The Enchanting Tale of Cairo's Ramadan Cannon

The tradition of the Ramadan cannon, a ritual eagerly awaited by Egyptians for marking the time to break their fast during Ramadan, has a storied history with multiple narratives about its origins. One popular tale dates back to the Mamluk Sultan Khashqadam’s era around 1467 AD (859 AH), when he unintentionally fired a cannon at sunset on the first day of Ramadan. The locals, mistaking this for a deliberate signal to break their fast, appreciated the gesture so much that it became a cherished Ramadan tradition.

Another account from the reign of Khedive Ismail tells of a cannon test that coincided with the Maghrib call to prayer, leading people to believe it was a new custom to announce the iftar time, which pleased Khedive Ismail’s daughter, Hajjah Fatimah. Charmed by the idea, she persuaded her father to formalize the cannon’s use as a Ramadan ritual, later known as Hajjah Fatimah’s cannon.

A third story involves Muhammad Ali Pasha, who was testing a new cannon he acquired from Germany as part of his military modernization efforts. The firing coincided with the beginning of Ramadan, and the sound was so well received that it was decided to continue the practice throughout the month for both iftar and suhoor.

Despite varying tales, all agree that Cairo was the pioneering city for this tradition, which then spread across the Arab and Islamic world starting in the 19th century. The practice evolved, with cannons used not just to announce iftar but also to celebrate the sighting of the Ramadan crescent and to fire salutes during Eid celebrations.

In 1983, the tradition was briefly revived with cannon firings from the Saladin Citadel during Ramadan, commanded by the Egyptian Interior Minister Ahmad Rushdi. However, concerns about the potential damage to Cairo’s archaeological sites led to the discontinuation of the practice at the Citadel in the early 1990s, though it was later moved to Mount Mokattam to continue the beloved tradition.