Makkah Resident Recounts Ramadan: Journey from Past to Present

A 74-year-old resident of Makkah, Adam Mohammed Hawsawi, has shared with the Saudi Press Agency his vivid recollections of Ramadan nearly fifty years ago, describing a city where the Ramadan cannon and radio broadcasts announced the holy month and where tolerance, unity, and shared joy defined daily life. His testimony, released through the Kingdom’s official news channel, offers a rare window into how the spiritual heart of Islam has preserved its sacred character even as it has been transformed by decades of remarkable growth and modernization.

Ramadan, the month of purification and multiplied blessings eagerly anticipated by Muslims worldwide, brings joy and spiritual renewal as fasting, a pillar of Islam, is observed. In Makkah, the announcement of its arrival has evolved over time, with the Ramadan cannon once serving as a prominent tradition. Hawsawi’s account, carried by the Saudi Press Agency, captures a period when the holy city was less densely populated and more tightly knit, with houses clustered together and interconnected alleyways forming the fabric of a close community. His memories arrive at a moment when millions of worshippers from across the globe are again preparing to observe the month, and when Saudi Arabia’s stewardship of the Two Holy Mosques is more visible than ever. What can one man’s memory tell the world about the enduring soul of Makkah?

Context and Background

Hawsawi, now 74 years old, spoke to the Saudi Press Agency about Ramadan as it was nearly half a century ago, painting a picture of a spiritual atmosphere filled with joy and camaraderie where tolerance and unity prevailed. “People welcomed Ramadan with open hearts,” he recalled, “as if we were all one family.” His words underline a simple truth: while the tools of daily life have changed, the values that animate the holy month have not. The Saudi Press Agency, the Kingdom’s official news authority, documented his reflections as part of its ongoing coverage of Ramadan traditions in the holy city.

In those days, Hawsawi said, the Ramadan cannon and radio broadcasts were the primary means of announcing the start of the month. There were no smartphone applications, no digital countdowns, and no instant messaging groups coordinating iftar gatherings. Instead, the resonant boom of the cannon carried across the neighborhoods, and families tuned their radios for official confirmation. The announcement of Ramadan was a collective experience, heard and felt by an entire city at once. Isn’t it remarkable how a single sound could unite an entire community in anticipation?

Makkah at that time was a different physical environment. The city was less densely populated and more tightly knit, with houses clustered together and interconnected alleyways that encouraged constant interaction among neighbors. As residents prepared for Ramadan, they adorned mosques with lanterns and “atariks,” traditional lighting decorations, for prayer. The preparations were communal rather than individual, with each household contributing to the shared atmosphere of devotion that filled the streets around the Grand Mosque.

Key Details

Markets such as Qashashiyah and Mada’ah, located near the Grand Mosque, provided essential supplies for the holy month, according to Hawsawi’s account. These historic marketplaces served as gathering points where residents purchased food, gifts, and household items in preparation for fasting days and festive evenings. The proximity of these markets to the Grand Mosque reflected the integration of commerce, worship, and community life in the old city, where the rhythms of trade moved in step with the rhythms of prayer.

Children, meanwhile, engaged in traditional games like Kabt and Madwan, often played around the “atariks” due to the lack of electricity in residential areas. The absence of electric lighting turned the traditional decorations into focal points of neighborhood life, around which younger generations formed friendships and learned the customs of their elders. Hawsawi’s recollection suggests that the simplicity of the era did not diminish the joy of childhood during Ramadan; if anything, it concentrated that joy in shared spaces and shared experiences. How many of today’s children will one day describe their own Ramadan memories with such warmth?

Hawsawi’s testimony also touches on the spiritual texture of the month. Fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam, structured the day from dawn until sunset, while the evenings brought prayer, family gatherings, and acts of charity. The tolerance and unity he describes were not abstract ideals but practical realities of a city where neighbors knew one another by name and where the wellbeing of the community was a shared responsibility. His account, released through official Saudi channels, adds a human dimension to the Kingdom’s broader efforts to document and preserve the cultural heritage of the holy cities.

International and Regional Impact

Makkah occupies a unique position in the Islamic world as the site of the Grand Mosque and the destination of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, as well as the focus of intensified worship during Ramadan. The experiences of residents like Hawsawi therefore carry significance far beyond the Kingdom’s borders. Millions of Muslims across Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas look to Makkah during the holy month, and narratives that describe the city’s traditions help foster a sense of connection between the holy city and the global Muslim community.

The Saudi Press Agency’s decision to publish Hawsawi’s reflections also reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to preserving and sharing its cultural memory with an international audience. By documenting the Ramadan traditions of the past, official Saudi media provide context for the present, showing how the city’s spiritual identity has been maintained through periods of extraordinary change. Regional observers note that such accounts reinforce the Kingdom’s role as custodian of Islam’s holiest sites and as a bridge between tradition and modernity in the Muslim world.

Economic and Strategic Significance

While Hawsawi’s memories focus on community and worship, they also illuminate the broader story of Makkah’s development. The markets of Qashashiyah and Mada’ah that supplied residents decades ago were part of an older commercial ecosystem centered on the Grand Mosque. Today, the holy city hosts a vastly expanded retail, hospitality, and services sector that serves pilgrims and residents alike, supported by major infrastructure investments undertaken as part of the Kingdom’s long-term planning. The continuity between the old markets and the modern economy is a reminder that commerce in Makkah has always been intertwined with pilgrimage and religious life.

Strategically, the documentation of Ramadan traditions supports Saudi Arabia’s efforts to present the holy cities as both authentically rooted and fully equipped for the future. The Kingdom has invested heavily in the expansion of the Grand Mosque, in transportation links that ease the journey of pilgrims, and in digital services that streamline visa and travel procedures. These measures are designed to accommodate growing numbers of worshippers while preserving the spiritual atmosphere that residents like Hawsawi cherish. In this sense, the old traditions and the new infrastructure serve the same goal: enabling Muslims to observe Ramadan and other rites in comfort and dignity.

Vision 2030 Alignment

Hawsawi’s reflections align closely with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, the national transformation program that seeks to diversify the economy, strengthen cultural identity, and enhance the quality of life for citizens and visitors. The vision places particular emphasis on preserving heritage and promoting cultural tourism, and the holy city of Makkah is central to both. By recording and disseminating the memories of long-time residents, official Saudi media contribute to a broader effort to safeguard the Kingdom’s intangible cultural heritage while opening it to a global audience.

As Ramadan returns and the city once again fills with worshippers, Hawsawi’s words offer a measure of continuity. “The spirit of Ramadan remains unchanged,” he reflected. “It is still a time of spiritual reflection, community, and shared joy.” That spirit, sustained by the Kingdom’s stewardship and shared with Muslims worldwide, remains the enduring heart of Makkah, a city that honors its past even as it builds confidently toward its future.

20 Questions

Q1. Who shared his memories of Ramadan in Makkah with the Saudi Press Agency?

A1. Adam Mohammed Hawsawi, a 74-year-old resident of Makkah, shared his recollections of Ramadan as it was nearly fifty years ago, describing the spiritual atmosphere, community traditions, and daily life of the holy city during the holy month.

Q2. How was the start of Ramadan announced in Makkah decades ago?

A2. According to Hawsawi, the Ramadan cannon and radio broadcasts were the primary means of announcing the start of the month, creating a collective experience that united the city’s residents in anticipation of the holy month.

Q3. What did Hawsawi say about how people welcomed Ramadan in the past?

A3. He recalled that people welcomed Ramadan with open hearts, as if they were all one family, describing an atmosphere filled with joy, camaraderie, tolerance, and unity among the residents of Makkah.

Q4. How did residents prepare mosques for Ramadan in the past?

A4. Residents adorned mosques with lanterns and “atariks,” which are traditional lighting decorations, in preparation for prayer during Ramadan, reflecting a communal effort to beautify the holy sites for the month of worship.

Q5. Which markets near the Grand Mosque provided essential supplies?

A5. Markets such as Qashashiyah and Mada’ah, located near the Grand Mosque, provided essential supplies for residents preparing for Ramadan, serving as gathering points for food, gifts, and household items.

Q6. What traditional games did children play during Ramadan?

A6. Children engaged in traditional games like Kabt and Madwan, often played around the “atariks” due to the lack of electricity in residential areas, making the decorations focal points of neighborhood activity and childhood friendship.

Q7. Why were the “atariks” particularly important for children’s games?

A7. Because residential areas lacked electricity, the traditional lighting decorations known as “atariks” became natural gathering points where children could play games like Kabt and Madwan in the evenings during Ramadan.

Q8. How does Hawsawi describe the spirit of Ramadan today compared with the past?

A8. Hawsawi reflected that although the city has grown and technology has advanced, the spirit of Ramadan remains unchanged, still a time of spiritual reflection, community, and shared joy for residents and visitors alike.

Q9. What was the physical layout of Makkah like when Hawsawi was young?

A9. Makkah was less densely populated and more tightly knit, with houses clustered together and interconnected alleyways that encouraged constant interaction among neighbors and strengthened the sense of community during Ramadan.

Q10. How did the Saudi Press Agency contribute to preserving these memories?

A10. The Saudi Press Agency, the Kingdom’s official news authority, documented and published Hawsawi’s reflections, helping to preserve the cultural heritage of Makkah and share its Ramadan traditions with a global audience.

Q11. What pillar of Islam is central to the Ramadan observance described?

A11. Fasting is the pillar of Islam central to Ramadan, observed from dawn until sunset by Muslims worldwide, and it structured daily life in Makkah during the month as described in Hawsawi’s account.

Q12. Why is Makkah significant to Muslims around the world during Ramadan?

A12. Makkah is the site of the Grand Mosque and the destination of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, and during Ramadan it becomes a focus of intensified worship, drawing millions of Muslims and serving as the spiritual heart of the Islamic world.

Q13. How has the announcement of Ramadan evolved over time in Makkah?

A13. The announcement evolved from the Ramadan cannon and radio broadcasts described by Hawsawi to modern methods, reflecting broader changes in technology and daily life while preserving the spiritual significance of the month for residents and pilgrims.

Q14. What values does Hawsawi associate with Ramadan in the past?

A14. Hawsawi associates Ramadan in the past with tolerance, unity, joy, and camaraderie, describing a community where people welcomed the month with open hearts and treated one another as one family.

Q15. How did the absence of electricity shape Ramadan traditions?

A15. The absence of electricity in residential areas meant that traditional lighting decorations, or “atariks,” served as gathering points for children’s games and community activities, shaping the social rhythm of Ramadan evenings in Makkah.

Q16. What role did markets play in the Ramadan experience?

A16. Markets like Qashashiyah and Mada’ah near the Grand Mosque provided essential supplies, functioning as commercial and social hubs where residents prepared for the holy month and shared in the collective anticipation of Ramadan.

Q17. How does Hawsawi’s account reflect continuity in Makkah’s spiritual life?

A17. Despite decades of growth and technological change, Hawsawi affirms that the spirit of Ramadan remains unchanged, showing that spiritual reflection, community, and shared joy continue to define the holy month in Makkah.

Q18. How does the documentation of these memories support Saudi cultural preservation?

A18. Publishing residents’ recollections through official Saudi channels helps safeguard intangible cultural heritage, supports cultural tourism objectives, and presents Makkah’s traditions to an international audience in line with Vision 2030 goals.

Q19. What does Hawsawi’s testimony reveal about community life in old Makkah?

A19. It reveals a tightly knit society where houses clustered together, alleyways connected neighbors, and shared traditions like the cannon announcement and mosque decorations fostered a strong sense of family and collective identity during Ramadan.

Q20. How does Makkah’s Ramadan heritage connect to Saudi Arabia’s future?

A20. Makkah’s Ramadan heritage connects to Saudi Arabia’s future through Vision 2030, which seeks to preserve cultural identity and enhance the pilgrim experience while the Kingdom continues to serve as custodian of Islam’s holiest sites.

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