Egyptian Ramadan traditions: Midfaa al Fetar – Marisa López

 I do not know if you have noticed that on TV and radio before the adhan of the Maghreb for fetar there is a sound of a cannon shot. Today we are going to find out where this custom comes from.

 The breakfast cannon, “Midfaa Al Fetar – in Arabic”, is another of the ancient Egyptian traditions of Ramadan.

 Legend has it that the beginning of the use of the cannon to announce the hour of fetar in Ramadan, was the result of a coincidence during the reign of the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt, on the first day of Ramadan 859 AH-1455 AD, after the  Egyptian Mamluk governor Khoshkadam received a cannon as a gift from a German.  owner of a cannon factory.

 The first test shot of the cannon was at sunset, the people of Cairo were delighted, they thought it was the announcement for the fetar.

  The next day, the heads of the neighborhoods went to the governor’s palace thanking him for the gift to the Cairotas, the sultan was satisfied with the idea and consequently ordered the cannon to be fired every day of Ramadan at sunset announcing the  breakfast time.

 The nickname of the cannon also its legend.  The cannon stopped working after a few days and the neighbors went again to the governor’s palace and were received by his wife Fatima and she was in charge of talking with her husband so that the cannon would work again and by those he is known by the nickname  from the canyon “Hagga Fatima”,

 The cannon began to function again, and is named after the name of the governor’s wife, and until this time, a cannon is placed on the Muqatam plateau near the Cairo citadel to announce fetar.

 The tradition spread from Egypt to the entire Muslim world, starting with the Levant region where it has the same nickname.

 Very good day everyone.

About the Author: Marisa Lopez Chicote is an event planner and mother of 5, living in Cairo and Muslim since 1985, alhamdullah. I love travelling and cooking.