Latest news with #Mheibes
Shafaq News
25-03-2025
- General
- Shafaq News
Ramadan in Iraq: Baghdad traditions meet Erbil's festive nights
Shafaq News/ As the crescent moon heralds the arrival of Ramadan, Iraq's cities of Baghdad and Erbil embrace the holy month with a tapestry of traditions that blend spiritual devotion, solidarity, and festivities, offering a unique experience for residents and visitors alike. For Muslims around the world, Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayer, and spiritual renewal. From dawn until sunset, they abstain from food and drink, gathering each evening with family and neighbors to break their fast over a meal known as Iftar. But beyond its religious significance, the month also inspires acts of generosity and celebration across homes and public spaces. In Baghdad, Ramadan traditions begin at home. One of the most enduring customs is the exchange of Iftar trays between families. Residents prepare generous portions of rice, soup, vegetables, fruit, desserts, and appetizers to share with neighbors and relatives—often in honor of deceased loved ones. In the final ten days of the month, this act of sharing expands to include struggling families, turning a social ritual into a charitable gesture that reflects the compassion at the heart of the holy month. Old cafés come alive after sunset in the capital. At Dar Al-Atraqchi, a venue built to preserve Baghdad's historic atmosphere, locals gather to enjoy traditional 'maqam' music and hear professional storytellers known as Al-Qassakhun, who keep oral history alive, offering a journey through memory. After dinner, many residents take part in Mheibes, a traditional Ramadan game where large groups gather to guess who's hiding a small ring. Played between neighborhoods and accompanied by sweets and laughter, the game fosters friendly rivalry and strengthens social ties across generations. Ramadan takes on a more festive, public character in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region. The city's municipality has launched the annual 'Ramadan Nights' festival near the historic citadel, drawing families and visitors to a vibrant open-air market. Rows of stalls offer traditional Kurdish dishes, handmade crafts, and nightly performances that highlight the region's cultural diversity. Organizers said the event is intended to provide 'a space for shared experience—a place where residents and tourists alike can connect over the flavors, sounds, and spirit of Ramadan.' The festival, which runs through the end of the month, has transformed Erbil's old city center into a celebration of food, identity, and togetherness. Despite their different rhythms, Baghdad and Erbil share the same pulse during Ramadan. Whether through a quiet meal delivered to a neighbor's doorstep or a bustling night under lantern-lit skies, both cities reflect the deeper meaning of the month: reflection, generosity, and the ties that bind communities together.
Khaleej Times
23-03-2025
- Sport
- Khaleej Times
Iraqis find Ramadan joy in centuries-old ring game
In a Baghdad arena, a crowd cheers to the rhythm of drums, not for a football match but for a fiery centuries-old game enjoyed by Iraqis during the holy month of Ramadan called "mheibes". "It's a heritage game, the game of our ancestors, which unites all Iraqis," said Jassem Al Aswad, a longtime mheibes champion in his early seventies and now president of the game's national federation. The game involves members of one team hiding a ring — "mehbis" in Arabic — and the captain of the opposing team trying to guess who has it in the palm of his hand. And he has to do so within 10 minutes. Played during the holy month, the game first appeared as early as the 16th century in Ottoman-era Baghdad, according to Iraqi folklore expert Adel Al Ardawi. More than 500 fans and players gathered in the stands and on the field for two matches: the Baghdad neighbourhood of Kadhimiya against the southern city of Nasiriyah, and the capital's Al Mashtal district versus a team from the port city of Basra. Everyone watched as the 40 players on one team huddled together under a blanket to avoid prying eyes, and decided who would hide the "mehbis" or signet ring worn by many Iraqi men. Sitting on the ground or on chairs, the members of the team hiding the ring then adopted serious expressions. Some closed their eyes, while others crossed their arms or even clenched their fists. The rival team captain carefully read these facial expressions and body language to try and guess who had the ring — before pronouncing the verdict. When the first team failed to guess correctly, the other team scored a point and the crowd went wild. 'It's in our blood' "Iraqis love football the most, but mheibes comes a close second. It's in our blood," Kadhimiya captain Baqer al-Kazimi told AFP. The clean-shaven 51-year-old, who wears a black robe called a jellaba, said he inherited his love of the game from his father. Though mheibes was impacted during decades of conflict, including at the peak of the sectarian war between 2006 and 2008 marked by suicide attacks and kidnappings, Kazimi said he and others continued playing even during those dark years. He said that only the coronavirus pandemic forced players to put their hobby on hold. "Despite the sectarian violence, we played in cafes," he said, recalling one game between players from the Sunni neighbourhood of Adhamiya and those from Kadhimiya, a predominantly Shiite area. The two districts were separated by a bridge that had been closed for years because of the violence. "We played on the bridge. Sunnis and Shiites met," he said. Ahmed Maala from Basra recalled a game with a team from Baghdad that lasted all night. "I learned the game by playing with friends and family," he said. "Mheibes will go down in history for its very large fan base throughout Iraq." Passion for the game runs so deep that sometimes arguments erupt among players, even escalating into physical violence. In a country with nearly 400 teams, annual competitions see players from across the nation competing against each other, with 10 teams qualifying in Baghdad alone to represent the city's different neighbourhoods. Mheibes champion Aswad said he hopes the game will one day expand beyond Iraq's borders. "Just as Brazil popularised football, we will transmit this game to the whole world," he said.
Arab News
23-03-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Iraqis find Ramadan joy in centuries-old ring game
Baghdad: In a Baghdad arena, a crowd cheers to the rhythm of drums, not for a football match but for a fiery centuries-old game enjoyed by Iraqis during Ramadan called 'mheibes.' 'It's a heritage game, the game of our ancestors, which unites all Iraqis,' said Jassem Al-Aswad, a longtime mheibes champion in his early seventies and now president of the game's national federation. The game involves members of one team hiding a ring — 'mehbis' in Arabic — and the captain of the opposing team trying to guess who has it in the palm of his hand. And he has to do so within 10 minutes. Played during the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the game first appeared as early as the 16th century in Ottoman-era Baghdad, according to Iraqi folklore expert Adel Al-Ardawi. More than 500 fans and players gathered in the stands and on the field for two matches: the Baghdad neighborhood of Kadhimiya against the southern city of Nasiriyah, and the capital's Al-Mashtal district versus a team from the port city of Basra. Everyone watched as the 40 players on one team huddled together under a blanket to avoid prying eyes, and decided who would hide the 'mehbis' or signet ring worn by many Iraqi men. Sitting on the ground or on chairs, the members of the team hiding the ring then adopted serious expressions. Some closed their eyes, while others crossed their arms or even clenched their fists. The rival team captain carefully read these facial expressions and body language to try and guess who had the ring — before pronouncing the verdict. When the first team failed to guess correctly, the other team scored a point and the crowd went wild. 'It's in our blood' 'Iraqis love football the most, but mheibes comes a close second. It's in our blood,' Kadhimiya captain Baqer Al-Kazimi told AFP. The clean-shaven 51-year-old, who wears a black robe called a jellaba, said he inherited his love of the game from his father. Though mheibes was impacted during decades of conflict, including at the peak of the sectarian war between 2006 and 2008 marked by suicide attacks and kidnappings, Kazimi said he and others continued playing even during those dark years. He said that only the coronavirus pandemic forced players to put their hobby on hold. 'Despite the sectarian violence, we played in cafes,' he said, recalling one game between players from the Sunni neighborhood of Adhamiya and those from Kadhimiya, a predominantly Shiite area. The two districts were separated by a bridge that had been closed for years because of the violence. 'We played on the bridge. Sunnis and Shiites met,' he said. Ahmed Maala from Basra recalled a game with a team from Baghdad that lasted all night. 'I learned the game by playing with friends and family,' he said. 'Mheibes will go down in history for its very large fan base throughout Iraq.' Passion for the game runs so deep that sometimes arguments erupt among players, even escalating into physical violence. In a country with nearly 400 teams, annual competitions see players from across the nation competing against each other, with 10 teams qualifying in Baghdad alone to represent the city's different neighborhoods. Mheibes champion Aswad said he hopes the game will one day expand beyond Iraq's borders. 'Just as Brazil popularised football, we will transmit this game to the whole world,' he said.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Iraqis find Ramadan joy in centuries-old ring game
In a Baghdad arena, a crowd cheers to the rhythm of drums, not for a football match but for a fiery centuries-old game enjoyed by Iraqis during Ramadan called "mheibes". "It's a heritage game, the game of our ancestors, which unites all Iraqis," said Jassem al-Aswad, a longtime mheibes champion in his early seventies and now president of the game's national federation. The game involves members of one team hiding a ring -- "mehbis" in Arabic -- and the captain of the opposing team trying to guess who has it in the palm of his hand. And he has to do so within 10 minutes. Played during the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the game first appeared as early as the 16th century in Ottoman-era Baghdad, according to Iraqi folklore expert Adel al-Ardawi. More than 500 fans and players gathered in the stands and on the field for two matches: the Baghdad neighbourhood of Kadhimiya against the southern city of Nasiriyah, and the capital's Al-Mashtal district versus a team from the port city of Basra. Everyone watched as the 40 players on one team huddled together under a blanket to avoid prying eyes, and decided who would hide the "mehbis" or signet ring worn by many Iraqi men. Sitting on the ground or on chairs, the members of the team hiding the ring then adopted serious expressions. Some closed their eyes, while others crossed their arms or even clenched their fists. The rival team captain carefully read these facial expressions and body language to try and guess who had the ring -- before pronouncing the verdict. When the first team failed to guess correctly, the other team scored a point and the crowd went wild. - 'It's in our blood' - "Iraqis love football the most, but mheibes comes a close second. It's in our blood," Kadhimiya captain Baqer al-Kazimi told AFP. The clean-shaven 51-year-old, who wears a black robe called a jellaba, said he inherited his love of the game from his father. Though mheibes was impacted during decades of conflict, including at the peak of the sectarian war between 2006 and 2008 marked by suicide attacks and kidnappings, Kazimi said he and others continued playing even during those dark years. He said that only the coronavirus pandemic forced players to put their hobby on hold. "Despite the sectarian violence, we played in cafes," he said, recalling one game between players from the Sunni neighbourhood of Adhamiya and those from Kadhimiya, a predominantly Shiite area. The two districts were separated by a bridge that had been closed for years because of the violence. "We played on the bridge. Sunnis and Shiites met," he said. Ahmed Maala from Basra recalled a game with a team from Baghdad that lasted all night. "I learned the game by playing with friends and family," he said. "Mheibes will go down in history for its very large fan base throughout Iraq." Passion for the game runs so deep that sometimes arguments erupt among players, even escalating into physical violence. In a country with nearly 400 teams, annual competitions see players from across the nation competing against each other, with 10 teams qualifying in Baghdad alone to represent the city's different neighbourhoods. Mheibes champion Aswad said he hopes the game will one day expand beyond Iraq's borders. "Just as Brazil popularised football, we will transmit this game to the whole world," he said. sf/tgg/ysm/srm/jfx
