Hassan Hallak reveals Lebanese Ramadan habits

Most of Ramadan habits that were popular in Beirut are changed and some of them almost disappear. The people of Beirut try to bring some of these habits back, where families gather during the last weekend before Ramadan, go to gardens to barbecue, and other go to restaurants, but nowadays, every family prefers to spend Ramadan nights in its house watching TV shows, due to life and financial circumstances.
Most of Beirut residents long to these days and resent the economic circumstances that drive relatives apart and force each family to follow a specific budget to go through the month.
Historian and Professor Dr. Hassan Hallak revealed to “Arab Today” the difference between Ramadan in the past and in the present, saying that, Ramadan has lost its sparkle, and the social habits, religious rituals, and even Ramadan sweets are different. Before Ramadan begins there used to be more action in the local markets, such as sweets and drinks markets that were only opened during Ramadan, along with meat, fish and vegetables markets that people used to visit every day to prepare for Ramadan.
Hallak said Lebanese people used to gather the day before Ramadan and go to spend the evening on the beach to see Ramadan crescent, and some Muslim and well-known men go to Dar al-Fatwa or the Shari'a Court to tell the judges what they saw and based on their testimony, the judges declare the first day of Ramadan, but nowadays there are more technologies that can predict this action more accurately. Most people nowadays just enjoy the night before Ramadan through entertainment or eating at some restaurants.
On announcing the beginning of Ramadan month, the streets are filled with religious bands singings Ramadan songs, but this habit disappeared and some Islamic orphans’ houses are trying to revive it in a modern way, where children drive through streets in cars decorated with Ramadan decoration and singing religious songs.
Hallak said that, Ramadan used to be about family reunions, visits and group evenings, where family members ate, sang and prayed in mosques and streets corners that could hold up to 30 people. These corners were famous in Beirut, where people pray and listen to the Imam’s speech.
Ramadan is also known for its “Msaharti” who is usually one of the local residents. He walks down the streets before dawn prayer to wake up people to prepare food and eat before they start to fast. He knocks on his drums and usually wears the local rob and a fez. He also walks Beirut streets on the first day of Eid Al Fitr where he gathers money from the residents. Lebanese people usually stay awake after finishing dawn prayer and read Koran, while other Muslims wake up at 10 am and some stays asleep the whole day and open their business after Maghreb's prayer, but Beirut residents are known for their energy and love for their work, so they spend their day in a normal way.
Hallak said that, Beirut Muslims during Ottoman era used to call their male children by months’ names such as, Rajab, Shaaban, Ramadan, Muharram, Rabee and Helal. People also begin isolation during the last 10 days of Ramadan where they spend most of their time in mosques praying, singing religious songs and asking Allah for forgiveness, and this habit still happens in most of the Arab countries.
People also used to make special sweets for this month like Baklava, which is now available everywhere and doesn’t only relate to Ramadan. Lebanese women used to spend long days making cakes and sweets and baked them in the neighborhood oven, but this habit is endangered, as most of these women started to but these sweets from shops to save time, but there are still some older women who prefer to make these sweets with their own hands.