THE residents of the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah are keen to preserve their ancestors’ habits of celebrating the middle of Shaaban, the lunar calendar months that precedes Ramadan. The celebrations are almost identical in the two cities. They are held in houses and along the streets where children play drums and chant old songs welcoming the fasting month. They knock on doors to be given sweets and pastries prepared by women for this occasion.
The owners of pastries put tables outside their shops and fill them up with all kinds of sweets for sale.
The Shaabana for the Hijazi (residents of the Western coastal region of the Kingdom) and others means that people will go out with their families to enjoy themselves before the advent of Ramadan when people will fast from dawn to dusk and in many cases end the month in deep introspection and prayer, called “tahajjud.”
The purpose of the Shaabana is to have more festive family and social time prior to the more serious holy month. Even though clearly most of Ramadan also involves family outings and fast-breaking social interactions, the traditional purpose of Shaabana has been to separate the festive from the somber by publicly celebrating the coming of Ramadan rather than Ramadan itself.
The residents of Makkah and Madinah still engage in the Shaabana tradition even as much of the rest of the Kingdom seems more focused on preparing for Ramadan. This celebration often involves desert camping excursions (especially when Ramadan falls in the summer vacation season), outdoor barbecues or other family outings.
Madinah resident Ali Al-Kurdi says that in the past, his neighbors would often come over and participate in social gatherings. “We used to go to the open places where we will do barbecues, play, converse and organize quiz contests while our women assembled separately and our children played among us,” he said.
Al-Kurdi said these days they go to cabins on the sea shores or rest houses with family members “where we stay for a day or two before we come back ready for fasting.”
He said they were particularly keen to take lunch together because they will miss this meal during the entire month of Ramadan. He added that during old times the weather was nice so they would go out during the daytime but now they can only do their outings in the evenings.
Ahmed Al-Ansary, a resident of Madinah said he and his family would go out every year for Shaabana to spend a day or two in a rented rest house. “We have inherited this habit from our father who was keen to do it,” he said.
Umm Muhammad said she and her husband take the Shaabana very seriously. “We are keen to assemble all the members of the family together to have a hilarious time before the advent of Ramadan,” she added.
Abu Omar, who owns a sweets shop, said they prepare sweets and crackers on request two days before the middle of Shaaban. On the 15th of the month, the buyers will come to collect their purchases. “The buyers are usually old men, but this year we have noticed a growing number of young buyers,” he added.
Fadiyah Muhammad, a nurse, said she and her colleagues in the hospital would exchange sweets and pleasantries on this occasion. “Though I celebrate the event at home with my family, I do not forget my workmates in the hospital and I bring them cakes, sweets and crackers,” she said.
Talib Abu Al-Fara said he would distribute sweets, nuts and crackers among his relatives and friends and pray for them. “Though this habit is not as dominant as it used to be in the old times, but it is still being observed by many residents of the two holy cities.”