In the shadows of Jerusalem… a spiritual Ramadan atmosphere

Brightly colored lamps illuminate the narrow alleys of the Old City leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem. The lights add joy to the city, which is different in the month of Ramadan from other months of the year. Thousands of Palestinians flock to Al-Aqsa Mosque throughout the day in Ramadan to perform prayers, read the Qur’an and listen to religious lessons. But the peak of the presence is at the time of Tarawih prayers as well as the congregational prayers, where the numbers of worshipers are usually estimated at tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands. Palestinians are voluntarily keen in the old city lanes to decorate their homes and roads with bright lamps and crescent moons, as an expression of their joy at receiving the arrivals. Ahmed Salama, from the Hatta Gate in the Old City, said, “We worked with everyone, old and young, to decorate the neighborhood on the occasion of the month of Ramadan.” He added, “We made sure that the decorations were in their best form to welcome the arrivals to the city of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque.” Bab Hatta is considered one of the largest lanes in the Old City of Jerusalem, and it is adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque, and worshipers walk through it to reach the mosque. There are small shops in the neighborhood from which worshipers shop for their needs, especially drinks and food for those who come to Al-Aqsa Mosque from outside the city.