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Makkah’s Old Neighborhoods Unite in Ramadan Spirit

A poignant depiction of solidarity and compassion in Makkah’s community during the blessed nights of Ramadan (Photo Credit: Ammar Al-Amir)
A poignant depiction of solidarity and compassion in Makkah’s community during the blessed nights of Ramadan (Photo Credit: Ammar Al-Amir)
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Makkah’s Old Neighborhoods Unite in Ramadan Spirit

A poignant depiction of solidarity and compassion in Makkah’s community during the blessed nights of Ramadan (Photo Credit: Ammar Al-Amir)
A poignant depiction of solidarity and compassion in Makkah’s community during the blessed nights of Ramadan (Photo Credit: Ammar Al-Amir)

In the ancient streets of Makkah, memories are cherished, gatherings thrive, and the air is filled with the scent of incense during Islam’s holy month of fasting, Ramadan.

As millions of Muslims flock to perform Umrah and spend time near the Grand Mosque, the people of Makkah experience a unique and enriching Ramadan atmosphere.

In the old neighborhoods of Makkah, memories abound for generations. They include traditional games that once brought solitary joy and Ramadan gatherings filled with warmth, generosity, and kindness.

Some of these traditions have endured for years, like locals opening their doors to the needy. From lively street decorations to the scent of incense wafting through the alleys, these customs have become part of daily life in Makkah’s community.

In some of Makkah’s old neighborhoods, cherished Ramadan traditions endure year after year.

Hadi Al-Omari, a thirty-year-old resident living near the Grand Mosque, recalls how these community gatherings have been a regular part of Ramadan, except for a brief hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic.

“After the pandemic, loved ones from all generations reunited to reminisce,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat, stressing that Ramadan was a special time observed in Makkah.

At the start of the month of Ramadan, Makkah’s streets and neighborhoods light up with colorful decorations. The lively atmosphere, especially during busy times, fills the streets, while areas close to the Grand Mosque resonate with the sound of prayers, bringing a sense of calm.

During Ramadan nights, Makkah transforms with stalls selling traditional foods, popular sweets, and drinks perfect for late-night gatherings.

One such favorite is “Soubiya,” a barley-based drink, offered in red and white varieties, with some made using dry bread crumbs.

For over 50 years, shops like “Uncle Saeed Khudari” have been serving these delights in Makkah.

Ahmad Hawiyan, who has experienced seventy Ramadan seasons in Makkah’s neighborhoods, talks about the social aspect of the holy month.

He observes changes in traditional life but emphasizes that Ramadan’s essence remains unchanged, uplifting souls with its splendor.

“Makkah is the center for Muslims, a place where hearts find solace,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Living near the holiest sites on Earth, Ramadan brings us unforgettable memories. Each generation learns love, compassion, and generosity during this blessed month,” he added.

Regarding guests staying in hotels within Makkah’s ancient neighborhoods, Hawiyan said: “Seeing them arrive during these blessed days, we feel they are neighbors and family.”

“We rejoice as they walk to mosques, knowing they're safe and secure in Saudi Arabia, the Muslim world’s focal point,” stressed Hawiyan.

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Culture

Iran's Vast Collection of Western Art, Much Long Hidden, Re-Emerges Despite High Tensions With US

A woman walks past a portrait of the leader of the American Indian Movement Russell Means, right, by American artist Andy Warhol, as she visits an exhibition titled Eye to Eye which showcases over 120 works by modern world artists as well as Iranian painters at Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, in Tehran, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
A woman walks past a portrait of the leader of the American Indian Movement Russell Means, right, by American artist Andy Warhol, as she visits an exhibition titled Eye to Eye which showcases over 120 works by modern world artists as well as Iranian painters at Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, in Tehran, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
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Iran's Vast Collection of Western Art, Much Long Hidden, Re-Emerges Despite High Tensions With US

A woman walks past a portrait of the leader of the American Indian Movement Russell Means, right, by American artist Andy Warhol, as she visits an exhibition titled Eye to Eye which showcases over 120 works by modern world artists as well as Iranian painters at Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, in Tehran, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
A woman walks past a portrait of the leader of the American Indian Movement Russell Means, right, by American artist Andy Warhol, as she visits an exhibition titled Eye to Eye which showcases over 120 works by modern world artists as well as Iranian painters at Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, in Tehran, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

As Iran faces increasing tensions with the West and turmoil at home, a new exhibition at the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art is displaying Western artwork including pieces not seen by the public in at least a decade.
The unveiling of the exhibition “Eye to Eye” has drawn numerous women, their hair uncovered, to the underground galleries of the museum in Tehran's Laleh Park. Their presence, while unacknowledged by authorities, shows the way life has changed inside Iran just in the last few years even as the country's theocracy presses forward with enriching uranium to near-weapons grade levels and launching attacks on Israel during the ongoing Mideast wars, The Associated Press said.
“The first feeling that came to me, and I told my parents, was that I can’t believe I’m seeing these works, which have always been kept far from our eyes,” said Aida Zarrin, a young woman at the museum.
“If such events are held here and we can see artworks like the rest of the world, it’s enough. They are really precious.”
The government of Iran’s Western-backed shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and his wife, the former Empress Farah Pahlavi, built the museum and acquired the vast collection in the late 1970s, when oil boomed and Western economies stagnated. Upon opening, it showed sensational works by Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Claude Monet, Jackson Pollock and other heavyweights, enhancing Iran’s cultural standing on the world stage.
But just two years later, in 1979, Shiite clerics ousted the shah and packed away the art in the museum’s vault. Some paintings — cubist, surrealist, impressionist and even pop art — sat untouched for decades to avoid offending Islamic values and the appearance of catering to Western sensibilities. Nearly everything is believed still to be there, though an Andy Warhol print of the empress was slashed during the revolution.
Today, the collection is likely worth billions of dollars. Even with Iran now cash-strapped under Western sanctions, officials with the museum have been able to advocate for keeping the collection, though there have been occasional trades in the past for items from Persian history. Those sanctions may increase under the next administration of US President-elect Donald Trump.
As Iranian politics have thawed, re-frozen and thawed again, the collection resurfaces along with those changes.
Among the over 120 works being shown are ones from Picasso, Andy Warhol and Francis Bacon, along with celebrated Iranian artists. One of the Warhols, “Jacqueline Kennedy II,” is a silkscreen double image of the former US first lady in mourning after the 1963 assassination of her husband, President John Kennedy. Another Warhol portrait of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger also garnered attention from the cellphone photo snappers.
“A lot of these works are important works in the history of art, and that’s why this show distinguishes itself from others,” said Jamal Arabzadeh, the exhibition's curator. ”A lot of people with less exposure to art have discovered the museum for the first time. ... We are seeing a part of the community that are discovering art and the museum and see the potential of this place, and this is something to be proud of.”
The presence of Western art comes as Iran's government has long fought against items like Barbie dolls and depictions of cartoon characters from “The Simpsons.” Such Western influences have been deemed un-Islamic in the past and have been seen as part of a “soft” cultural war against Iran.
With a ticket costing the equivalent of 14 US cents, the exhibition offers a rare government-sanctioned event not involving the country's politics or Shiite religion.
Among the visitors were many women defying the country's mandatory headscarf, or hijab, law. Crackdowns over the hijab have slowed down after Iran's presidential election in July that elected reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, though individual cases of arrest continue to draw anger.
And for many, the cost of tickets to travel abroad given Iran's collapsing rial currency keep foreign museums out of reach.
“This is very attractive for art enthusiasts because not everyone can go and see museums abroad. It’s extremely exciting to see the works here,” said a woman who only gave her last name, Dolatshahi. “I had no idea I could see works by van Gogh and Picasso here.”