The canons are fired each evening of the Holy Month to signal the end of the fast…

The chorus of cannon blast that accompanies the dawning of iftar during the Holy Month, is a dearly-loved and enduring tradition in Dubai.

And it seems not even a global pandemic can prevent this particular Ramadan ritual from going ahead.

Dubai Police announced today that the nightly cannon salute will still be observed this year.

There will be some changes though. Major-General Abdulla Ali Al Gaith of Dubai Police said that, due to safety concerns over the potential spread of Covid-19, the firing of the cannons would not take place with a live audience.

Those wishing to spectate will be able to do so from the comfort of their own homes, on TV.

The locations of the cannons have been confirmed as Al Khawaneej, Atlantis The Palm, Burj Khalifa and the Eid Prayer Ground in Al Mankhool.

In each area, a team of four artillery-trained officers is assigned to oversee the customary barrage.

The event coincides with sunset, so times vary slightly each day.

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Have you ever wondered why cannons fire over Ramadan?

There is some debate as to the origin of using the cannons as a signal for Muslims to break their fast during the Holy Month.

Some historians believe that the custom dates back to as far as 10th century Egypt, when one of the Fatimid caliphs ordered a cannon to be placed on Cairo’s Muqatam Hill for the purpose of announcing iftar.

If you’d like to dive further into why the cannons are fired over Ramadan, we recommend that you check out our guide to the history of the event.

Images: Twitter