Qarqe'an
Encyclopedia
Qarqe'an is an annual tradition practiced in some Arabic Countries. It is widely practiced in Bahrain
, Kuwait
, Oman
, Qatar
, Saudi Arabia
, and United Arab Emirates
. Children grab their bags in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan
(13-15 Ramadan) and knock on the neighborhood doors singing traditional songs to get candies, sweets and nuts (similar to Halloween
). The tradition has existed for hundreds of years.
Although the celebration of Qarqe'an shares superficial similarities with the Halloween
custom of trick-or-treating
, practiced in some western countries, Qarqe'an has no connection with horror and no associated origin with Halloween.
singing ""Qarrat Al Ain, Qarrat Al Ain" which was changed with time to Qarqe'an (See History).
's grandson, Hasan ibn Ali
when the prophet's daughter Fatimah
gave out colored sugar cubes to the people in celebration of her new born child on the 15th of Ramadan
. When the kids of Medina
heard about the news of the birth, they gathered around the prophet's house singing "Qarrat Al Ain, Qarrat Al Ain Wa Ajr AlJo'an" which means "Congratulations, congratulations, blessed for feeding the hungry." The prophet rewarded them with sweets, dates and raisins.
groups in front of a home and sing. The song is intended to call on Allah
to bless the youngest child of the family, to keep him or her healthy that the mother will remain happy. The more they sing, the more nuts and sweets they receive.
The Qarqe'an tradition is intended to spread love, happiness and affection among adults and children.
In modern times, supermarkets, corporates, and malls compete to attract children during this time via advertising in newspapers and on TV, and by offering special promotions and arranging closed Qarqe'an events to market themselves.
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, and United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. Children grab their bags in the middle of the holy month of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
(13-15 Ramadan) and knock on the neighborhood doors singing traditional songs to get candies, sweets and nuts (similar to Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
). The tradition has existed for hundreds of years.
Although the celebration of Qarqe'an shares superficial similarities with the Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
custom of trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating or "Guising", is a customary practice for children on Halloween in many countries. Children in costumes travel from house to house in order to ask for treats such as candy with the question "Trick or treat?"...
, practiced in some western countries, Qarqe'an has no connection with horror and no associated origin with Halloween.
Etymology
The word Qarqe'an is derived from Qarqa'ah , which means click or snick, the sound of iron pots carrying the sweets hitting each other while serving the sweets. Another Etymology could be from the kids of MedinaMedina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
singing ""Qarrat Al Ain, Qarrat Al Ain" which was changed with time to Qarqe'an (See History).
History
The origin of this act goes back to the birth of prophet MuhammadMuhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
's grandson, Hasan ibn Ali
Hasan ibn Ali
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...
when the prophet's daughter Fatimah
Fatimah
Fatimah was a daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad from his first wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. She is regarded by Muslims as an exemplar for men and women. She remained at her father's side through the difficulties suffered by him at the hands of the Quraysh of Mecca...
gave out colored sugar cubes to the people in celebration of her new born child on the 15th of Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. When the kids of Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
heard about the news of the birth, they gathered around the prophet's house singing "Qarrat Al Ain, Qarrat Al Ain Wa Ajr AlJo'an" which means "Congratulations, congratulations, blessed for feeding the hungry." The prophet rewarded them with sweets, dates and raisins.
Tradition
Children gather in small choirChoir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
groups in front of a home and sing. The song is intended to call on Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
to bless the youngest child of the family, to keep him or her healthy that the mother will remain happy. The more they sing, the more nuts and sweets they receive.
The Qarqe'an tradition is intended to spread love, happiness and affection among adults and children.
In modern times, supermarkets, corporates, and malls compete to attract children during this time via advertising in newspapers and on TV, and by offering special promotions and arranging closed Qarqe'an events to market themselves.