A celebration of the delivery of the Iftar cannon to the Jordanian government in Bab al-Sahira in Jerusalem in 1945 (Library of Congress)

The testimony of elderly Palestinians about the holy month of Ramadan before the Nakba carries a special nostalgia mixed with human bitterness.

In addition to these memories circulated from one generation to another, Palestinian newspapers published during the British Mandate between 1917 and 1948 documented a “partial” picture of the nature of life in Ramadan during that era, and depicted its features through many news, reports, and press coverage.

Despite the many problems that the newspapers of that period suffered from, they documented for us many events, and presented to us scenes, some of which seemed strange and others “repetitive,” such as the national concern represented by the crimes of the British occupation and Zionist gangs, the high prices, and complaints about “violators of the sanctity of fasting.”

The newspaper photographs mainly belong to the “Palestinian Research Center,” which was founded by the Palestinian academic Fayez Sayegh in February 1965 by a decision of the “Executive Committee of the Liberation Organization.” Israel seized its contents during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, and included it in the archives of the Israeli National Library.

National concern and gang crimes

National concern and the crimes carried out by Zionist gangs under the protection of the British Mandate authorities were not absent from the atmosphere of the month of Ramadan.

On the front page of Al-Shaab newspaper, published on August 16, 1947, we read that Zionist gangs committed crimes that claimed the lives of 11 Palestinians, including 4 who were eating suhoor food.

“Zionist crimes during Ramadan,” Al-Shaab newspaper headline in 1947 (websites)

In the details, the newspaper said that “Jewish terrorists” attacked a Palestinian farm near the Jewish city of Bnei Brak (centre), and shot 4 people who were eating suhoor food, “so they fell unconscious and died immediately.”

The newspaper continued, "Jewish terrorists blew up a house on the same farm, killing 7 people (an entire family), including women and children."

Execution in Ramadan

The Defense newspaper tells us in its issue of November 13, 1936, that widespread anger is sweeping among the Arabs as a result of the British authorities’ intention to execute two Muslims, Adel Al-Masry and Muhammad Al-Hajj Asaad, from the city of Nablus during the month of Ramadan.

"Al-Difaa" newspaper in its issue issued on November 13, 1936 (websites)

The newspaper said, "Never before in the history of Islam has a Muslim been executed during Ramadan while he was fasting."

The newspaper did not provide details about the charges against the two young men, Al-Masry and Hajj Asaad.

Detainees

Like every occupier, the British authorities put large numbers of people in prison.

As the month of Ramadan approached, the Defense newspaper, in its issue issued on November 1, 1937, called on the British authorities to release the detainees before the month of fasting.

Under the headline “Ramadan and the Detainees,” the newspaper said, “Many of them have families whose livelihoods depend on them alone, and many of them will be deprived of the farming season if they remain convicts.”

British racism towards Arabs

Newspapers of that era reveal that Britain was dealing with a kind of racism towards Arab employees in the government, explaining that it did not take into account their working conditions during the month of fasting.

The Islamic University newspaper said on December 11, 1934, that the government “is shamefully reckless of the feelings of Muslims in this country. Employees finish their work half an hour after breakfast.”

Two years later, the same newspaper (issue of November 11, 1936) brought up the issue again, saying, “The government used to differentiate in treatment between Arab employees and other employees.”

Islamic fasting and Protestant breakfast?

Under the previous headline, on January 7, 1933, Al-Arab magazine published news in which it revealed that the High Commissioner had invited Arab figures to a “dinner” in honor of the English orientalist Edward Dennison Ross, who visited Jerusalem.

Title of Al-Arab magazine in 1933 (websites)

But dinner was at eight o'clock at night, that is, three hours after breakfast time.

Al-Arab mocked the Arab figures’ acceptance of the invitation, which represents “a severe insult to them,” and said that “they only care about getting closer to the High Commissioner, even at the expense of their dignity and Islamic traditions.”

On page 6 of the same issue, Al-Arab announced a competition for anyone who could mention the names of the Arab invitees to the dinner, the prize for which was a free subscription to the magazine for one year.

Openly breaking the fast and violating the sanctity of fasting

Among the striking and recurring news published by newspapers during that period was what related to “violating the sanctity” of the month of fasting.

“Violating the sanctity of Ramadan” headline of Al-Sarat newspaper on February 9, 1931 (websites)

This was not limited to the news, but he also published many opinion articles denouncing some people’s “openness” about breaking the fast.

In this regard, the Islamic University newspaper said in its issue of December 14, 1934, that a citizen filed a lawsuit against “one of the bad brokers before the Sharia judge, for violating the sanctity of Ramadan and breaking his fast in public in front of people.”

Under the title “Punishment for the Violator of the Sanctity of Ramadan,” Al-Sirat Al-Mustaqim newspaper published on September 10, 1941, a news item saying that the imams of the mosques, the mukhtars, and the people had submitted a “document” to the judiciary, demanding that a punishment be imposed on the violator of the sanctity of Ramadan by breaking the fast in public.

Al-Siraat Al-Mustaqim newspaper, September 10, 1941 (websites)

On February 9, 1931, the same newspaper, Al-Sirat, called on the government (the British Mandate) to “punish the immoral Muslim violators of the sanctity of fasting with all severity and severity.”

In the issue of September 6, 1943, Al-Sirat said that the authorities had ordered the owners of liquor stores in the Old City of Jerusalem to “close their shops at certain times of Ramadan, lest drunkards pass by in the streets.”

Rising prices

It seems that the rise in commodity prices with the advent of the month of Ramadan is an ancient phenomenon and not a product of our current era, as we find many news items published by newspapers at that time complaining of high prices and lack of goods.

We find, for example, that the newspaper “Al-Sirat Al-Mustaqim” published on September 6, 1943, saying that the prices of vegetables had risen in Gaza during Ramadan due to “the greed of exporters.”

As Al-Liwaa newspaper correspondent noted on November 23, 1936, fuel prices in Gaza had been raised “obscenely, for no apparent reason.”

On August 27, 1942, Al-Difa newspaper noted that there was a significant increase in the prices of Ramadan goods.

In the issue of July 2, 1947, Palestine newspaper said, “The greed of merchants raised the prices of vegetables and fruits, as the price of tomatoes rose from 4 piasters per kilo to 24.”

Ramadan cannon... Britain's gift to Muslims

It is clear from the newspapers that the British army was approaching the townspeople by giving them cannons for breakfast.

British soldiers firing the breakfast cannon in Jerusalem. The photo dates back to 1917 or 1918 (Library of Congress)

For example, on October 7, 1945, the Defense newspaper published news stating that a ceremony had been organized in the presence of General J. K. Darcy, commander of the British Army in Palestine and Transjordan, to deliver the “Ramadan Cannon” as a gift to the Muslims of the city of Jerusalem.

In Acre, a similar ceremony was organized on July 2, 1947, to hand over the Ramadan cannon to the British army, in the presence of General Macmillan, commander of the British army in Palestine and Transjordan.

It is also clear that most cities in that period had cannons for breakfast.

Gaza artillery explosion and a doctor refuses to treat an injured person

In its issue of December 11, 1934, the newspaper “The Islamic League” tells us about a strange incident that occurred in Gaza, when the Ramadan cannon exploded and injured the worker responsible for it.

She said, "Abdul Rahman Al-Tabai suffered an amputation in his left hand, after he was trying to load the special cannon to launch the Suhoor bomb."

The strangest event in the news was that the health doctor - whose identity or nationality was not revealed - refused to treat the injured person immediately (after midnight), as she said that he promised his family to come to the hospital in the morning.

The newspaper commented on the doctor’s behavior by saying, “Is this consistent with the oath that every doctor takes upon graduating from the Institute of Medicine?”

An Arab newspaper in a message about the holy month of Ramadan in 1921 (websites)

Abu Jalda fasts during Ramadan and demonstrates

“Abu Jalda,” the popular Palestinian revolutionary against the British occupation authorities, had his share of “Ramadan” news published in that era.

The Palestine newspaper said in its issue of January 19, 1934, under the title “Abu Jalda fasts during Ramadan and demonstrates,” that the man “had been isolated all this time in a cave on the occasion of the month of Ramadan, and was secluded in worship and fasting (..) and it was said that he had organized A peaceful demonstration with his men on the first day of Eid.”

“Abu Jalda” is the nickname of Ahmed Al-Mahmoud, who, along with his companion Saleh Mustafa - famous for “Al-Armit” - formed a cell to resist the British Mandate authorities, until the latter were able to arrest and execute them on August 21, 1934.

Al-Musaharati...a devil or an angel?

On September 6, 1943, Al-Sirat Al-Mustaqim newspaper published a funny literary article, in which a writer who identified himself as “Ibn Al-Khayal” spoke about his own memories of the “enchanter” of Ramadan.

The article stated: “Oh, this angel descending from heaven, calling people to rise.”

“Ramadan Magic” in Al-Sirat newspaper in 1943 and Britain’s racism towards Muslim employees in 1936 (websites)

He added: "Who is he? If darkness veils his features from us, we cannot recognize him."

However, the writer takes a sharp turn at the end of his article, where he says, “We wait for him to come, and we see him during the day collecting cakes, loaves of bread, and money, but by then he has lost his magic, the sunlight has erased his appeal, and his persistent request has made him a devil after he was an angel.”

Source: Al Jazeera