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There are many symbols linked to the month of Ramadan: among them the light of the fanous stands out, the lanterns that illuminate the streets and homes of the observants of the month of fasting. Ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is a time of purification: from sunrise to sunset, it is an entire month of fasting, reflection and prayer.
However, it is also a moment steeped in family and community values: just think of the moment of Iftar, when fasting is temporarily interrupted, or of Eid, which marks the beginning of the new month and the end of Ramadan.
The history of these unique lanterns, of fine workmanship, dates back to many centuries ago: according to legends, we must go back to the medieval period of Cairo, the capital of Egypt bathed by the waters of the Nile; furthermore, well-known personalities of the time would be linked to them.
The origins of fanous
The term fanous finds its roots not from Arabic but from Coptic, a language that derives from Greek: it refers to the term phanós, which indicates the light that stands out in the dark. However, although these lanterns have been used at least since the twelfth century, their origin would, according to the stories, be sought further back in time, at least two hundred years earlier.
A version of the story would feature two important historical figures linked to Egypt, in particular to the city of Cairo: the leader Gawhar al-Siqilli and the caliph al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah. The capital of Egypt, in fact, was founded in 969 AD, the year of the conquest of Egypt by the Fatimid dynasty, but took its current name a few years later, in 973 AD, when the caliph moved the seat of his power to the new fortified citadel, giving it the name of Qāhirat al-Mu’izz (“the victory of al-Mu’izz”).
It would be during the first years of Cairo’s life that the fanous would appear for the first time: the leader Gawhar al-Siqilli would have asked the inhabitants of the newborn citadel to light the way for the caliph, who was arriving during the month of Ramadan, making triumphal his entry into the city. However, this would not be the only story related to the origin of the lanterns.
Another historical character linked to the lantern, in fact, would be al-Ḥākim bi-Amr Allāh, sixth Fatimid caliph, whose reign began just over twenty years after the death of al-Mu’izz. Less tolerant than his grandfather, al-Ḥākim turned out to be despotic, persecuting Christians and laying the foundations (although not being the direct cause) for the Crusades.
Among the many restrictions imposed by the caliph, those against women are undoubtedly known: segregated at home, during the month of Ramadan they were only allowed to leave for night prayer. All under two conditions: to be accompanied by a male member of the family, and preceded by a young man carrying a lantern with him, who would have warned those who were in the street of the passage of a woman, to leave room for her. This, therefore, would be the other possible origin of the lantern, in vogue in Egypt during the holy month.
A renewing tradition
Regardless of the true origin of the traditional Ramadan lanterns, the handicraft of fanous has evolved over the centuries, improving and taking the most diverse forms. On the streets of Cairo it is possible to admire many shapes: those in the shape of a ship, or with the typical inlays of Parliament, or in the shape of a crown are the most known.
Again, some lanterns are celebratory: this is the case of the “Farouk” fanous, born to celebrate the birthday of Fārūq ibn Fuʾād, known for being the penultimate king of Egypt, exiled and died in Rome in 1965. Fanous, therefore, are multiple and different, with origins never fully defined but curious: it is certain that, since the Middle Ages, they have established themselves as a symbol of one of the five pillars of Islam; not only that, the light they produce is wonderful, giving a marvelous and unique show of its kind.
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