Despite preserving traditions.. Why do the Arabs of Ahwaz in Iran consider the “joy of Ramadan incomplete” this year?

Highlights: Despite preserving traditions.. Why do the Arabs of Ahwaz in Iran consider the “joy of Ramadan incomplete” this year?. The appearances of the blessed month in the city of Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, almost match those of the Arab countries. After a day of fasting, young people look for a place to relax that suits the Iranian New Year holiday, which this year coincided with the advent of the holy month. While a segment of young people prefer to practice their sports hobbies during the nights, some civil society organizations are keen to hold Arabic poetry festivals.

The most prominent thing that attracts the attention of visitors to the city of Ahvaz during Ramadan is the spiritual atmosphere that surrounds mosque visitors before the sunset call to prayer, and who say that their joy is diminished this year due to the ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza.

A model to determine iftar time in the city of Ahvaz (Al Jazeera)

Tehran -

Based on its privacy and high status among the Muslims of the world, the aspects of celebrating the blessed month of Ramadan among the Arabs of Iran are almost no different from the atmosphere of the holy month in the Arab countries, although they differ in some rituals, including the absence of Tarawih prayers in the city of Ahvaz.

The appearances of the blessed month in the city of Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, almost match those of the Arab countries (Al Jazeera)

Through Al Jazeera Net's monitoring of the atmosphere of the honorable guest's nights among Iranian Arabs in the city of Ahvaz, southwestern Iran, it found that the aspects of the blessed month are almost identical to those in Arab countries. However, one cannot ignore the geographical and cultural characteristics that add joy and joy to their customs and rituals, which they say were incomplete this year due to the ongoing Israeli aggression against Gaza.

The aspects of celebrating the holy month of Ramadan among the Arabs of Iran are no different from the Arab countries (Al Jazeera)

Perhaps the most prominent thing that draws the attention of a visitor to the city of Ahvaz during the month of Ramadan is the spiritual atmosphere that surrounds mosque visitors before the Maghrib call to prayer, especially their way of “breaking the saliva” (breaking the fast), and eating a light breakfast consisting of a cup of tea or hot milk, dates, and “zalabiya” sweets, before The Maghrib prayer is immediately followed by the Isha prayer, to make it easier for those who are fasting.

Ahvaz is famous for the city of nine bridges and the Karun River Corniche (Al Jazeera)

City of Nine Bridges

After eating the basic breakfast meal at home, the crowds return to the mosques to attend preaching sessions and listen to awareness lectures given by clerics, and there is usually a large turnout for reciting part of the Holy Qur’an.

As long as Ahvaz has been famous for the city of nine bridges and the Karun River Corniche, its residents say that they are accustomed to sharing its tourist attractions, which are deeply rooted in history extending until the third millennium BC, their joys and sorrows, and their religious and national rituals.

A group of Ahwazis heading to the shores of the Karun River to spread the breakfast table under the lighting of the sparkling bridges (Al Jazeera)

Not far from mosques and places of worship, a segment of Ahwazis rush to the shores of the Karun River, to spread the breakfast table under the lighting of the sparkling bridges and to the music of popular restaurants overlooking the river, paving the way for children to snatch moments of fun playing.

Crowds return to the mosques after breakfast to attend preaching sessions and listen to awareness lectures (Al Jazeera)

A space for recreation

After a day of fasting, young people look for a place to relax that suits the Iranian New Year holiday, which this year coincided with the advent of the holy month, by visiting and taking night tours, and participating in cultural and entertainment events, especially poetry evenings and Ramadan games.

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While a segment of young people prefer to practice their sports hobbies during the nights of the holy month of Ramadan, some civil society organizations are keen to hold Arabic poetry festivals, Holy Qur’an competitions, and others, and also celebrated the occasion of “Qarqi’an” (the middle of the holy month), especially after it was classified in the Islamic Republic in 2017 as a list. The moral heritage of the Arabs in Iran.

Ahwazis love to participate in cultural and entertainment events, especially poetry evenings and Ramadan games (Al Jazeera)

During the Ahwaz Qarqi’an Festival, children gather after breakfast and tour the houses of the alleys near their homes, taking with them bags to collect gifts and sweets from the homes, chanting popular songs such as “Qarqi’an and Qirqi’an, may God give you two breastfeeding babies” and “O people of the rooftops, will you give us something if we leave?” .

Some civil society organizations are making every effort to celebrate the occasion of Qarqi'an in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan (Al Jazeera)

Night shopping

During the holy month of Ramadan, popular demand for the traditional game of “al-Muhaibas” or “hide the ring” increases in Ahwaz, where crowds of young people gather in homes or in public squares to watch the competitions held between two teams competing to keep the ring or ring, as it is known in the Arabic dialect. Ahvaziya.

The Ramadan atmosphere begins in the city before the advent of the holy month, as Ahwazis consider the last week of the month of Shaban an annual time to welcome Ramadan, and purchasing activity improves, especially the purchase of kitchen needs, to put a smile on the faces of sellers who have long complained of a decline in purchasing power due to rampant inflation.

Clothing markets and everything related to Eid al-Fitr decorations become full during the month of Ramadan (Al-Jazeera)

As for the nights of the month of obedience, the clothing markets and everything related to the decorations of the Happy Eid become full amidst the voices of vendors calling out, “Oh Happy Eid.” Women spend long hours examining the various brightly colored goods in the “Abdul Hamid, Al-Arab, and Kianbars” markets and other popular and modern markets. .

Incomplete joy

On the other hand, the Ahwazi man is usually interested in what is known as “Diwaniyah Kashkha,” and after breakfast, Al-Farhani Market (south of the city) almost turns into a men’s market, and the shop owners are creative in displaying the spoils of coffee, dishashas, ghutras, agals, Arabic perfumes, and decorating rings and rosaries.

Shop owners are creative in offering coffee on the eve of Eid al-Fitr (Al-Jazeera)

Perhaps what attracts most attention during the holy month of Ramadan in Ahvaz is the increase in aspects of social solidarity, the abundance of Ramadan tables, and the haste to do good through individual and institutional efforts. Some influential figures launch voluntary initiatives to provide “Eid clothing,” and others publish an advertisement on social media sites urging donations to purchase food baskets. To be distributed to low-income families.

In an atmosphere full of tranquility and spirituality, Al Jazeera Net interviewed a number of Ahwazis in markets and mosques, and they all agree that “the joy of the blessed Ramadan was incomplete this year due to the massacres committed by the Zionist enemy against our Palestinian people in Gaza.”

Source: Al Jazeera