The Ministry of Antiquities Tourism has just conducted the last rehearsal to fire Ramadan's Canon for the first time in thirty years.
The canon will be fired at the court of Police Museum in the citadel of Saladin ( also known also as Cairo Citadel) as it used in previous periods.
Experts of the ministry have restored the canon to be fired again as of today, Tuesday, the first day of the holy month of Ramadan to sign the beginning of breakfast time after hours of fasting since dawn break to sunset.
Iman Zedan, Assistant of Minister of Antiquities & Tourism for Developing Museums and Archeological Sites, said that restoring Ramadan's Canon came within the frame of the ministry's plan to upgrade the tourist services in museums and archeological sites.
The Citadel of Saladin was among these sites.
She pointed out that the canon fires every day at sunset to keep heritage of the citadel along with keeping pace of using modern technology such as laser ray to reach farther distance.
Dr. Mustafa Waziri, General-Secretary of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explained that restoring Ramadan's Canon included rubbing off rust and cleaning the inside parts.
Dr. Osama Tal'at, Head of Islamic, Christian and Jewish Antiquities, said that there are many tales about the origin of the canon but all affirmed it was used for the first time in the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo.
A tale indicated that first use of Ramadan's Canon was in the era of Sultan Sayf ad-Din Khushqadam (c. 1404 – 9 October 1467).
Mamluks of the Sultan tried a new canon at the sunset of the first day of Ramadan in 1467 A. D.
Carinas of that time thought that the Sultan fired the canon deliberately to aware the fasting people to breakfast time (Iftar).
Hordes of people went to the citadel to thank the ruler for that good novelty.
When the Sultan saw felicity of his people decided to fire the canon daily.
Another tale claimed that some soldiers in the era of Khepe Ismail tried to fire a canon at sunset of the first day of Ramadan.
A shell escaped the canon which chanced to coincide with Maghreb Azan (call for prayer) at sunset of the first day of Ramadan when breakfast time starts.
People thought that the prince decreed to use the canon to herald breakfast time.
When Princess Fatima, a daughter of Khepe Ismail, knew what had happened with the canon, she asked her father to make firing of the canon as a new Ramadan tradition.
The canon was known then as Hajah Fatima Canon.
Later, the canon was used to be fired on Sahour ( ahead of break dawn) and on official ceremonies.
It is thought that the canon was replaced many times.
It was on show at the court of Police Museum in the Citadel of Saladin in Cairo.
The canon was by made by Krupp Company in Germany in 1871.
It consists of an iron barrel based on two large wooden wheels surrounded by iron circles.
Two soldiers run the canon, one to insert the powder and the to fire the shell.
Despite its use ceased for 30 years but, the canon is still in the Egyptians' minds as one of the formidable traditions and a feature of the Holy month of Ramadan.
Translated by Ahmed Moamar
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