Shafaq News- Erbil

Historic Ramadan iftar cannon started on Wednesday above the ancient Erbil Citadel, marking the start of the holy month in the capital of the Kurdistan Region, in a scene blending worship and popular heritage.

Speaking to Shafaq News reporter, Mulla Zana Khayam, who initiated the revival of the tradition, explained that the iftar cannon is a long-standing Islamic custom observed in many Muslim-majority countries, particularly those with vast areas, where it was used to signal sunset and the time to break the fast before the advent of modern technology and loudspeakers.

Khayam noted, “the tradition reached Iraq during the Ottoman era and became a central part of Ramadan in Erbil, especially atop the city’s historic citadel, now recognized as the Erbil Citadel,” adding that a replica of the cannon was recently manufactured and returned to service after years of absence in an effort to preserve the city’s cultural identity.

“The cannon fires its sound round daily at the first minute of sunset, coinciding with the Maghrib call to prayer,” Khayam said, describing the tradition as an integral part of Erbil’s Ramadan heritage linking its historic past with its present.

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