Celebrations for the Prophet's birthday from Sudan and Egypt

(11 Dec 2016) LEAD IN Many Muslims around the world are celebrating the birth of Islam's prophet Muhammad. The day is known as Moulid and it's celebrated every year with parties, sweets and services. STORY-LINE: Huge crowds of Sudanese people celebrate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad. Moulid El Nabi celebrations take place in public squares across the country, but the most famous of them is here at Housh Al-Khaleefa in Omdurman city. Tents from over 200 different Sufi orders are set up praising Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. Faisal Ba-baker is among the many local residents out celebrating. He comes every year and enjoys the sweets on sale which he says have a special taste during Moulid. The celebration of Moulid is generally associated with the Sufi strains of Islam but it is also celebrated in many other countries. Sufi followers spend time listening to religious songs and whirling around while being rapt in spiritual revelations. It is a time for celebration and reflecting on and remembering Prophet Muhammad. Sufi sheikh Muataz Al-Khaleefa explains the high energy service. "The moves accompanying the celebrations bring activity and push away laziness from the Sufi followers. And they make them remember Allah for a long time without exhaustion, there is even ecstasy and happiness in the remembrance of Allah, they chant sometimes saying 'There is no God but Allah' and sometimes mention the Good Names of Allah, asking for acceptance, reward and bounty." Sweets are a big part of that bounty. On the city's streets, the crowds are rushing to pick up last-minute treats. It's also a time to buy presents for younger members of the family. Dolls and puppets hang from stalls ready to be taken home with the tradition extending back to the Fatimid Caliphate (909 - 1171). It's a similar scene in Egypt. Special Moulid sweets and dolls are on sale in this Cairo market. But this year, fewer people can afford to buy the sugary goods – as an economic crisis continues in the country, leading to sugar scarcity amongst other shortages. Market visitor Om Hesham says prices are more expensive than last year. "Moulid sweet is an annual tradition. We were planning to go without it this year, but because it is a tradition, and it gives joy to the family and kids, frankly we couldn't do it," she says. Another visitor, Emad Ismail says: "For us as Egyptians, we can't give up on this tradition, in spite of high prices, the exchange rate of the US dollar and the scarcity of sugar. We have to buy the Moulid doll, as it is a long time tradition." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...