Iraqis are racing to revive some of the Ramadan customs and traditions that the generations have inherited during the days of the holy month, as some of them are similar to those in some Arab and Islamic countries and differ in others.
The outbreak of the Corona virus has caused a change in the Ramadan atmosphere that Iraqis expect after social distancing has become the master of the situation, but this has not prevented them from adhering to the most prominent customs and traditions inherited by parents and grandparents, which generations continue to maintain despite the development of life styles.
family kinship
Visiting family, relatives and friends is considered one of the most prominent customs and traditions inherited during the blessed month of Ramadan among Iraqis, as it increases during the days of the blessed month and is considered a "womb bond" especially as it is practiced as a Ramadan ritual, and most of them spend hours after breakfast in each other's homes, sometimes reaching the times of suhoor. And interspersed with discussion sessions in various fields and the most prominent events that the Iraqis are going through.
Sharing dishes between neighbors is the most important characteristic of Ramadan in Iraq (Al-Jazeera)
Sharing dishes
What distinguishes the blessed month of Ramadan in Iraq is that on the trip of any house you enter, you will find different dishes of Ramadan food that are not made only by the owners of the house, but some of them are made by neighbors and families.
It is customary in Iraq for neighbors and relatives to exchange the most delicious Ramadan foods with each other, and some people initiate to send the best dish in their breakfast to their neighbors or relatives and vice versa as well, where they replace it and place another dish in its place that is distinguished on their Ramadan trip.
An Iraqi prepares his car to distribute foodstuffs to families during Ramadan (Al-Jazeera)
Social solidarity
Iraqi citizen Mustafa Wajih says, "Ramadan has a special flavor. I have a volunteer team. We feel the need to help each other and help those in need, so we carry out humanitarian activities during the holy month and we work to buy foodstuffs (rice, oil, lentils, beans, tea, paste, milk." And chicken, etc.) and distribute them in the form of food baskets to the poor and needy people to meet their needs in light of the difficult economic conditions and the annual increase in prices.
"We do this with my volunteer team that collects donations, and what is left of the money we prepare clothes for orphan children and distribute them before the Eid for their joys. Our role is to help those who are less fortunate and money, and within our responsibility towards society with the increase in the numbers of the poor and needy and the inability of the concerned authorities to reduce the economic crisis." ".
Suhoor rituals
The manifestations of the suhoor rituals are similar to that of Arab and Islamic countries, as Iraqi women prepare to prepare the suhoor shortly before the time of seizure to provide the most delicious food for the suhoor meal that families prefer to resist the long hours of fasting.
A match in the "mhaibis" game between youth from a popular neighborhood in Baghdad (Al-Jazeera)
The Miffs
What distinguishes Ramadan Iraq from the rest of the Arab and Islamic countries is the presence of the "mhaibis" game (the seal) that is passed down from one generation to another and continues today, and today despite the existence of the Corona pandemic and its spread in Iraq and the cancellation of the most prominent tournaments that are organized in the holy month in which they were competing in In the various regions of Baghdad and the governorates of Iraq, this did not prevent it from being practiced among family and friends in the form of small groups in homes, alleys, or public parks.
And it plays the way of hiding the prisoner in the hands of one of the two competing teams between them, and the second team (the opponent) should try to discover and extract it, which requires the use of encouraging words and hymns that increase the excitement of the game, in addition to that the etiquette of sitting and good handling of the opponent, and when one of the two teams wins He will get the most delicious Baghdad sweets, especially "Znoud Al-Sit" and "Baklava".