The Holy Month of Ramadan, is connected with many traditions that started a long time ago, and expanded worldwide later, as a symbol of celebrating and welcoming the Holy Month with joy and happiness. The Ramadan Cannon is one of those traditions inherited from the past, and still in use to announce that it is time to break one’s fast, although the availability of modern technologies could do this task. As with many other Ramadan traditions, there are many stories associated with the original use of a cannon to announce Iftar timing.
The first story says that the Egyptian Governor during the Ikhshidid dynasty, ‘Khosh’qadam’, was trying a new cannon which was gifted to him by the other governor at the sunset of a Ramadan day, and at the same time the governor’s guests were arriving to his palace to greet him on the first day of Ramadan. Those guests were so happy and thanked him for his innovative idea of using the cannon to announce the Iftar time. The Governor was pleased to hear about their happiness, so he ordered the cannon to be used twice a day during Ramadan, to notify people about fasting time before sunrise and breaking the fast at sunset.
Another story assumed that the use of Ramadan cannon started when Mohammed Ali Pasha, Ruler of Egypt, was keen to empower the Egyptian army by providing modern weapons to protect the country. One day, his army chief was trying a new cannon at sunset during Ramadan, when people heard the sound of the cannon. They thought that this was a new way to announce Iftar time and were so pleased. When the Ruler heard the people’s feedback, he ordered the use of the cannon during Ramadan and also during Eid Al Fitr. Nowadays, many Arab countries still use the cannon at sunset during Ramadan to announce Iftar time. The use of the cannon during Ramadan has become a special occasion that fills Muslims with love, warmth and blessings.
