Traditional Ramadan Decorations Between Yesterday and Today’s Techniques

Lanterns and lamps represent an authentic heritage during the holy month, from ancient times to the present day.
Dr. Najla Al-Khadhra, a heritage researcher, said that when the Sihabi (close friend)Tamim bin Aws came from the Levant to Medina carrying lanterns and oil, with which he lit the Prophet’s mosque, peace and blessings be upon him, the Messenger of God asked: “Who did this?” They said: “Tamim, O Messenger of God.” He said: “You have illuminated Islam, may God illuminate you in this world and the hereafter.”
Dr. Al-Khadra explains that Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab (may God be pleased with him) ordered mosques to be illuminated and decorated with lamps starting on the first day of Ramadan so that Muslims could perform the Tarawih prayers and perform their religious rituals.
Lighting evolved from simple oil-lit lamps to elaborately decorated crystal lamps, some of which were later hung on the walls of the Kaaba.
During the Abbasid era, Caliph Al-Ma’mun ordered the increase in the number of decorated lamps in mosques, and urged people to light them in the alleys and in front of houses during the holy month of Ramadan.
Regarding the connection between lanterns and Syrian heritage during Ramadan, Dr. Al-Khadhra explained that they were used as an identification mark during iftar and suhoor in the countryside.
She points out that in the alleys of Damascus and crowded places, there was the Domari, the man who lit lanterns in the alleys at night.
The star and crescent moon are also symbols of Ramadan heritage, as Dr. Al-Khadhra points out that they represent the beginning and end of the lunar month.
Regarding the development of Ramadan decorations in our current time, Dr. Al-Khadhra says that they have become diverse, using modern colors and artistic motifs.
The heritage researcher believes that Ramadan decorations reflect a spiritual atmosphere and nourish popular memory.
In the harsh conditions that the Syrian people experienced during the years of the revolution, some housewives resorted to decorating the interior of their homes after the former regime deprived Syrians of the Musahar (a traditional Ramadan drummer), the Ramadan cannon, and the storyteller.
Dr. Al-Khadhra says: The holy month of Ramadan comes this year with a taste of freedom, laden with goodness and hope for a better future.
The heritage researcher concludes her remarks by saying that the Syrian people have always expressed their adherence to their religious and cultural values and preserved their Ramadan rituals and traditions, with their concepts that convey joy at the arrival of the holy month and its blessed spirituality. They have also instilled the virtues of the month, represented by acts of worship and good behavior, which, taken together, constitute a human adornment that reflects the good character of Muslims.

Hanan Shamout