Al-Musaharati in Ramadan … A Syrian heritage that continues across generations

For several years, the residents of Al-Qaymariyah neighborhood in Old Damascus have been accustomed to waking up for Suhoor during the holy month of Ramadan to the sound of Al-Musaharati, Mahmoud Abu Al-Haija knocking on the doors of their homes at dawn, calling out their names, while beating his wooden stick on a small drum.

The hardships of life could not remove the smile from Abu Al-Haija’s face, as he moved between the alleys of Al-Qaymariyah and its old streets, wearing his Levantine outfit, which consists of a shirt woven with silk threads on a hand loom, loose pants (sharwal), and traditional wooden shoes, wrapping a white scarf on his shoulder and another on his waist, and wearing a white hat made of silk, and carrying in his hand a drum that is smaller in size than the regular drums used in occasions. This drum is made of goatskin, and the stick is made of bamboo.

In an interview with SANA, Abu Al-Haija saw that the mission of the Musaharati is not only to wake people up every night throughout the holy month of Ramadan, but he also distributes some of the aid, provided to him by well-off families of the neighborhood, to the poor families, as his basket is filled every night with food, sweets, and other things.

The Musaharati of Al-Qaimariyah neighborhood confirmed that he does not receive a salary for his work.

He clarified that his work begins at two o’clock in the morning, where he carries his drum, repeating the phrases “Oh sleeper, there is no God but Allah the everlasting , O sleeper, God is One, Oh sleeper, wake up for your Suhoor”, and his work ends with the approach of the dawn call to prayer and abstaining from food.

Two young men resident in Al-Qaimariyah neighborhood: Ziad Al-Masry and Omar Al-Balkhi said that despite the development of communication methods and the presence of alarm clocks on several modern devices, the sound of the Musaharati during Ramadan has a special flavor that carries memories and a distinct spiritual atmosphere. It is not only related to waking us up for Suhoor, and it is nice that the musaharati’s work continues during Ramadan because it is part of the authentic Syrian heritage.

The 11-year-old child Hamza Ayoub pointed out that for five years now, he has been rushing to meet Al- Musaharati, Abu Al-Haija, who gives him some sweets to encourage him to fast.

Raghda Sawas