "Ali and nobody else".

War Without Weapons

The domestic war of 1994 occurred a little before I got to Yemen, but according to the locals it was much less of a disaster than what has been happening over the past several months.

One of those locals told me, "In 1994, there was fighting for some weeks, but we never had a lack of anything and prices didn't increase either. What we're experiencing now is a war without weapons - all essential things are getting scarcer and scarcer and prices keep on going up daily. Moreover, we cannot find any more work. How long is it going to go on like this???"

It is also a 'war' without winners. According to economists, it will take the country at least ten years to get back to normal after all the problems have been solved.

Traditions Concerning Childbirth

A friend of mine had given birth to a baby-girl. When I visited her, her mother-in-law and another female family member were engaged in a loud discussion about applying kohl on the place of the eyebrows of the baby. The mother-in-law had done so, after which the other woman had taken it off. "It will cuase the eyebrows to be hairy," she said, "and that's not pretty for a girl."
"Nonsense," the mother-in-law replied. "We always apply kohl on the first day." She took the baby and did it again. The baby was then wrapped in a towel with a long piece of cloth - just like a little package.

My friend said nothing. That's how it goes - all the females have their own habits and the mother of the baby has no say in them.

I noticed a little scar next to the baby's nose. When the women had left the room, I asked, "What's that?"
"Oh, my mother-in-law pulled her nose a bit too roughly," she answered. Pulling the nose to shape it is another habit. She shrugged her shoulders. That's how it goes.

The food the new mother should eat is also prescribed by tradition. Chicken, fetta with samn (bread-pieces with butterfat), dates, and Yemeni coffee with ginger and other spices. My friend wasn't fond of the fetta but something else wouldn't be given to her, so she had no choice but to eat some.

The habit is that the 'waalidah' (the mother of the baby) stays in bed for 40 days. Every afternoon, neighbors, family, and friends come to visit, chat, and drink spiced coffee. Of course the new mother gets up in the morning and may do some housework when she feels strong enough, but in the afternoon, she needs to be under her blanket!

The baby is usually given a name one week after birth, following the sunneh (the way of Prophet Mohammed PBUH). But who should name the child? This is another cause for discussion.

My friend had a name in mind, but so did her husband, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and basically everybody else. So we'll have to wait and see whose voice will be heard!

A Women Sit-in

President Ali Abdullah Saleh is expected to make a media presentation very soon. He is also expected to be back in Yemen very soon. Many Yemenis are eagerly waiting for this moment. "When he's back, we'll celebrate!" say the women present at a women sit-in near al-Saba'een Square.

The initiative for this sit-in was taken by Najat, a young woman who is a member of the ruling party GPC and a professor at Sana'a University (see picture). Soon after Saleh was flown to Saudi Arabia to be treated for the wounds he got during an assassination attempt in the beginning of June, Najat got the idea that women should also voice their support for the President. From four women this gathering has now grown to many hundreds of participants.

There are older and younger women. Some chew qat, some of them bring their children. And the national TV now broadcasts daily a couple of hours from this location.

Umm Saleem is an old lady who loves the President dearly. "He has done so much for us - he has built schools, parks, roads. We don't want our country to be destroyed; we want stability and security. That's why I'm here."

Umm Abdul-Karim totally agrees. "My father and grandfather were great sheiks. But I was only allowed to study Quran - nothing else. Thanks to our President, my two daughters are now doctor and dentist. They've been given the opportunity to study and work."

"This is the first time we speak up," she continues. "We never went to the Friday demonstrations. But when our President was injured in the attack... we were really shocked. It went too far. Even in Palestine they don't attack mosques. So now we feel the need to show our support to the President. Inshallah he'll come back soon."

Salsabil, a young educated woman, is angry that Ali Abdullah Saleh is blamed for everything that goes wrong. "He's only a human being," she says. "When Saleh came to power, there were a lot of tribal problems in Yemen. He solved these. Then, in the 1990s, the economy of the whole world deteriorated. Then came the unification of North Yemen and South Yemen and in 1994, the domestic war to retain this unity. Of course this was bad for the economy of the country. Recently, we had the conflict with the Huthi's in the north. So many difficulties, which is why the country can hardly move forward. The past few months have had a negative impact as well. We cannot blame Saleh for all this."

"Moreover, we live in the 21st century. We have something that is called 'elections'. Isn't that democracy? The only way out of the problems are elections."

At the end of the afternoon, the women gather to shout some slogans. The TV camera records. "The people... want... Ali Abdullah Saleh!" after which the crowds disperse.

Great Times for Mechanics

These are great times for mechanics since the petrol from the black market (both the 'white' and the red petrol) sooner or later makes your car break down. This, because of additions to the petrol, like water, oil, or thinner. Owners of older cars, like myself, are lucky because the car won't stop working on the spot. New cars, however, are so sensitive that they do often stop working on the spot.
Yesterday, for example, a taxi-driver stranded without petrol. A helpful hand gave him just five liters of black market petrol to get to a gas station to line up. He only got as far as the end of the street and needed $150 to fix his car!
But what to do? There's no petrol at the petrol stations these days. Lines are growing and growing, but nobody knows if or when anything might arrive. It's a big problem.

Arabic Names

Here, people use their first name, then their father's name, then their grandfather's name (etc.), and then their family name, although it's often shortened to the first two names only. So, for example, your name could be Ali Ahmed Hassan al-Yemeni, or simply Ali Ahmed.

Women do the same, so don't be surprised to see a name like Fatima Ibrahim or so.

People with children often call themselves 'the father of so-and-so' or 'the mother of so-and-so', 'so-and-so' normally being the eldest son. E.g. Abu Sameer and Um Sameer.

The funny thing is that many people in the west are unaware of this. That's why President Ali Abdullah Saleh is usually called 'Saleh' in the media, while this is really his grandfather's name.

On the other hand, Um Sameer may be called 'Um', thinking this is a first name, while this actually simply means 'mother (of)'.

A Muslim in Holland

This is mainly - but of course not only - for the anonymous who posted a comment to my last blog post.

It's already a long time ago - before I came to Yemen. I spent a few months in Holland as a Muslim, wearing long skirts, wide blouses with long sleeves, and a headscarf. In those days, a native Dutch Muslim was exceptional and so people generally presumed I was from Turkey. This led to a communication barrier which was - according to my mood - funny or irritating.

I remember, for example, riding on a bus one day. The middle-aged man next to me started pointing to the sky, and in baby-language he said something like, "Look! Clouds. Maybe rain."
He undoubtedly tried to be nice to the 'Turkish immigrant' next to him and to not hurt his feelings, I played the game and mumbled some baby-language back.
"In your country sun," he said.
"Yes, my country sun," I replied.

At the supermarket, the cashier never even tried to say a word to me, and even the friendly phrases "Thank you. Have a nice day" were omitted.

One of the most hostile encounters I had at the bank. I had called the bank to ask about exchanging some foreign currencies. They told me to come. But when I proceeded to the teller, I was harshly told that they didn't exchange anything.
"But over the phone I was told..."
I was ignored. As simply as that. I was unwelcome in my own country.

Surely, over the course of fifteen years many things have changed. There are more Dutch Muslims now and people have heard more about Islam. But still I hear that life for Muslims is not always easy. Difficulties getting a job because of a headscarf, difficulties in raising your kids the way you want. Certain political leaders who try to spark hatred towards Muslims.

Although no place on earth is perfect, I prefer being a foreigner in an Islamic country to being a foreigner in my native country.

Comments are welcome!

Picture (Waiting for Petrol)

Another day of waiting for petrol...
The petrol stations are guarded by armed policemen these days to ensure a safe process of filling up your car!

Price Increases

Today the exchange rate of the dollar is 237 rials. The reason for the fluctuation is, according to the money changer, either Obama or Ali Abdullah Saleh. Whatever the news is has an effect on the rate. I don't really get the point on how this works, but well.

What we do notice is that prices keep going up. To give you some examples:
0.25 liter of pasteurized milk now costs 90 rials (was 70 last week).
One candle is 50 rials (was 20).
10 kg. of sugar costs around 2,800 rials (used to be 2000)
750 ml. of mineral water is now 60 rials (was 50 last week)
A bus ride is already 50 rials...

This is difficult for many people, especially because prices don't normally go down again after they've been increased.

Summer Vacation

The summer vacation is near; end-of-year exams for primary school students are held this or next week, depending on the school. Higher classes need a little more patience since their exams follow the young ones. And what do Yemenis generally do in the summer vacation? Nothing special. Some may pay a visit to their village in the countryside for a little while, but many people don't have the opportunity to go anywhere. Going abroad is something that only the upper-class can afford, and almost all Yemenis have never left their country. Isn't it like this in most places around the world (except the west)? Some parents send their kids to a place to study Quran or English. for a couple of hours a day. However, most kids simply play a lot or help their parents in and around the house.

Report from Saba News

I had to smile after reading this report from Saba News, and that's why I publish it here.

Official source denies president's family move to Abu Dhabi

[12/June/2011]
SANA’A, June 12 (Saba)- An official source has dismissed as baseless the false claims and void fabrications published by the Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper on the family members of President Ali Abdullah Saleh moving to the UAE capital Abu Dhabi.

The source confirmed that none of the president's family members - whether sons, grandsons, or others - have left Yemen.

The source considered that the news published by the aforementioned newspaper is the result of the hallucinations of the newspaper's reporter, who did not find anything to report to the newspaper so he created false and untrue stories that are a figment of his imagination.

Divorce in Islam

Like everywhere else, divorce rates in Yemen are increasing.

Some people ascribe this phenomenon to the fact that the newly-weds often don't know each other. Some boys only see the girl's face for the first time on their wedding day. However, this is a local custom and not an Islamic one, for in Islam the boy who proposes marriage to a girl is allowed to see her. Moreover, this custom has existed for a long time, so it'd be strange to ascribe the increasing divorce rates to it.

Others say that divorce nowadays may be caused by women working outside the house without a financial need to do so. She may, therefore, not be a good housewife, or the husband may get jealous. On the other hand, highly-educated women may ask for a divorce sooner than their uneducated sisters because they are able to provide for themselves. You could hardly find highly-educated women in the past.

Whatever the reasons may be, let me discuss in short how divorce works in Islam. The husband can divorce his wife simply by saying, "You are divorced," or something similar. He can still make this undone, though, if he feels he acted wrongly or hastily. Within three menstrual periods, he can take his wife back without the need for a new marriage contract or dower. This is the case after the first two times he pronounces divorce. After the third time, the couple is divorced irrevocably.

What many outsiders don't know is that the wife can also request divorce, but, unlike the husband, she must have a good reason to do so. A good reason could be, for example, that her husband doesn't spend on her, that he behaves in an un-Islamic manner, or simply that she can't stand him. If the husband agrees to her request and divorces her, the divorce occurs. If not, she can go to court and have a judge separate them. This is called khul'a. The wife should give back her dower in return for an irrevocable divorce.

Daily Life (Fridays)

Friday is the Eid of the Muslims. Until recently, it used to be a quiet day for most Yemenis. This was before they had to drive from their homes in the country to the capital Sanaa or their own city for some sort of demonstration.

It is sunneh (i.e. a good Islamic practice) for men to take a shower on Friday morning, wear clean clothes and some perfume, and then go to the mosque at noon (this is not sunneh, but obligatory) to listen to the sermon of the imam and pray in congregation.

Many Yemenis appreciate a special lunch on Friday, with meat or bint-as-sahn, some kind of pastry with honey. After that, they often meet at qat-chews.

But although Friday is like Eid, this doesn't mean that one can't work. People who are their own boss, such as shopkeepers, bus drivers, or builders, often work at least half the day. For government employees, both Thursdays and Fridays are weekend, except for teachers, who work on Thursdays, too.

Gunshots out of Joy

Last night we were woken up by gunshots that came from each and every direction; from very close-by to further away. It lasted for about two hours in a row. I didn't quite understand this chaotic shooting until I was called by a friend. I was told that news had reached us that the surgeries of the President in Saudi Arabia had been successful and that these shots were to express the joy of the population!

Vreugde-Schoten (in het NLs)

Gisteravond laat werd ik wakker geschudt door geweervuur, even na half elf 's avonds. Het kwam al gauw uit alle richtingen. Pistolen, mitrailleurs - dichtbij, verderweg. Ik keek uit het raam en zag roodgekleurde kogels alle richtingen uitschieten.

Natuurlijk dacht ik dat een algehele oorlog was uitgebroken. Maar ook leek het zo ongecontroleerd dat ik het niet echt begreep. KAH-BOEM! TATATATATA! Het hield maar liefst twee uur aan - aan een stuk.

Er was uiteraard geen electriciteit om de radio te beluisteren, dus ik besloot dat doorslapen de beste optie was. Rond twee uur 's nachts werd ik wakker gebeld door een kennis, die dacht dat ik me vast zorgen maakte en uitlegde wat er aan de hand was.

"De operaties van de president zijn geslaagd en hij is van de intensive care af. De mensen vierden vanavond feest."

Vierden FEEST?!

Tja, typisch Jemenitisch als je erbij nadenkt. Er is geen huishouden zonder wapen in dit land dus iedereen kon gezellig meedoen. Zelfs de vredelievende zoon van een vriendin zei later dat hij zijn vader's pistool maar eens had uitgeprobeerd.

Sommige buren waren van schrik naar de kelder gevlucht, terwijl anderen al qat-kauwend van het 'vuurwerk' genoten hadden. En mij gaf het de gelegenheid om mijn persoonlijke 'paniek-meter' eens af te lezen. Viel best mee.

Tips for a Life Without Electricity

No electricity means no fridge. But you can cool water easily by wrapping a mineral water bottle in a piece of cloth, wet it, and put it in an open window where the wind blows, preferably on the north side of the house. Within an hour or two it's refreshingly cool to drink.

Of course, you shouldn't cook more than you need for a meal, since the food will go off quickly without a fridge.

A real old-fashioned oil lamp gives more light than candles. Just make sure you don't use it in the bedroom (because of the smell), or have a small window open for fresh air.



I nearly forgot... always put the little box of matches in the same place so that you don't have to look for them with your torch with nearly flat batteries...

And... sleep early and get up early, too!

Power Cuts and Petrol

We had, to our big surprise, two days of electricity - with only minor power cuts (minor means a couple of hours at a time, a few times a day).
It was almost too much; I checked all the websites on the Internet I needed to check, did some laundry, recharged my cell phone, the kids watched cartoons, and the water heater heated up. After all that we felt we could do without again for a bit :) ... And indeed, last night around 6:45 pm, it went off again - and it stayed off. Marib again.

What we do have today is petrol, though. Loooooong lines, obviously, after more than a week without, but hey, no problem! Pure, pinkish-red petrol for only 1500 rials per 20 liter!