Syria Embraces Freedom in Its First Ramadan Without al-Assad

Despite the crushing economic hardship facing Syrians, Ramadan 2025 feels unlike any before it, as the country emerges from 54 years of al-Assad family rule and oppression.

Across Syria, glimpses of joy and relief are evident as people welcome the holy month, reviving cherished Levantine traditions—an affirmation of hope for a brighter future.

A Surge of Emotion

On December 8, 2024, Syria turned the page on more than half a century of al-Assad family rule, as Bashar and his family fled to Russia following a swift military offensive by opposition forces that began on November 27 and advanced toward Damascus.

Bashar had inherited power in 2000 after the death of his father, Hafez, who seized control in a 1971 military coup and ruled with an iron fist, presiding over decades of brutal massacres against Syrians. 

His son carried on the legacy of bloodshed, overseeing mass killings, displacement, and the destruction of entire cities as he crushed the uprising that erupted against him on March 18, 2011.

Now, after 14 years of struggle, Syrians who emerged victorious from their revolution are embracing the historic moment—the first Ramadan in 2025 without Bashar al-Assad and his feared security apparatus.

Across the country, mosques are being restored and prepared to welcome worshippers and those observing spiritual retreats, a striking transformation after years of neglect under the now-defunct regime.

For the first time in 18 years, the historic Umayyad Mosque in the heart of Damascus saw its carpets replaced on February 23, 2025—a symbolic moment that laid bare years of deliberate neglect under al-Assad regime.

Syrian social media brimmed with raw emotion as the country marked its first Ramadan without the ousted Assad regime. Leaked intelligence documents uncovered in security branches laid bare the extent of state surveillance—even worshippers at mosques were not spared.

The sweetness of victory, as Syrians celebrated their revolution’s triumph, intertwined with the spiritual warmth of Ramadan and the reunion of families long torn apart by al-Assad’s military machine. 

Many who had fled in the 1980s to escape Hafez al-Assad’s brutality finally returned to their hometowns, stepping back onto soil they once thought lost forever.

Despite a shattered economy and the looting of national wealth by the ousted regime, Damascus and other cities saw the revival of Ramadan traditions in their bustling markets—though purchasing power remained weak. 

International sanctions against al-Assad regime continue to pose the greatest challenge to Syria’s reconstruction, as the country takes its first steps toward rebirth.

Ramadan Without al-Assad!

As Syrians prepare for their first Ramadan in decades without al-Assad regime, state news agency SANA conducted a survey in Damascus markets to gauge the availability of goods ahead of the holy month.

Shoppers noted that food prices were lower than the previous year, with supplies more abundant following an improvement in the Syrian pound’s exchange rate. 

Meanwhile, market vendors eagerly called out to passersby, using humor and lively slogans to entice customers, some even offering free samples—a familiar yet newly revitalized tradition in the capital’s bustling souks.

A striking change this year is the resounding chorus of religious hymns emanating from mosques, celebrating the arrival of Ramadan. 

For many Syrians, this stands in stark contrast to previous years, when the now-defunct regime would bombard liberated areas at the moment of the sunset call to prayer.

On social media, Syrians have shared old footage of al-Assad’s security forces storming homes during Ramadan, disregarding its sanctity. 

But now, the atmosphere is different—Ramadan 2025 feels distinct, marked by a newfound unity in the absence of al-Assad’s rule.

For many, the departure of militias that had long terrorized communities with killings, looting, and abuses has made this year’s Ramadan feel safer than any in over a decade.

Since 2011, Syrians had exchanged Ramadan greetings with a shared wish—that by the next year, the regime would fall, and the displaced could return to their homes. 

Now, with the sighting of the new moon on March 1, 2025, they write with a sense of finality, “This is our first Ramadan without Assad, without the regime that once bombed us during the call to prayer.”

‘We Have Reclaimed Syria’

Against this backdrop, former Syrian diplomat Mohamad Hosam Hafez, who defected from the regime at the outbreak of the revolution, reflected on the momentous shift.

“We thank God for blessing us with the liberation of Syria from tyranny,” he wrote on Facebook on February 28.

“We pray that justice and prosperity take root across the country, and that the ideals of freedom become a tangible reality—one filled with dignity, justice, and development—so that Syria may truly return to its people, strong and stable.”

Looking ahead, Hafez expressed hope that the holy month would mark the beginning of a new era. “May this Ramadan usher in a period of renewal, where economic conditions improve, and our people finally experience security, stability, and prosperity after years of suffering and sacrifice.”

In a powerful display of unity and victory, hundreds of Syrians gathered in the courtyard of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus on the last Friday of “Sha’ban”, celebrating the arrival of Ramadan with chants of "Allahu Akbar" and raising the revolution’s flag—now the official banner of the nation.

Echoing the early days of the uprising, they revived the revolutionary slogan, "We kneel only to God," a testament to their long and unyielding resilience.

"This Ramadan is the most generous for Syrians—without the Assad family, without Iran, without the dreaded Saydnaya prison. Reunited after years of exile and oppression, we stand with our heads held high. We have reclaimed Syria," journalist Siba Madwar wrote.

"We pray that God's blessings continue upon us—that our remaining brothers in Lebanon’s Roumieh prison find freedom, and that our beloved people in the east are finally liberated," Siba added, referring to the areas under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

"May God have mercy on our martyrs—both civilians and fighters—and protect the young men of the Syrian security forces who now serve to preserve life rather than take it. Perhaps, soon, we will witness victory in our brotherly Yemen. Ramadan Kareem—God is the most generous," Sida stated, honoring the sacrifices made along the path to liberation. 

What stands out this year is a profound shift: for the first time in over half a century, the sighting of the Ramadan crescent was determined through legitimate religious observation, free from the manipulation of intelligence agencies.

Shedding light on this long-standing practice, former senior religious judge Mahmud al-Maarawi, who served under Bashar al-Assad, revealed how Syria’s religious calendar had been dictated by political interests. 

He recounted how former Minister of Religious Endowments, Mohammed Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed—a staunch loyalist of al-Assad—had pressured him to declare Eid on specific dates to align with the regime’s agenda.

"Minister al-Sayyed instructed me to announce that Eid would fall on a Thursday—simply because Bashar wanted to perform the Eid prayer on that day," al-Maarawi disclosed in a video statement recorded in January 2025.

Al-Maarawi further revealed that after refusing al-Sayyed’s request, he faced direct threats, including a call from the Minister of Justice pressuring him to comply.

He emphasized that this was not an isolated incident. The regime’s interference in determining religious observances, he noted, was a long-standing practice, dating back to the 1990s.