Tanta to host biggest Mawlid in Egypt in 4 days

CAIRO – 2 October 2017: Tanta, the capital of Gharbia governorate, is expected to receive three million people next week to participate in the celebration of the Mawlid (birthday) of Al-Sayed Al-Badawi.



Mawlid Al-Badawi is the largest mawlid in Egypt. It will start next Friday, October 6,and end on Friday, October 13 in his historical mosque in Tanta.

.Al-Sayed Al-Badawi Mosque

The city of Tanta has begun its preparation for this important event and the hotels near the mosque are expected to be filled in the coming days.

Mawlid Al-Badawi gathers people from northern and southern Egypt. Many Upper Egypt residents only visit the Nile Delta region during the Al-Badawi celebrations. Visitors buy chickpea sweets, meshabbek (jalebi) and halawa (halva), which are popular types of snacks and desserts sold during the celebrations.

people during visit the shrine of Al Badawi

About 70 Sufi groups will participate in the celebrations with their own folkloric shows and sessions, according to an Imam at Al-Sayed Al-Badawy mosque, who asked to remain anonymous.


Al- Badawi shrine

Imams from all over the world, especially from North Africa, Turkey and Saudi Arabia come to Tanta during this time to participate in the Mawlid. Al-Badawi Mosque can host up to around 20,000 people during the mawlid.

Visitors prepare for the Mawlid of Al-Sayed Al-Badawi

The mosque is covered with lights, and loud, devotional religious songs are played from speakers in every corner as circles of worshippers whirl, chanting the word “madad” (God help us).

millions of people during the big night in Al- Badawi mosque in Tanta

Al-Sayed Al-Badawi is a well-known Sufi Imam whose lineage is believed to go back to Imam al-Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He is also the founder of the famous Badawiyya Sufi order.


Al- Badawi shrine

Visitors buy hummus, meshabbek and halawa

He was born in Fez, Morocco in 596 AH/1200 AD and then studied Quranic sciences in Medina and jurisprudence in Iraq, before settling in Egypt in 640 AH/1243 AD to spread Islamic knowledge. There, he joined the Egyptian army in the war against Louis III, and he played a significant role in his capture. He died in Tanta in 675 AH/1277 AD and is entombed at the mosque that bears his name.