Men and children in Mauritania resort to cutting their hair completely at the beginning of the month of Ramadan. Mauritanians believe that the hair that grows in Ramadan brings blessings.
Barbers turn into live shaving machines on the first day of Ramadan to meet the huge number of customers. The custom - despite its simplicity - is an entrenchment of the cultural and traditional values that Mauritanian society is keen to pass on to new generations. The phenomenon is often associated with Muslims performing Umrah or Hajj rituals.