Seen in Cairo : Al-Sayeda Zeinab Mosque on Moulid eve

Here are couple of photos of the Great Al-Sayeda Zeinab Mosque on the Mawlid Nabawy or Moulid eve “as we say it in our Egyptian Arabic accent”.
I wanted to snap photos on Tuesday for Al-Sayeda Zeinab’s famous seasonal market beside her famous mosque and shrine but I realized that I was too late and I could not go it on the Moulid’s eve because it is the climax of celebration.

Al-Sayeda Zeinab Mosque on the eve of Moulid 

Luckily I snapped a couple of photos for the great Mosque and Shrine for Al-Sayeda Zeinab “Lady Zeinab”, the grand-daughter of Prophet Mohamed “Peace upon them” in the heart of Cairo.

The old mosque which was renovated in 1940 by orders of King Farouk was beautifully decorated with green lights "Sufism plays a role here" for the religious occasion.

The mosque receives many visitors on such occasions

Wikipedia says inaccurately that the mosque was demolished and rebuilt in 1940 but according to an old photo I found that dates to 1890, the mosque had the same façade.

Taken in 1894 "Mohamed Abbas " and if you pay attention to the mosque's details,
you will find it the same. 

I won’t enter the debate about whether Lady Zeinab Peace Upon her was buried in Cairo or in Damascus “Iranian revolutionary guards think she is in Damascus and that’s why they invaded the city”  but there is fact that the old mention of the mosque as a a shrine for the Prophet Mohamed’s Grand-daughter was in the 16th century Ottoman records that mentioned the renovation works.

The mosque's facade at night 

Personally , I tend to believe that Lady Zeinab who is considered the Islamic Saint Patron of Cairo lived in Egypt till her death because I find it hard to believe that she would stay in Damascus, the capital of Umayyads who killed her brother in a brutal battle.

The mosque's facade at night 

Also, Egyptian Sufi orders keep a very detailed history of the arrival of Prophet Mohamed “PBUH”’s family to Egypt that amaze you.
The famous seasonal market turns in to a place to sell Moulid sweets and its famous sugar dolls and knights. Hopefully next year, I will speak more about it.
I visited that makeshift market before Ramadan and I believe you should see and share those photos again because they are beautiful. I am biased I know.