For Colonel Ali Al Oraifi breaking the Ramadan fast away from his loved ones is a sacrifice he is happy to make.
As Director of Protocols and VIP Protection at the Interior Ministry, he is in charge of the cannons that are fired twice a day during Ramadan at four locations in Bahrain to signal the beginning and end of the fasting period.
Hordes of families gather at Arad Fort in Muharraq, Bahrain Fort in Karbabad, Abu Subh beach in Duraz and Riffa Fort to watch the spectacle.
Some historians believe the custom of firing the Ramadan cannon dates as far back as 10th century Egypt, when one of the Fatimid caliphs ordered a cannon be placed on Cairo’s Muqatam Hill so all Muslims would hear the signal to break their fasts.
However, for officers behind this heart-warming tradition it means being away from their near and dear ones during two key times of the Ramadan ritual.
But Colonel Al Oraifi told the GDN that serving the nation and carrying out their duties were of paramount importance.
Col Al Oraifi
“The security duty, of course, requires sacrificing some things, such as being with our families during Iftar or suhoor.”
Iftar is the meal with which Muslims break their fast, while suhoor is the meal taken just before sunrise to sustain them during daylight hours.
During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims are supposed to abstain from food, drink, sex and smoking during daylight hours to cleanse their bodies and minds, bringing them closer to God.
“I feel that performing our duty and spreading smiles and joy among families and children at the sites are worth the sacrifices.
“This task reflects the ministry’s approach to promoting community partnership, motivates us to continue and be honoured to serve the kingdom and its citizens at all times and in all circumstances.”
Children in front of a cannon at Bahrain Fort
Col Al Oraifi explained the directorate has 10 traditional cannons that are used during protocol occasions.
“The cannons are fired on special occasions such as when welcoming kings, presidents and heads of state to Bahrain, and during Ramadan.
“They are used to announce the start and breaking of the fast in Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr, Eid Al Adha, and several other occasions.”
Col Al Oraifi said cannon police personnel conduct mock drills ahead of the planned events.
“The drills are conducted to remind them of procedures and techniques, including the method followed when firing and approaching the cannon, how each policeman determines his position before firing and how to move the cannons to the designated locations.
“The policemen get ready by wearing traditional police uniforms, and each site has a team of four officers lined up in front of the cannon.
“They move towards the cannon and take their positions by the supervisor of the firing process.
“The operation supervisor is responsible for passing a message to all the sites through the wireless devices, with each team’s head taking their positions, getting the cannons ready for firing.
“Everyone is on standby at this point of time waiting for the firing countdown.
“Then, he passes the final message for the countdown and gives the order to fire.”
A cannon is fired to signal the end of the fasting period at Riffa Fort
The cannon commander’s responsibilities include ensuring security and safety on the road when transporting the cannon to the site and returning it to the directorate.
“We need to inspect the cannon daily to ensure it is ready and the number of shots to be fired.
“The teams have to be dressed and groomed perfectly and check the cannon’s positioning site is fenced and secured with iron barriers to keep away the crowds from danger points.”
Other aspects include keeping the public at a safe distance from the cannon.
Families gather at the Bahrain Fort to see the annual Ramadan cannon fire
Although, more than 200 shots are fired from all the locations during Ramadan, there has never been a misfire.
The GDN reported in 2021 that a quick-thinking policeman snatched a child out of harm’s way as he ran across a cannon seconds before Iftar time. No one was injured.
The video footage, which was shared on social media, showed an alert officer rushing to move a child in danger as he ran into the path of a cannon seconds before it was set off around Iftar time.
“The Ramadan cannon is part of Bahrain’s history and heritage,” said Col Al Oraifi.
“It aims to deepen interaction with the public, promote community partnership with all segments of society, and share with them their happy occasions.
“It promotes the modernisation and development strategy pursued by the ministry to build bridges of communication with citizens and residents and increase effective communication with civil society organisations.”
sandy@gdnmedia.bh
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