The free meals provided nightly by Cairo's wealthy in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan have set off a religious debate. The issue: Can a poor man fill his stomach from the earnings of a belly dancer?
The question is shaking up the Muslim establishment because belly dancing, while an Egyptian tradition like the "merciful banquets" thrown for the poor to break the daily fast, is deemed sinful by Muslim authorities.Some Islamic scholars say it is forbidden to take food from those with tainted income. Others ask how the poor - in need of a meal - are supposed to know who foots the bill. The issue is being debated daily in newspapers and at religious meetings.
The debate started, in part, because a famous belly dancer sponsors one of the huge outdoor banquets that are spread along Cairo's streets. Others with sinful incomes also are believed to be anonymous providers of "merciful" meals.