Traditionally, they are fired twice to announce the start and end of Ramadan, the beginning of Eid Al Fitr, and twice again on the morning of the festival.
The Dubai Police have announced the locations of Eid Al Fitr cannons this year. The cannons will fire twice to announce the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid Al Fitr.
The locations of the Eid cannons are as follows:
- Muallah Al Mankhool
- Nad Al Shiba Area – Eid Musallah
- Grand Zaabeel Mosque – Zaabel 1
- Hatta – Eid Musallah
- Nadd Al Hamar – Eid Musallah
- Baraha – Eid Musallah
- Al Barsha – Eid Musallah
According to tradition, the cannon is fired twice to announce the start of Ramadan, and once every day to announce iftar. It also fired twice in a row to announce Eid Al Fitr, and twice again on the morning of the festival.
Some historians say that the custom began in 10th-century Egypt when the cannons were fired to let people know it was time for iftar. In Dubai, it dates back to the 1960s. The cannons are believed to have been manufactured in Britain back in 1945.
News Source: Khaleej Times