Abou el Haggag 2011

[DJKeefy]

This event will take place in the next few days, not sure if its on Thursday or Friday (maybe someone on here knows)

Quite a few Egyptians have warned me to be extra carefull at this years one though due to little police presence and the way of thinking of the younger generation after the revolution, if you do go, leave any valuables at home and carry very little money with you, if you walk in the procession you will be squashed, try find a place like upstairs at ali babas (next to hammees) and watch it from there.

Enjoy.....


Abou el Haggag 2007
viewtopic.php?t=13581

Abou el Haggag 2008
viewtopic.php?t=18319

[BBLUX]

Rats! I was hoping to watch again this year after many years gap but will be traveling to the Red Sea tomorrow.
A really good viewing location is the front upper terrace of the Winter Palace.

[Nancy]

I went to vist the tomb of Abou El Haggag in 2009, by an Egyptian man from our hotel, I have been trying to find out more about him since then, but no luck, does anyone know anything about his life, or why he was/is revered?

[jewel]

I will say a prayer for the animals....these moulids and festivals are never good news for them

[LivinginLuxor]

This Wikipedia article might help, Nancy...

"Abu Haggag was a Sufi shaykh, born in Baghdad, but he spent the latter half of his 90 years in Luxor. He died here in 1243, but it is believed that the minaret is older than he was, dating back to the 11th century. The mosque itself has been rebuilt many times, and completely in the 19th century. Abu Haggag is Luxor's main saint, and his mosque is the core of local religious activities. Locals believe that his mosque is a particularly important religious spot, full of baraka, divine blessing.
When Shaikh Abu El Haggag came to Luxor, Islam at the time was not the major religion in Egypt; Coptic Christianity was the leading religion at the time. The city was a colony owned by a religious Coptic lady. She used to be called The Princess. Her soldiers saw Sheikh Abu El Haggag there and was immediately recognized as a foreigner, therefore he was taken to the Princess for questioning as they feared that he is a spy from a different tribe/region. He complained to her about the treatment he received and expressed that he wishes to become a local citizen. The lady was generous and offered him to stay as long as he wishes. He asked her to give him a land as big as a camel’s skin to sleep on it, she thought that would be maximum of 2 square meters, so she agreed as she was a generous Lady, he asked her to sign a contract confirming the deal which she agreed to.
At night, he took a camel’s skin and he cut it into a very thin line at the front of some local witnesses, something similar to a very thin washing line, he used it to border a big part of Luxor Temple. In the morning, soldiers saw this line and reported it to the Princess, and then she realised that he owns this bordered part of the temple as per their written agreement. As much as she was feeling deceived by his plan, they met few times afterwards, she was impressed by his knowledge and then she converted to Islam.
At the time, there was a church in the place of the mosque. Shaikh Abu El Haggag agreed with the princess to convert the building to a mosque, which stands till today. In the upper ground foundation the old part of the church, which is clear that it is not a part of the temple, can still be seen.
Lots of people claimed that he became a monk and was given a power to practice miracles, such as walking on water, healing rare diseases, and even people see him in the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia while others sees him at the same time in Luxor. When he died he was buried in the mosque."

[Who2]

Walking on water eh?
Probably a useful virtue whilst trying to convert the west bank tribes...............
not to mention saving 50 piastras............

[Nancy]

Thanks Stan I am impressed with your knowledge.