Cairo's Drug Culture: Part 2 - The Hashish Dilemma

Hashish is the compressed resin of the cannabis plant that a lot of Egyptians are very fond of. The subtle yet distinct smell of its smoke can reach ones nose in the most unexpected of places. From the narrow streets of Old Cairo to the lush offices of busy business districts, hashish is popular within all circles and social strata. It would not be strange to see a tok-tok driver holding a joint between his thumb and finger while whizzing through traffic in Imbaba, or even to be offered one at an acquaintance's home, if you have a relaxed and easygoing demeanor, typical of most young Egyptian males.

Hashish is usually sold in the form of fingers, with one being called a 'kersh' or 'coin' amongst other nicknames derived from historical usage when it was sold more openly using weights and scales.

Although the history of hashish use in Egypt dates as far back as 2000BC, it's first documented use as a spirituous and inebriating substance was in the 12th century, during the Ayyubid era, when the Sufi order has made it's way from Syria to Egypt, bringing along the use of hashish for spiritual purposes. Since then, hashish has been a part of the Egyptians' everyday life, with many failed attempts at eradicating it by the Turks (Ottoman Emir Soudoun Scheikhouni issued one of the first edicts against the eating of hashish in 1378), as well as the French (Napoleon Bonaparte prohibited the use of cannabis in 1798).

Many of those who lived under deceased president Anwar El-Sadat's rule during the 70s would readily claim it was the golden era for hashish. With hashish being sold by the kilogram, just as fruits and vegetables are being sold these days, and the president's alleged affection for it, the public perception then was very different than it is now. El-Batiniyah (a district in Cairo) was known to house the market for hashish during that time.

Granting the perception of hashish is different now than it was then, it is considered more of a 'naughty' thing to do, with a few winks fluttering either way. The criminality of possessing a small amount is only significant if you are caught with it, and you don't appeal too well to the police. This would mean that you're chances of getting out of it are better if you come from a respectable background, rather than, for example, one riddled with a history of crime. However, the authorities are hard to predict in Egypt.

The unpredictability of the authorities has been displayed many times before, with large crackdowns and drug busts over the past few years. But some claim it has never been as bad as it is now, in 2010. With the prices of hashish quadrupling virtually overnight, it was clear something has changed. Rather than reason with the fact that the police have basically done their job well over the past few months, many Egyptians theorize different stories to explain the drought in the hashish industry. Some have even claimed the police have gathered all the hashish so they can reintroduce it before the 2011 elections, ultimately intoxicating the electorate. 

Whether true or not, the history of hashish in Egypt is an interesting one, and as long time moves forward, more history will be made.

The Lady's Admirers

Cairo's nights are long, especially in the summer. Even though the street lampposts hardly emit much light, if at all, the shops and restaurants brighten the streets with their own lights, bustle, and smells. This is quite evident in Sayeda Zeinab and its surrounding areas. An old part of Cairo, where many generations have lived, it contains the Sayeda Zeinab Mosque, named after the Prophet Mohammed's daughter. She came to Egypt seeking refuge after her brother Hussein was killed. Her body is entombed inside the mosque, and many Egyptians visit it seeking her blessings. As breathtaking as that experience can be, it is not why my friends and I decided to pop down to Sayeda Zeinab for a night out.

 A young restaurant cook prepares traditional Egyptian Hawawshi and Tajen as takeaway.

We shimmied through Sayeda Zeinab's back streets in my friend's small white Fiat 128. Although the car is of Italian make, most residents would agree, it is one of the most prominent Egyptian symbols of our era. With a rattle or a squeak punctuating the guided tour of Sayeda Zeinab my friend was giving, I marveled at the old stone buildings, with many abandoned and neglected relics of Cairo's past in full but sorry display, such as the old Sufi building Sabeel Um Abbass where the Sufi order provided shelter and food to those who needed it in the past, and the former main Cairo gaol call Kism Al-Khalifa, where prisoners from all over Egypt were sent to be processed before moving them to their respective sites. All that remains of it now is a partially operational monster of a stone building with rusted metal bars still holding firm over many of its windows.

Customers line up waiting for their Mombar orders.

We parked next to the restaurant we would be dining at, Habayeb El-Set, one of the many in the area that provide a cuisine uniquely Egyptian, such as Mombar, which are basically rice and herbs stuffed into intestines, as well as Fatet Kaware', which are a rice dish and sheep knuckles. Other famous restaurants in the area include Al-Rakeeb, which provides a similar menu to Habayeb El-Set, Al-Gahsh, a famous foul and ta'miya cart, Al-Refa'i, a kofta and kebab restaurant frequented by famous people, and Booha, a restaurant famous for its Sogo' Balady, an Egyptian sausage containing a mix of herbs, meat and wheat kernels.


After finishing our meals, we headed to Al-Rahmany, a shop on the road leading to Al-Nasriya, serving a special kind of thick drink brewed from rice. They come in two forms called El-Helw (Sweet) and El-Mizez (Sour). I personally prefer the latter which has a tangy flavor accentuated by the cinnamon sprinkled on top. It comes in a small cup, but is definitely filling, as its consistency is similar to that of syrup.

Men of all ages congregate and socialise on roadside coffee shops such as this one.

The night came to a close amidst the chatter and laughter of customers in a coffee shop directly in the middle of Sayeda Zeinab, with wooden chairs arranged on the pavement of the main street next to the area's police station. As the lights went off shop by shop in anticipation of sunrise, I realized that Sayeda Zeinab is a spiritual, historical, and gastronomical experience that can't be missed by anyone visiting or residing in Cairo.