''Fawazeer Ramadan'' (, alternately romanized as ''Fawazir'') was an Egyptian radio and television show that was broadcast throughout the month of

Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...

. The show was most successful from 1975 to 1995, and it featured riddles, acting scenes and elaborately choreographed dance routines. Viewers could solve the riddles at the end of the month to win prizes. The show was discontinued with the advent of larger selections of programming choices through services such as

satellite television Satellite television is a service that delivers television programming to viewers by relaying it from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth directly to the viewer's location.ITU Radio Regulations, Section IV. Radio Stations and Systems ...

. There was also a feeling among conservatives that the program featured too much sensuality and dancing.

History

The series began in 1961 as an Egyptian radio show titled ''As the Saying Goes'', hosted by Amal Fahmi. In 1967, ''Fawazeer Ramadan'' was first broadcast on television. The word ''fawazeer'' () means 'riddles'; every day during the month of Ramadan, an episode of the show was broadcast, ending with a riddle. The answers to the 30 riddles were not revealed until the end of Ramadan; viewers could win prizes by solving them. Most of the content of ''Fawazeer Ramadan'' consisted of "fantastical" musical narratives from Arab history, which included elaborately choreographed dance routines reminiscent of

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...

, with belly dancing and extravagant costumes. Episodes began with a dance sequence, followed by a riddle and dramatic scenes. The show also featured cartoon characters. ''Fawazeer Ramadan'' became very popular, and a staple of Ramadan. Its most successful period lasted from 1975, when

Nelly Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (born November 2, 1974), better known by his stage name Nelly, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and embarked on his musical career in 1993 as a member of the Midwest hip hop g ...

started appearing on the show, to 1995. The addition of

Sherihan Sherihan Ahmed Abdel Fattah el Shalakani (, ; born 6 December 1964) is an Egyptian actress, singer and classically trained dancer. Biography Sherihan started acting at the age of four. She is mostly known for Fawazir Ramadan. She retired in 200 ...

in 1985 further increased ''Fawazeer Ramadan''s following. Sherihan's appearances, in particular, had a strong impact on the culture of the Arabic-speaking world. Many other prominent Egyptian actors and entertainers also appeared on the show, including

Fouad el-Mohandes Fouad Zaki El Mohandes ; known as Fouad El Mohandes (or Fuad el-Mohandess; ; September 6, 1924 – September 16, 2006) was an Egyptian stage and screen actor, and star from the 1950s specializing mostly in comedy roles in dozens of theater, ci ...

and the Tholathy Adwa'a El Masrah trio. Aspiring actresses found exposure participating in the dance sequences. Partially due to criticism of ''Fawazeer Ramdan'' as being too secular—some specifically objected to its inclusion of sensuality and dancing—the show was discontinued. The proliferation of

and the large amount of programming that it offered was also a factor in ''Fawazeer Ramadan''s demise.

Legacy

Despite criticism of ''Fawazeer Ramadan''s "ridiculous visual effects and gaudy costumes", the show evokes nostalgia in many Muslims. '' The National'' opined that "TV binge-watching started at the end of the 1970s and the early 1980s... when ''Fawazeer Ramadan'' began to appear on television." ''Fawazeer Cassette'', which debuted in 2022 and reprises skits and riddles from ''Fawazeer Ramadan'', was described by ''Jordan News'' as a "nostalgic Ramadan tribute to a great era". In the vein of ''Fawazeer Ramadan'',

Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ) is an American automobile division of the manufacturer General Motors (GM). In North America, Chevrolet produces and sells a wide range of vehicles, from subcompact automobiles to medium-duty commercial trucks. Due to the promi ...

Arabia has run advertisements which, instead of featuring cars, pose riddles to the viewer.

References

{{Portal bar, Islam, Television, Egypt, border=yes Egyptian television series Ramadan special television shows