Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

Sufis celebrate birthday of Sheikh Abu El-Haggag at Luxor mosque

Sufis celebrate birthday of Sheikh Abu El-Haggag at Luxor mosque

The mawlid or birthday celebrations in Luxor during the Islamic month of Shaaban celebrate the life of 12th-century Sufi scholar Sheikh Yusuf Abu El-Haggag (1150-1245).
The Egyptian mystic, whose lineage goes back to Imam Hussein bin Ali, was born in Baghdad and died in Luxor.

The celebrations last for seven days in the presence of a large number of devotees from all sections of society.

Held two weeks before Ramadan, the mawlid includes horse racing, traditional music and stick dancing, as well as a parade of boat-shaped floats.

Ahmed Abu Haggag, an organizer of the celebrations, told Arab News: “The mawlid celebrations feature ancient rituals and customs that are greatly intertwined with the pharaonic festivals.

“Inside the mosque, the descendants of Abu El-Haggag hold a council known as Al-Dayem, raise religious chanting, sing prophetic praises and read the Qur’an, all in a spiritual atmosphere that restores the soul’s serenity and purity.”

He added: “The atmosphere outside the mosque also spreads the spirit of joy among the devotees.”

Abu Haggag said that caterers and perfumers offer free services with smiles on their faces at the Abu El-Haggag Square in order to please the owner of the site.

He said participants in the traditional stick fighting “come from the governorates of Sohag, Qena, Luxor and Aswan.”

Sheikh Abu El-Haggag devoted himself to knowledge, asceticism and worship. He traveled to Alexandria, where he met prominent Sufis and became a student of Sheikh Abd Al-Razeq. He then returned to Luxor and met Sheikh Abdal Rahim Al-Qanai, the owner of the famous mosque in the city of Qena.

The scholar lived in Luxor until his death during the reign of King Najm Al-Din Ayyub. He was buried in a shrine inside a mosque named after him, built on the ruins of the Luxor Temple.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
×