Standing in a supermarket queue to buy household needs is unbearable in the days before Ramadan. Lines increase in length, and shops crowd with loaded carts, in a buying rush that takes Egyptians by storm.

And, although Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink, smoke, and sex from dawn till sunset for 30 days of the holy month, somewhat paradoxically, consumption drastically increases. In fact, regretfully Ramadan has become the month of highest consumption throughout the Muslim world. The holy month is synonymous with lavish spending, as Muslims are drugged by chasing commercials.

Ramadan and food

To compensate for the increased market demands, certain usual business habits characterize Ramadan’s preparation. Food factories work with full capacity and most supermarkets provide special offers for certain products, to further increase selling. That’s apart from the almost daily family gatherings, which are another way to spend more and more on luxury.

As a result, price hikes have also become a standard attribute of the holy month in Egypt. And despite the government promises to stabilize market prices, the Egyptian economy goes into a loop of inflation and recession. Hence, the price increases.

Egypt noticed a new trend this year when a famous retail chain offered food supplies on installments, claiming this method makes necessary purchases more feasible.

Ramadan and Television

In Ramadan, people’s lifestyle changes and the TV becomes a virtual member of the family. Ramadan is, therefore, appropriately regarded as the most important time of the year for TV channels’ advertisement revenues. Fierce competition takes place between channels, as families routinely gather in the evenings to watch big-budget dramas and comedies.

Some argue, for example, there are 150 TV series produced in Egypt this season alone, totaling a production value of LE750 million. Seventy other TV shows are produced with another LE50 million.

Some analysts argue Egypt is one of the fastest-growing advertising markets in the world. Companies target consumers in a way very similar to advertising campaigns during holiday seasons in the West. Because of the increased TV series supply and advertising activity, the holy month alone claims 25 percent of the yearly revenue for some TV channels. This may be the reason Tarek Nour, owner of an advertising agency, launched his TV channel “Cairo and People” last year to broadcast only in Ramadan.

Ramadan, spirituality and charity

Many people fear that, between high food consumption and gathering every night to watch TV, Ramadan may be lost in essence. However, a simple walk through the streets of Cairo after iftar, at the time of Taraweeh prayers, may prove otherwise. While youth race to finish reading the full Quran, others race to perform excess prayers or engage in charity activities.

Charity is yet another main aspect of Ramadan. It comes in the form of tents packed with food for people to have free iftar every day, or collected donations by philanthropists. The individuals then buy as much of the traditional food supply as their collection coffers allow and distribute them freely among the poor in slums and distant governorates. The allocations come in a package that’s been known as the “Ramadan Bag.” The “Bag” is intended to be sufficient for an average family for the 30 days of Ramadan with the basics of day-to-day meals, such as sugar, rice, oil, and legumes.

Though such forms of charity are a way to help the poor enjoy the month as much as the others, price increases limit the quantity or the quality of the bags. Ironically, as well, the charity campaigns assist in nationwide prices hikes.

With all these different forms of consuming, some people describe Ramadan as 30 continuous days of festive Christmas Eves, with all its giving, sharing, and, of course, consuming.

By the end of his live interview with “Al-Ashera Masa’an” talk show host Mona El-Shazli a little over a week ago, the official Facebook group supporting Dr Mohamed ElBaradei for presidency in 2011 had shot up from around 40,000 to 71,000 members. Less than a day later, it went up to 86,000.

Roughly 40 million Egyptians watched this interview, and the massive effect it had on youth is undeniable. After almost three decades under the same president, Egyptians are in dire need of change. ElBaradei embodies that change. Through him, change can happen if (and only if) everybody works with him. Suddenly it feels that Egypt is no longer owned by a single ruling party and its governing elites.

Most of comments on ElBaradei’s Facebook group are by Egyptians both inside and outside Egypt, expressing support for ElBaradei or trying to find creative ways to spread his vision to the off-line community. The rapid increase in the number of comments is incredible, and can only be compared to the April 6 Facebook group that called for a day of civil disobedience in 2008.

What’s different this time is that the campaign is more mature, with important variables in the equation. Here we have a highly respected symbol to rally around, supported by intellectuals mobilizing a serious campaign despite the stagnant political climate. For the first time in many decades, Egyptians of various orientations are gathering around one person.

ElBaradei’s focus on youth was shrewd because it’s their support he needs the most. In the interview he scored points when he mentioned that he follows their work on YouTube and Facebook, and that he sympathized with the two young men who were temporarily detained while preparing for his welcome. He also apologized for not being able to give a speech immediately after his return as planned, all of which deepened the feeling of respect towards him.

While some compared ElBaradei to US President Barack Obama, others compared him to Mahatma Gandhi or Egyptian nationalist leader Saad Zaghloul. However, some are skeptical, especially that he declared that he is not after the presidency and that he will not set up a new political party. Many of the criticism directed towards him revolved around these points, as well as the fact that he has lived almost half of his life abroad, raising questions over his familiarity with the current situation in Egypt.

ElBaradei is only calling for constitutional reform to guarantee that any capable Egyptian would have an equal opportunity to run in the elections, isn’t this what everybody else is calling for?

But despite the fact that free and fair elections are the pillars of a true democracy, calling for them remains risky.

One can never measure the success of a campaign by the number of members joining a Facebook group. Egyptians are known for being an emotional nation, yet there have been no popular uprisings in Egypt since 1977 against raised bread prices.

ElBaradei highlighted this apathy in the TV interview, when he said that after years of living under a dictatorship, Egyptians can no longer make the connection between their deteriorating social conditions and the need for real political reform, which is the real challenge.

His words have set the wheels of change in motion with loud and determined voices appearing in the independent media, and Egyptians everywhere, on the streets, in offices and buses discussing the possibilities of change.

To keep the momentum of what ElBaradei has started, the following points need to be addressed: First there is a need for proper organization for those who want to help but have no idea how to do so. Joining a Facebook group is only the first step, it can’t be the last; otherwise they will continue to remain as scattered and random as previous groups.

Second, ElBaradei must start presenting a specific vision. Naturally it’s too soon to ask him for an electoral program, but he still needs to make his vision clear in people’s minds. He needs to answer the urgent question: “What are the steps he will take to change the constitution?”

Third, the most trusted intellectuals have to show their full support for ElBaradei and through their networks, they will help him spread his message to a wider base of Egyptians.

I will conclude with the words of political scientist Hassan Nafa’a in an article commenting on the popular reception of ElBaradei at the airport two weeks ago.

“Yesterday at Cairo Airport I saw Egypt voting for a new third way … aiming for complete democratization based on citizenship and separation of powers, transparency and the rule of law… a democratic system which allows anybody, whatever their status, to practice their rights. Basically the freedom to vote for whoever they want under judicial supervision.

“And because those movements found in Dr ElBaradei the right person to lead the much needed transition period to make this system reachable, they decided to receive him at the airport, hoping that he will march them towards democracy.

“Does Dr ElBaradei understand the difficulty of the mission which fate set out for him? And the other question is: Is he capable to handle this mission? This is what time will answer, but I think that we should all give him a hand. Are we ready?”