The holy month of Ramadan has unique spiritual atmospheres that can hardly replicate in the rest of months of the year.
The holy month features exclusively religious rituals on the map of the Islamic world. One of the traditions that has been associated with the holy month is Ramadan cannon which launches the first sound shot when the time for Maghrib call to prayer comes for Muslims to break their fast.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), the writer and researcher in history and heritage Mohamed Hammam Fikri says Ramadan is the month of sacred whiffs, as well as good customs and traditions that nurture those traits during the whole month, such as the renowned traditions in Egypt since the Mamluk era. He added that the most known sayings indicated that the cannon was found by coincidence, because there had been a new cannon that was about to be tested with the sunset so as to alert all people who hear the sound that the time has come for breaking their fast.
The cannon shot was originally a live round and would be placed far off until the time comes for breaking fast, Fikri highlighted, adding that it was eventually inherited and transferred to the neighbouring countries, including Qatar, but its origin can be traced back to Egypt, then moved to Turkiye.
Fikri said Qatar has been using the cannon as one of the most critical rituals of Ramadan. The cannon is named Warida in the local language. Earlier, mothers would send children to climb the roof of the houses to hear the first shot implying that the time had come for breaking fast, especially in the areas that are far away from mosques.
As per some historians, the cannon is the most important media for the people of Qatar besides its merit during the prayer time, as people fast and break the fast based on the sound of the cannon.
As for Qataris when sunset approaches, they circle around the Iftar table, waiting for the cannon sound as it coincides with the call to Maghrib prayer.
Qatari women also ask the young ones to either go out to the yard or go up to the roof of the house, moments before sunset to wait for the sound of the cannon, or watch its flash and smoke rising in the sky, to inform them about the time for breaking fast.
Ramadan cannon was set up in recent years in both Souq Waqif and the southern side of Katara. In the past it used to be in a number of areas such as Al Koot Fort, next to the Eid prayer hall in Jasra, the old Salata area, the new Rayyan area, Al-Khalifat area, and until recently on Corniche (near the post office).
Currently, the cannon is set up in Souq Waqif and Katara, where people from all classes, especially children, visit to see it in action. Soldiers in uniform stand in a military arrangement behind the cannon, waiting for the order to give the signal to fire it, coinciding with the call for Maghrib prayer.