By RIMA AL-MUKHTAR, RIMA.ALMUKHTAR@ARABNEWS.COM
Mesaharati is a 30-day job created especially for Ramadan that requires a man with a special drum to go around his neighborhood early in the morning to wake up people to eat suhoor (starting of the fast meal) before Fajr prayer, signifying the start of the day’s fast.
“Mesaharati in Saudi Arabia is a Ramadan tradition just like the Ramadan Cannon and the lanterns,” said Ibraheem Hashim, an 85-year-old citizen. “Ramadan is a festive month for Muslims; you will always find them trying to bring back their old traditions in their food, clothing, decorations and culture,” he added.
According to the history books, Mesaharati emerged from the era of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and Bilal bin Rabah (may God bless him) was the first Mesaharati in Islamic history as he used to roam the streets and roads throughout the night to wake people up.
It was also said that in Makkah the imam used to climb on the minaret holding a lantern and call for suhoor meal, so people who could not hear him, could at least see the light.
Hashim defines the Mesaharati as the public crier who wakes people up, chanting: “Oh sleepers wake up and pray to God.”
“In the beginning, the Mesaharati used to knock on people’s doors and wake them up while others used a stick to knock,” he said. “In time, the Mesaharati used a special drum and beat it while chanting, as this was a better festive way for waking people up,” he added.
Categories: Islam, Saudi Arabia