Fuel subsidies

Last week, fuel at the pump nearly dubbled in price.  A liter of petrol now costs nearly $1, and that in a country where 40% of the population has less than $2 a day to spend! Many people already had a hard time surviving before this happened, so how about now? Because when fuel goes up, all prices go up, including food, water, and public transportation fares.
The price increase happened during the Eid holidays, when lots of people are out of the city. But people are angry, of course, and it might be that they won't quietly accept this.

Electricity - or Living Without it

The other day I came across a couple of websites of Americans who have chosen to live without electricity. Apart from the question how they can post blogposts without electricity, I think this is great! These people grew up with fridges, washing machines, and TVs, and are now convinced that life without them is more relaxing.
In Yemen, many people live (partly) without electricity, but they don't do this out of conviction. They wish there were no power-cuts, and whoever can afford it uses a generator. Some people even convert their fridges to be used with a gas-cylinder to keep them going.
I don't mean to say that one way of life is better than the other - there is absolutely nothing wrong with sensible use of electricity - but it should make us think about things that are truly important. Like one of the websites stated: Mankind was able to survive without electricity for thousands of years, so why are we so dependent upon it now? Independence means to be able to survive without electricity and to have the knowledge to do this - even if you happen to live in a place where you don't have to worry about the power-supply.
Isn't that inspiring?

Yemeni Women

Sometimes I am asked how women live in this country. This isn't an easy question because there are huge differences in lifestyle among Yemeni women. Women in the countryside (which is where the majority of people live) are usually uneducated but have a lot of knowledge that city-women lack. Think of agriculture and the keeping of goats, chickens, cows, sheep, or even bees (depending on the area). They often know about herbs and their medicinal qualities, can make ghee out of milk by hand, and can manage perfectly well without electricity. They work hard, these village-women, because there's always plenty to do.
City-women, on the other hand, depend greatly on electrical appliances in their housework, like washing-machines, water-heaters, or mixers in the kitchen. They don't have to bake bread every day since it's sold at the shop around the corner. They don't need to get water at the pump or firewood. Therefore, they have much more free time, which they spend watching TV, attending wedding-parties, or chewing qat. Rich families may have maids to do the housework, which gives the women even more spare time.
Some city-women, especially the younger generation, study or work - mainly in education and medicine. There are many female doctors, dentists, and nurses, for example. There are also some centers for adult-education, where women may learn how to read and write, memorize Quran, or learn how to sew.
In short, it is impossible to talk about 'the' Yemeni woman. The place of residence, level of education, and financial situation greatly influence their life-style.

Yemeni Proverb (2)

إذا صلحت النية صلح العمل

When the intention is good, the work will be good

Yemeni Proverb

إذا زادت الشدة قرب الفراج

When the crisis increases, the solution is near

Eid Mubarak

Eid again - this time really for the Muslims who went on hajj. Nevertheless, the other people celebrate, too: sheep are slaughtered, new clothes are worn, and people get together. Let's not forget that Eid is not just having a few days off, but it's all about the remembrance of Allah as well: It was narrated that the Prophet, , said: "The Day of ‘Arafah, the Day of Nahr and the Days of Mina (i.e. the Days of Tashreeq) are days of festivity for us, Muslims. They are days for eating, drinking and remembering Allaah." [Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa’i and Ibn Maajah] [At-Tirmithi: Saheeh]
  
Repeating Takbeer starts from the night of ‘Eed, and lasts throughout the Days of Tahsreeq and ends with the sunset of the 14^th of Thul-Hijjah.

The manner of Takbeer is to say: Allaahu Akbar (Allaah is The Greatest), Allaahu Akbar,  La ilaaha illallaah (None is worthy of worship except Allaah), wa Allaahu Akbar, Allaahu Akbar, wa Lillaahil-Hamd (Praise is due to Allaah).

 

Power Cuts?

We have no power cuts these days but rather non-power cuts. The electricity may come for ten minutes or so every now and then but that's about it. I admit, we've gotten used to it, so it doesn't bother me too much. It may bother shopkeeprs that all frozen foods have gone off and Internet cafe owners that they have to run the generator all the time, but having no electricity can have some advantages, too. People get to do other things than watch TV all day, for example. Indeed, we should always look at things from the positive side :)

Early Marriage

Whoever follows news on Yemen will regularly come past an article about early marriage. Some call it child marriage. According to Human Rights Watch, some 14% of Yemeni girls marries before the age of 15, and about half before the age of 18. Activists now want a law that sets the minimum age for marriage at 18.

However, this may not be right for everyone in this country. True, to marry off a girl that is herself still a child is, at least, questionable. But why not set the minimum age at 15 or 16? Think about the countryside, where more than 70% of the Yemenis live. People there tend sheep, plant grains, coffee, or qat, gather fire-wood, milk their cows, etc. etc. Activists say that girls who marry early are deprived of education. But do farmers really need a secondary school education? Or is basic education sufficient for their lives? And anyway, most village children don't even have access to a secondary school. So, if a girl of 15 or 16 is mature enough to help run a household, why wouldn't she get married?

Things may be different in the city, but we should still keep in mind that people should have freedom in their personal lives. Moreover, if the minimum age were set at 15 or 16, this doesn't mean that the girl cannot marry at age 18 or older! The law should only aim at avoiding harm, and leave the rest up to the people themselves.

-----

... and what is a child anyway? When I was 15, I worked as a cashier in a supermarket on weekends. And in those days, that was an accurate job since bar codes were not yet used. I was not the only young cashier - there were about eight of us. The bread and meat sections were also staffed by high school students. In fact, the whole supermarket was runned by 15 - 17 year-olds on weekends. Would they have agreed on this had we been 'children' in the true sense of the word? Of course not! It shows that a 15 - 17 year-old can take on responsibilities. 

I am obviously not trying to say that all girls should marry before they are 18. Some may not be ready for it. But some others might be - and that's a personal choice.

Recipe (Shafoot)

Most families here eat shafoot during Ramadhan because of its refreshing taste, but it can also be served during the rest of the year. It consists of lehoh (a sort of pancake), yoghurt, and zahaweq.

How to prepare:
1. Elsewhere on this blog you can find the recipe for zahaweq. Mix this with yoghurt and a little water so that it is not too thick. A small dish of shafoot requires approx. 200 ml. yoghurt. Keep the mixture refrigerated until no. 4 below.
for the lehoh:
2.  Mix two parts of white flour and one part of millet ('dukhn' in Arabic). Add a pinch of salt and  a little yeast. Knead a dough with lukewarm water and then add more water to make it really liquid. Cover for a couple of hours. When it is rather 'bubbly' it is ready to use.
3. In a non-stick (TEFAL) frying pan, pour some of the watery dough. Don't add any oil. If you can cover the frying pan well, you don't have to turn the lehoh over. If not, you should. Repeat until you've used all the dough.
4. Put a piece of lehoh on a plate. Pour half the yoghurt/zahaweq mixture over it. Then put another piece of lehoh on top and pour over the rest of the mixture (if the plate is very small, you can use three pieces of lehoh instead of two). Decorate with a little salad in the middle.

Notes:
- You should prepare the last step (no. 4) right before serving. If you do this too early, it becomes soggy.
- If you can't find millet, you can use wholemeal flour instead. Your lehoh will miss the typical taste the 'dukhn' gives it, though.
- Lehoh is best eaten the day it's made.

Eid Mubarak!

The whole country will have at least a week's holiday. Everything (except some shops) will be closed, many people travel to their villages, and others to the coast. So whoever stays behind can enjoy an empty and quiet city for some days, inshallah!

Ramadhan (Laylat-ul-Qadr)

An Islamic day ends at the time of maghrib (sunset), so a new day then starts. That means that after maghrib on a Thursday, it is the 'night of Friday'. Why I am writing this? Because I was myself unaware of this for a long time, while it is very important in case of Laylat-ul-Qadr ('Night of Decree') - the most important night of Ramadhan.

"Seek out Laylat-ul-Qadr in the odd nights of the last ten days of Ramadhan," the Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said. In order to do so, one must know that after having fasted the 24th day of Ramadhan, for example, the night of the 25th has started, so that is one of the times you may seek out Laylat-ul-Qadr.

Laylat-ul-Qadr is better than a thousand months (Quran, surat ul-Qadr), and it is recommended that the Muslim stand in prayer during this night out of faith and hoping for a great reward. If he does this, Allah may forgive his previous sins. It is also recommended to supplicate a great deal in it. It is reported from Aishah (the wife of the Prophet (PBUH) that she said: "O Messenger of Allah! What if I knew which night Laylat-ul-Qadr was, then what should I say in it?" He said, "Say: O Allah you are the one who pardons greatly, and loves to pardon, so pardon me".

Ramadhan (Changing Schedules)

It's amazing how the Yemenis completely change their daily schedules during Ramadhan, and from the very first day! As soon as the beginning of the month is announced, they prepare themselves to stay up all night so that they can sleep the whole morning next day - or longer. A few active employees may go to work somewhere towards the end of the morning, but 99% of the shops and workplaces remain closed until after the noon prayer - at least. Consequently, mornings are beautifully quiet during this month, and it's certainly worth getting up early to experience the city being almost totally empty!

Ramadhan (another hadith)

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "There are two pleasures for the person observing fast: one at the time of iftar (breaking his fast), and the other at the time when he meets his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting." (Bukhari)

Ramadhan (hadith)

Allah's Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said: "He who fasts but does not shun away from evil or falsified statements and bad acting, Allah, the Almighty is in no need for such a person to quit his food and drink."  (Bukhari)

Ramadhan Kareem

Allah's Messenger (PBUH) said: "Whoever observes fasts during the month of Ramadhan out of sincere faith, and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven" (Bukhari)

Recipe (Sweet Vermicelli)

This very easy to make vermicelli is accompanied by rice to give it a special taste.
1. Put the vermicelli in a cooking pot without oil or anything. Heat it up over a low heat, stirring almost constantly, until it has become brown.
2. Then add enough water to cover the vermicelli. Add some spoonfuls of sugar (the cooking water should taste pretty sweet).
3. Let simmer until cooked. Drain. Serve the rice with the sweet vermicelli on top.

Ramadhan (kids 2)

Ramadhan is coming again; another two-and-a-half weeks or so and we'll be fasting, inshallah! I've looked on the Internet a bit and found this 'ibadah tracker' where kids can check the things they did each day (fasting, praying, memorizing Quran, etc.). I thought it looked nice:

http://islamicbulletinboards.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/ramdan-ibadah-tracker-olders.pdf

The Yemeni 'Azmeh'

More than a year after Abdu-Rabo Mansour Hadi became the new president of the country, you would think that the 'azmeh' (the unpleasant side-effects of the uprising, to formulate it simply) had finished. Unfortunately, this is not completely the case. Yes, petrol and diesel are available again, but the prices are extraordinarily high. In fact, all prices are still very high - although foreign currencies have dropped again. We also still experience major power cuts pretty regularly - in which we are without electricity for most of the day. And the number of roadblocks where soldiers search cars for weapons seems to be increasing instead of decreasing, giving citizens the feeling that safety has not yet been restored. Whatever the case, life goes on. It needs time for things to get back to normal.

Cows

The way of life in the Yemeni countryside still involves a lot of old, practical customs. Since many people live far from markets or shops, many villagers own at least one cow so that they are always assured of fresh milk and ghee. The women make ghee by pushing back and forth a special jar for this purpose that hangs from the ceiling and contains the cow's milk. In less than half an hour they have the milk changed into 'baladi' ghee which gives food in the countryside its special taste. Even the cow's dung is not wasted but put in the sun to dry (see picture), to use it in the wood-ovens. No wonder that a cow is a precious possession for any villager!

Picture (Truck 4)