The name Msaharati is derived from the name of the pre-fast meal, known as the Suhoor.
Various areas in Qatar have revived the centuries-old Msaharati Ramadan tradition this season, ensuring the population continues to get in touch with the local heritage and culture.
The Msaharati is an Arab tradition where a man would roam the streets during the Suhoor time in Ramadan before the break of dawn with a drum in their hands to wake people up for the pre-fast meal.
The drumming would accompany the chant: “Wake up sleeper to worship the creator.”
While the locations where the Msaharati can be spotted in Qatar have not been specified, several entities announced that they will include the tradition as part of their Ramadan events.
Katara Cultural Village announced on March 12 that the Msaharati will greet visitors who are enjoying the Ramadan festivities at the tourist hotspot.
The Old Doha Port also announced last week that the Musaharati will make the rounds every day throughout Ramadan between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
Origins of the Msaharati
The name Msaharati is derived from the name of the pre-fast meal, known as the Suhoor.
While the origins of the Msaharati remain vague, most narratives in the region believe that it dates back to the time of the Prophet Muhammad.
The first Msaharati in Islam is believed to be Bilal ibn Rabah, the first muezzin, or person who performs the call to prayer. Bilal was known as the Prophet’s muezzin and the first slave to convert to Islam.
Based on a common narrative, Prophet Muhammad suggested to Bilal the idea of waking people up for Suhoor.
The Prophet’s muezzin then used his voice to wake the people of Madinah up before the time of the pre-dawn call to prayer, or Athan Al Fajr.
While the tradition became widespread in the region, Egypt is believed to be the first country to incorporate the drums in the call for Suhoor as far back as 853 AD.
At the time, Egypt’s Abbasid ruler Isaac bin Uqba was keen on waking people up for Suhoor and roamed the streets of Cairo himself.
He would then walk to Amr Ibn al-Aas Mosque and repeat the Hadith Prophet Muhammed: “Servants of God, eat the pre-dawn meal, for there is blessing in the pre-dawn meal.”
After witnessing the Egyptian ruler perform the Msaharati’s duties, it became widely accepted in the region.
The profession further solidified in the region after the reign of Sultan Baybars of Egypt who hired young religious scholars to knock on the doors of worshippers, waking them up for Suhoor.
More than half a century later, an entire syndicate of Msaharati’s was formed.
To get young ones into the Ramadan spirit, the Msaharati would also call on the names of children as he woke them up. By the end of Ramadan, children would rush to give the Msaharati sweets to celebrate Eid Al-Fitr.