31 May - 6 June 2001
Issue No.536
|
Al-Ahram Weekly Online 31 May - 6 June 2001 Issue No.536 |
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
THE PROPHET'S GIFTS: The anniversary of the Prophet Mohamed's birth -- celebrated by Muslims everywhere as of this Monday -- is an occasion for fun as well as spiritual rebirth. In Egypt, children take to the streets along with members of the Sufi orders to partake in nation-wide displays of religiously inspired festivity. Mulid Al-Nabi, a multifaceted event, is the model for all Muslim holidays: evenings of religious chanting and Islamic historical drama on TV go hand in hand with the staid rituals of the religious establishment. Streets and mosques are decorated, gifts are given, family get-togethers held.
Of all the Prophet's gifts the mulid's halawa is most common. Traditionally candy dolls were given to girls, candy horses to boys. And while these sweet treats are still available, increasingly the dolls are made of less edible plastic -- as photographed here by Doaa Abu Se'da. Whatever the case, this Fatimid tradition is more alive than not.
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
| ARCHIVES Letter from the Editor Editorial Board Subscription Advertise! |
WEEKLY ONLINE: www.ahram.org.eg/weekly Updated every Saturday at 11.00 GMT, 2pm local time weeklyweb@ahram.org.eg |
 Al-Ahram Organisation |
Recommend this page