An igniter for an incendiary briquette of a type suitable for smoking a smoking substance disposed in a bowl of a hookah is disclosed. The igniter includes a housing defining an interior and having a sidewall, a bottom wall, and a top opening providing access to the interior. An ignition source that produces a flame is disposed in the interior of the housing. The igniter includes a removable tray for supporting the incendiary briquette. The tray has at least one heat transfer hole therein and is sized to be removably supported by the housing at a location above the flame of the ignition source, wherein heat flows upwardly to cause a burning of the incendiary briquette. The tray is sized to seat above the bowl of the hookah so that the burning briquette is supported to cause a burning of the smoking substance.