Arabic Qahwa and Its Serving as an Element of Cultural Heritage
Authors: TEMİR Hakan 
Published: December 2022

Agricultural products principally makes the area where they grow prosper. The coffee tree, which is abundant in the mountains of Yemen, paved the way for the early discovery of coffee by Arabs. Staying green throughout every season of the year (evergreen) and being the centre of interest with its red fruit resembling cherry, this plant was too precious and important to leave unattended. Its benefits to the human body were discovered in ancient times, although by trial or error, and people began to consume coffee in numerous different forms. It is not known whether the history of the coffee bean, the existence of which dates back to pre-Islamic times according to unverified archaeological data, is really as old as thought; however, it can be easily said that its use in the field of health further goes back, as it is mentioned in the records from the Islamic period, which were copyrighted at least in the third century AH.

This produce, which was initially consumed as paste or medicine, has become very popular since the 15th century when it was first turned into a beverage. However, this transformation brought some controversy too. The beverage hovered between “ḥalāl” and “ḥarām” for a long time in numerous regions and cities, such as Egypt, Damascus, Mecca, and Medina, until Arabs living in deserts and rural areas embraced it and deemed it legitimate. Contrary to what Sufis do to their bodies at night for more worshipping, bitter coffee boiled at the first light of the day and served before or after breakfast promotes staying energetic throughout the day. Arabs partly left behind the legitimacy debates by attributing meanings of generosity, honour and hospitality, which they have boasted of having for centuries, to this new drink. As the common perception changed, the honour of a person started to be measured by the courtesy he shows when serving coffee. After a certain time, it became the national drink and got decorated with rituals reflecting Arab customs in the best manner. Cultural rules and rituals have formed over time, such as the utilization of various kinds of tools in its production, the choice of elegant cooking or serving vessels, the coffee prepared in the gentlest way, and the coffee drinker respecting coffee as much as the coffee maker. Moreover, the addition of herbal products such as cardamom, saffron and cinnamon into it gave way to new formulas beneficial to human health. Besides, the character of the beverage, which held the ability to gather people to itself with all its charm, was particularly suitable to address the needs of leaders who desired to gather the scattered clan members together every day. Maybe it was these leaders who were the most interested in coffee. As a result, the tribes embraced and engaged in drinking coffee, which they believed would contribute to them in various ways.

Being as precious for the Arab people as the air that they breathe, coffee entered every single household and has become the main drink in the regions where they live. Unique and strict rules and recipes for making and drinking coffee emerged. Despite the developments in the world conditions causing radical changes in the food culture, traditional Arabic coffee remained a social image that was passed down from generation to generation, as the Arabs were quite determined about this matter. Thus, coffee gained a considerable place in the lives of Arabs, as well as throughout the world. Many were attracted to its bitter taste, while it became a subject of complaint among others. This experience that is passed down to the next generations can be typically observed in all the regions populated by Arabs today. Moreover, it is always desired that there are experts who have mastered this commodity in every community, and opinion leaders who patiently cook it only get respect in return for the service they provide and have absolutely no motivation for material gains. This study addresses the origination of Arabic coffee, its uniqueness, its place in daily life, its serving, the tools used in preparing and serving coffee, and its transformation into an element of cultural heritage. To elaborate on the subject, classical sources were examined first, and the data in the existing studies were consulted. However, this was not enough, and personal impressions obtained from the visits we made to the coffee houses in the region under the leadership of the al-ʿUbaydī tribe in Şanlıurfa were reflected in the text.