Its always been interesting for me to find the origin of things, how it started and how it was adapted to our new world, below is an article I found about the origin of El-Fanous ______________________________________________________________________ Nobody has ever questioned about the origins of the Fanous; when and where did it start? Actually, there are different interpretations to this question. The strongest three estimations date the Ramadan lantern to the Fatimid reign; but when exactly and how, that is what makes the difference. The first narration states that when Al-Moezz ledin Allah, the first Fatimid Caliph came to Cairo in 362 of the lunar calendar, Caireans received him carrying colorful lanterns to light the streets leading to his palace. This was the fifth night of Ramadan. Since then, the lantern has been used during the holy month. Another story suggests that the lanterns were used to light the procession that viewed the crescent to announce the start and end of each day's fasting. At that time, fasting only started when the lanterns were extinguished. However, the most interesting story about the Fanous is that during the reign of the Fatimid Caliph Al-Hakim Bi-Amr Allah, women were only allowed to go outside their homes during Ramadan, and they were proceeded by a little boy carrying a copper lantern so that men in the streets would move away. But even after the laws were softened and women were permitted to go out, people liked the lanterns so much that they made their children carry them in the streets every Ramadan. Since then, Ramadan has never existed without a Fanous and it never will

Source: EL Mashbakeya Magazine