Dubai Police have announced the locations of this year’s Ramadan cannons, with seven stationed at fixed locations across the emirate and a roaming cannon that will visit 17 different residential areas throughout the holy month.
The stationary cannons will be fired at sunset each evening to signal the start of iftar, while the roaming cannon will move to a new location every two days, allowing residents in various communities to experience the tradition.
“The increase in the number of locations this year is a direct response to public feedback, ensuring that this beloved Ramadan tradition reaches a wider segment of the community who look forward to and enjoy it,” said Maj Gen Abdullah Al Ghaithi, assistant commandant for Operations Affairs at Dubai Police.
Stationary cannon locations
- Expo City Dubai (Main location)
- Damac Hills
- Mirdif
- Burj Khalifa
- Wasl (Dubai Real Estate Corporation)
- Hatta Fort Hotel
- Salt Camp at Kite Beach
- Festival City
The roaming cannon will begin its journey at Flaq Al Meydan before moving across various neighbourhoods including Al Satwa Grand Mosque, Al Marmoom, Zabeel Park, Al Khawaneej Majlis, Festival City, Wasl 1 Community, Madinat Jumeirah, Al Barsha Park, Al Habab, Nad Al Sheba 1 – Al Ghaf Walk, Ayton Mirdif, Margham, Luluwi, Nad Al Sheba Park, Burj Khalifa, and Jumeirah Kite Beach, ensuring a wider reach for this cherished tradition.
Two old French cannons, dating back to the 1960s, will be used. The 25-pound cannons produce a sound of 170 decibels, reaching a distance of 10 kilometres.
In addition to the Ramadan cannons, Expo City Dubai’s “Ramadan District” will feature various activities including workshops and live performances. The events will run daily from 5pm to 1am and offer families and visitors a chance to enjoy the Ramadan spirit in a festive atmosphere.
What is Ramadan?
The month of Ramadan is when able Muslims abstain from food, drink and oral medicine from sunrise (fajr) to sunset (maghrib). When the sun sets, Muslims break their fast with a meal called iftar.
Considered the holiest month in the Islamic – or Hijri – calendar, Ramadan is believed to be when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. It is a time when Muslims strengthen their faith through prayer, recitation of the holy book and charitable acts.
How long does fasting last each day?
With the month falling earlier this year, Muslims can expect to fast for a slightly shorter time than they did last year, though the days lengthen towards the end of the month.
This year, Muslims in the UAE will begin the month by fasting for about 14 hours and 13 minutes. The fasting time will steadily increase as the holy month progresses. By the end of Ramadan, the fast will last for 14 hours and 55 minutes.
What time do Muslims pray during Ramadan?
Prayer is one of the five pillars of Islam and Muslims are obliged to pray five times a day: fajr, dhuhr, asr, maghrib and isha. Throughout the holy month, an additional extended evening prayer called taraweeh is performed after isha.
During the final 10 nights of Ramadan, when Muslims increase their piety, some may choose to perform tahajjud prayers – also known as qiyam al layl – which are carried out after taraweeh throughout the night.
Muslims typically try to pray at mosques as it is thought there is a greater reward in communal prayer.
The best photos from Ramadan 2024 – in pictures
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Worshippers gather for Laylat Al Qadr prayers at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Victor Besa / The National -
An Ethiopian man prays on the banks of Lake Karum, a salt lake in Afar Region, amid above-50° temperatures. AFP -
Palestinians break their fasts amid the rubble of their destroyed homes in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters -
The faithful offer the final Friday prayers of Ramadan at Delhi's Jama Masjid. Reuters -
A Palestinian worshipper at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters -
A Pakistani worshipper rests at a mosque in Karachi. EPA -
An imam prays before iftar at Bronx's Masjid Ansarudeen in New York. AP -
A Palestinian worshipper at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. AFP -
Children pray outside the Hazratbal shrine in Indian Srinagar. AP -
Indonesian children welcome Laylat Al Qadr in Ternate, North Maluku. AFP -
V&A Dundee design museum in Scotland hosts iftar. Getty Images -
A worshipper reads the Quran at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. AFP -
Members of a motorcycle club distribute iftar in Damascus. AFP -
Palestinians being checked by Israeli soldiers as they head to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. AFP -
A worshipper reads the Quran at Sanaa's Grand Mosque. Reuters -
A Shiite cleric at the shrine of Imam Ali in the city of Najaf, Iraq. Reuters -
Displaced Palestinians gather for iftar in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters -
People sit for iftar in Cape Town, South Africa. Reuters -
Students of an Islamic boarding school recite Quran in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Reuters -
A charity-sponsored iftar gathering in Manama. Reuters -
A young worshipper gets ready for iftar in Fass Boye, Senegal. Reuters -
Fruits and snacks on sale in Dubai's Gold Souq area on a Ramadan evening Antonie Robertson / The National -
A worshipper reads the Quran while waiting for iftar at Grand Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta. Reuters -
A young worshipper covers her ears as the cannon goes off marking the end of the day's fast at Duba's Expo City. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
People gather in streets for iftar in Ezbet Hamada in Cairo's Matariya suburb. AFP -
A man dries vermicelli, a popular ingredient used to make traditional Ramadan delicacies, in Hyderabad, Pakistan. AFP -
A displaced Palestinian boy waits for food in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip. AFP -
Worshippers gather for iftar at Imam Hussein Mosque in Satwa, Dubai. Leslie Pableo for The National -
Worshippers offer Friday prayers at Jaamia Masjid in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. AP -
Artists perform Sufi dance in Baghdad. AP -
The faithful gather for prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AFP -
Staff at Asateer tent of Atlantis The Palm in Dubai get ready to serve iftar. Pawan Singh / The National -
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque during the first evening of Ramadan 2024. Victor Besa / The National -
Ramadan's inaugural Friday prayers at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
An Egyptian traditional Ramadan drummer in the city of Dikernis, about 150km north of Cairo. AP -
Taraweeh prayers at Al Noor Mosque in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National -
Saudis look for the Ramadan crescent moon in the southern Saudi city of Hautat Sudair. AFP
