“Some people think ‘Abu al-Tout’ is just a nickname,” says Ahmad Abu al-Tout, “but the truth is, this shop smells like dried mulberries.”
In the Al-Salihiyah neighborhood of Damascus lies the "Abu al-Tout" shop for traditional medicine. Ahmad inherited the trade from his father — a profession that combined barbering with folk healing traditions.
As a child, Ahmad used to watch his father closely: how he held the scissors, how he listened to people’s stories as they sat in front of the mirror. He says, “My father wasn’t just a barber — he was a healer, someone who eased people’s pain, both in their bodies and their souls.”
He adds, “Some people think ‘Abu al-Tout’ is just a name, but honestly, the whole place smells like dried mulberries. And my father used to hand out mulberry juice to every customer.”
After the war, the faces disappeared, and the scissors fell silent. Still, Ahmad insists on keeping Abu al-Tout’s doors open. He says, “This shop isn’t just for haircuts... it’s a place for people.”
