Kodak Agfa presents: Al-Sayeda Zainab’s Moulid Al-Nabi Bazaar 2026 in Photos and Video

It is one of those times of the year.

Here we are celebrating the anniversary of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH).

Moulid El-Nabi, which commemorates the birth of Prophet Muhammad, is observed annually on 12 Rabi Al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

This year, it falls on Tuesday, 25 August, in the Gregorian calendar.

Nevertheless, Thursday, August 27, will be an official paid public holiday in Egypt to mark Moulid El-Nabi, Prophet Muhammad's birthday, according to a buzzkill decree by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly.

The date has been shifted to Thursday in line with the government's practice of moving weekday public holidays to the end of the working week.

Anyhow, once again, Kodak Agfa pays a quick visit to Al-Sayida Zeinab's Moulid Al-Nabi annual bazaar.

Before you say, "oh no, not again" or "you can go to a different place," believe me, there is always something new and cheerful there.

This is the first time I have seen these light decorations hung in Cairo, if not all of Egypt. 

The lion and the palm tree light decorations are here

I can't remember seeing them before.

Interestingly, the lion symbolizes Imam Ali in Shia Islamic iconography.

First time seeing this LED light decoration with its unique design

I'm wondering if we got this from Iraq, or if it's imported from China without anyone knowing the meaning behind it.

Other than that, it's the usual simple lighting at the makeshift bazaar stands, alongside the authentic Egyptian khayamiya red-and-blue fabrics.

Happy Hijri Year 1448: Al-Aqsa is in a huge danger and Many Muslims are still refugees

Happy and blessed New Hijri Year 1448 to all Muslims in the world, especially to the Muslim refugees.

Today marks Muharram 1, 1448 AH.

Today is the start of the new Islamic Hijri Year 1448.

Once again, I have to remind people that our Islamic calendar began more than fourteen centuries ago when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions, the first Muslims, sought refuge and safety in Yathrib, which later became Medina, the first capital of the Islamic state.

The early Muslims were refugees. In fact, almost all the prophets of the Abrahamic faiths and their earliest followers experienced displacement, exile, or persecution. It seems to be a recurring chapter in the story of faith.

As of 2026, the Muslim world is once again home to some of the largest displaced populations on Earth. Approximately 6 million Palestinian refugees remain registered with UNRWA, while about 4.9 million Syrian refugees continue to live outside their homeland, primarily in neighboring countries and across Europe.

Mo Salah ends Liverpool chapter: All Hail to the Egyptian King

In his final moment, in his final game as a forward for Liverpool at Anfield, Mohamed Salah — commonly known as the Egyptian King — prostrated himself, performing a Sujood to thank Allah, the Almighty, the King of Kings, before thousands inside the stadium and millions watching via television and platforms around the globe.

Sujood is the closest a Muslim can be to his Creator.

Prostrating to thank God at the peak of your success is a sign of extreme humility and gratitude — a declaration that you have not forgotten who helped you get there.

For me and other Egyptians  — we understood exactly what Salah felt in that moment: teary-eyed, with Anfield rocking around him.

It was a truly epic moment, a fitting close to a great chapter in Egyptian, British, and world football by any measure.

Needless to say, there were other unforgettable moments in a match that was, frankly, a welcome escape for me and many others from Trump's ongoing mad show in the Middle East.

The Land of Abraham and Sons: Why Ramesses II can not be and can be “the pharaoh of exodus”- Islamic Edition

On Wednesday, Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that an Egyptian archaeological mission had uncovered a massive ancient statue at the Tell El-Faraoun site in El-Husseiniya, Sharqia Governorate.

The statue is believed to depict King Ramesses II of Ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom.

Carved from pink granite, it was found missing its lower half, including the legs and base.

Despite its incomplete state, archaeologists say the surviving features clearly point to royal iconography associated with Ramesses II.

The remains of the statue found at the location 
"SCA"

According to the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), the discovery offers new insight into royal and religious life in the eastern Nile Delta. 

Initial studies suggest that the statue may not have originally stood at Tell El-Faraoun. Instead, it was likely transported in antiquity from Per-Ramesses—the royal capital during Ramesses II’s reign—to the site, known in ancient times as Imet, where it may have been reused within a religious complex.

The excavation site at Tell El-Faraoun in Sharkia governorate
 "SCA"

I hesitate to say it, but such archaeological announcements have become almost routine in Egypt these days, appearing every few days. 

What I did not expect, however, was for this particular discovery to attract widespread attention and go viral—until a report by the Daily Mail the following day reframed the narrative.

Watch this: ElBaradei on Iran

Watch this interview with Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, former Vice President of Egypt and former Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in which he discusses Iran and the current war.

ElBaradei speaks with David Hearst of Middle East Eye.

Mohamed ElBaradei was heading the IAEA when it began talks with Iran in 2009. He was also leading the UN’s nuclear watchdog in 2003 when he stated explicitly that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction.

What is happening to Iran, the Nobel Peace award laureate says, reminds him of Iraq—perhaps even worse, to be honest.

Happy Eid and Happy Nowruz

Happy Eid and Happy Nowruz to everyone celebrating this Friday and Saturday around the globe.

I know it is not the best time in the Middle East to celebrate anything, or even to be optimistic from a logical and realistic standpoint. But even in the darkest of moments, Eid and Nowruz bring happiness and solace to the believers.

On the occasion of Eid and Nowruz, I am sharing with you this sincere illustration by the famous Egyptian illustrator and painter Hussein Biccar.

Originally of Turkish Cypriot descent, Biccar was a Bahá'í and thus celebrated Nowruz as well.

Now, a word about greetings — "Eid Saeed," or Happy Eid, is what we say in Egypt. "Eid Mubarak" is a newer term imported from the Gulf. And yes, here in Egypt, "Mubarak" will always be Hosni Mubarak first!

Recently, I have noticed many non-Egyptians using "Eid Saeed," and it genuinely makes me happy.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2026: The Tale of King al-Nu’man “Blood Debt Ep.13”

Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.

Tonight, we will learn what happened to King al-Nu’man and how he ultimately met his fate. But first, it is time for our little chit-chat.

 Our chit-chat tonight will focus on two things: what happened to the real historical inspiration behind our tale—Al-Nu'man III ibn al-Mundhir—and how his dramatic end marked the beginning of another ending: the fall of the Lakhmid kingdom and, not long after, the decline of the Sasanian Empire. 

It also helped inspire one of the most famous pre-Islamic Arabian epics.

 According to Arab historians, even though King al-Nu’man once gave refuge to the Sasanian King Khosrow II, son of Sasanian King Hormizd, during his flight from the usurper Bahram Chobin in 590, and even fought alongside him to help restore him to the throne, the two rulers eventually fell out.

According to legend, their falling-out happened after al-Nu’man rejected Khosrow’s proposal to marry his daughter, Princess Hind. Some historical accounts, however, suggest that the proposal may actually have come from one of Khosrow’s relatives rather than from the king himself.

But that was not the only reason for the rift. Al-Nu’man also fell out with his former tutor and the powerful Sasanian court official and Arab envoy Adi ibn Zayd. Accusing him of plotting against him, al-Nu’man ordered his execution. Adi’s son—who had the ear of Khosrow—then managed to turn the Persian ruler against al-Nu’man in what feels like a real-life Game of Thrones scenario.

No wonder that show was such a hit in the Middle East.
Several historical traditions describe what happened once al-Nu’man realized that Khosrow intended to remove him from power.
One famous Arabian account says that al-Nu’man fled his capital and sought refuge among the powerful Banu Bakr of Arabia. He was eventually forced to surrender and, according to the story, executed by being trampled by elephants.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2026: The Tale of King Sajur and sons “Amira’s Choice EP.7”

Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.

Before we continue our tale and discover how King Sajur's sons will save Princess Amira's life — and whom she will ultimately choose — it's time for our little chit-chat.

Tonight, we will speak about yet another recurring element in the tales of Taher Abu Fasha: the Magic Carpet.

The idea of magical flying carpets is much older than the One Thousand and One Nights. One of the earliest references appears in legends surrounding King Solomon (dating from the 3rd to 6th centuries CE).

In later Jewish and Islamic traditions—though notably not in the Hebrew Bible itself—Solomon is said to have possessed a green silken carpet (or throne) carried by the wind, capable of transporting him and his entire army across vast distances in a single day.

While the Qur’an (21:81 and 38:36) speaks of Solomon commanding the wind to blow at his order, it does not explicitly mention a carpet.

The "flying carpet" detail is a later narrative expansion found in Isra’iliyyat (narratives derived from earlier Judeo-Christian traditions) and Persian storytelling layers.

The concept reappeared in the Persian epic tradition, most famously in the Shahnameh (c. 1000 CE). In this epic, King Kay Kavus builds a flying throne powered by eagles.

While these weren't always literal carpets, the imagery of airborne royal platforms became a staple of medieval Persian romance literature.

When it comes to the One Thousand and One Nights, there is a major surprise for modern audiences: the 'flying carpet' most people imagine is largely a later European association.

The famous Prince Hussain's Carpet does appear in the story of 'Prince Ahmed and the Fairy Pari-Banu,' but this story (like Aladdin) was one of the 'orphan tales' added to the collection in the 18th century by the French translator Antoine Galland.

Now, without further delay, I present the seventh and the last episode of our story—The Tale of Sajur and his sons, or the 201st night of One Thousand and One Nights, as broadcast by the Egyptian State Radio.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2026: The Tale of King Sajur and sons “The road of Regret EP.5”

Ramadan Kareem to all Egyptian Chronicles readers.

After the road of safety comes the road of regret, but before taking that road, we will have a little chit-chat.

*Spoiler alert*

Tonight, we travel to the City of Brass—a recurring location of the One Thousand and One Nights radio show by Taher Abu Fasha.

Unlike the "giants of old" whose legends span every continent, the City of Brass is a uniquely Islamic-Arabian product of the imagination.

The earliest recorded mention of this city dates back to the Umayyad Caliphate (late 7th or early 8th century CE). The legend centers on Musa ibn Nusayr, the legendary governor of North Africa and arguably the "Original Conquistador" of Iberia and Southern France.

Musa was reportedly sent by Caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan to find the lost "Bottles of Solomon"—the legendary vessels used to imprison djinns. (And you're right to wonder, while Aladdin was a later addition to the Nights, genies in a bottle have very old roots in Middle Eastern lore.)

The city was believed to be hidden deep within the deserts of the Maghreb or the rugged terrain of Andalusia—a myth that I personally believe grew from the awe-inspiring reality of Ibn Nusayr’s sweeping conquests.

Two centuries later, the story resurfaced in the Abbasid era within the monumental History of the Prophets and Kings (Tarikh al-Rusul wa al-Muluk) by the legendary Al-Tabari.

Sheikh Al-Tabari did not treat this as a mere fairy tale, but as a documented expedition. He described a city forged entirely of brass, windowless and doorless, surrounded by towering walls. Those who attempted to climb them were said to fall inside laughing—a chilling form of magical madness or enchantment.

#6Oct73: Those Quran verses at Dawn Prayer

This post is marked at 4:25 a.m. Cairo local time, the time of Al-Fajr (dawn) prayer on 6 October 1973.

It was the 10th of Ramadan, 1393 AH, and, as usual during the holy month, many people were awake to attend the dawn prayer.

A group of Egyptian soldiers praying on the front in October 1973 during the war 
with their boots on. Enhanced and colored by Google Gemini

Most of them tuned their radios to the Holy Qur’an Radio Station to follow the live broadcast of the prayer.

Those listeners, as well as those people in the mosque, became, unknowingly, the lucky few in the world who heard the renowned Qur’an reciter Sheikh Mohamed Ahmed Shabib lead the Fajr prayer from Al-Hussein Mosque.

That early morning before the prayer itself, Sheikh Shabib recited verses from Surah Al-Imran, the third chapter of the Holy Qur’an — a chapter that tells of the family of Imran (Joachim), which includes Imran, Saint Anne (wife of Imran), Mary, and Jesus.

It also contains references to the Battles of Badr and Uhud, two pivotal moments in early Islamic history.

What made this recitation unforgettable was that Sheikh Shabib chose — and repeated three times the first verse from the collection known as the martyrdom verses in that Surah. 

Kodak Agfa Presents in Photos and Video : The Total Eclipse of a blood moon

Last night, the Earth’s Eastern Hemisphere was treated not only to September’s naturally reddish moon but also to the spectacle of a total lunar eclipse.

Stargazers—myself included—across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, and parts of Europe witnessed the Moon glowing blood-red as Earth’s shadow fully engulfed it. It’s not every night that we get such a rare and breathtaking opportunity.

The Egyptian National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG) had announced earlier that Egypt and the wider Arab region would witness this eclipse on the evening of Sunday, September 7, 2025, coinciding with the full moon of Rabiʿ al-Awwal 1447 AH.

At the eclipse’s peak, Earth’s shadow covered the Moon completely, with the umbra extending to 136.2% of the lunar disk—a sign of how deeply the Moon was immersed in Earth’s shadow.

According to NRIAG, the entire phenomenon lasted about five hours and 27 minutes. The partial phases stretched over three hours and 29 minutes, while the total eclipse—the moment of the striking Blood Moon—remained visible for one hour and 22 minutes.

In Cairo, the eclipse unfolded according to NRIAG

6:28 p.m. – The Moon enters Earth’s penumbra (not visible to the naked eye). I failed to see it for real as it was cloudy.

7:27 p.m. – Partial eclipse begins, with Earth’s shadow appearing on the Moon’s disk.

8:31 p.m. – Start of total eclipse, with the Moon completely in Earth’s shadow.

Kodak Agfa Presents: Some of Egypt’s Islamic artifacts treasure on Mawlid Al-Nabawi 2025

Happy and Blessed Moulid El-Nabi to all Muslims around the globe

Tonight, nearly one and a half billion Muslims around the world are celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), commonly known in Arabic as El-Moulid, Mawlid El-Nabawy, or simply Al-Mawlid.

El-Moulid El-Nabawy is observed on the 12th of Rabi Al-Awwal in the Islamic calendar, which falls on September 4th this year.

This year, I didn’t go to the usual El-Moulid sweets markets in Cairo as the usual Kodak Agfa’s tradition. I couldn’t.

It’s hard for me to film or photograph the celebrations of Mawlid al-Nabawi 2025 in Egypt while genocide is still unfolding in Gaza.

How can we celebrate the Prophet’s birthday when Palestinians—mostly Muslims—are facing famine, as confirmed by the United Nations?

How can I stand among stalls overflowing with sweets and candies when so many Palestinians can’t even find their next meal?

It feels wrong. It feels unethical.

To me, it’s inappropriate, irreligious, and un-Islamic to celebrate in such a consuming, extravagant way. I cannot believe that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) would accept Muslims celebrating his birthday with such excess while their brothers and sisters are being slaughtered and starved in an ongoing genocide and famine.

I grew up in an Egyptian family that believed in respect—so much so that if a neighbor lost someone, we lowered the TV volume out of consideration. Today, our neighbors in Gaza are living through genocide and famine. To hold festivities in such times feels nothing but shameful.

The same can be said for Sudan, where people are begging for food aid drops.

That’s why I can’t share new photos or videos of Moulid markets and sweets. Instead I will share some photos related to the Islamic civilization in Egypt.

Here is the Grand Imam’s Deleted Urgent Global Action Call to Save Gaza "Updated"

On Tuesday, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb issued a global call on social media to save Gaza from what he described as a genocidal famine imposed by Israel.

Just a few hours after its release, the statement was deleted from both social media and Egyptian news websites—sparking public outrage and fueling speculation as to why Al-Azhar would retract such a powerful declaration. Rumours have been circulating ever since.

By Wednesday, Al-Azhar issued a follow-up statement explaining that the original call was withdrawn out of concern it might be used as a pretext to stall or obstruct the progress of ongoing truce negotiations.

According to Mada Masr, the decision to pull the statement came at the request of Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdel Atty, who is currently touring West Africa.

I honestly don’t know whether it was Al-Azhar, the Grand Imam himself, the Foreign Minister, or someone else who made the final decision—but I do know there was no need to delete it. If anything, the retraction caused more damage. Now, social media is flooded with rumours that Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb has been placed under arrest.

I think that’s not true. I expect he’ll appear within hours—either at an Al-Azhar event, in a meeting with visiting VIP, or leading the presidential Friday prayers in New Alamein.

Honestly, I wish they had left it up. At this point, removing it didn’t change anything—except making things worse.

Now, here’s the statement translated into English. I was among the very few who managed to save a copy before it disappeared.

Happy Hijri Year 1447: Many Muslims are still refugees

Happy and blessed New Hijri Year 1446 to all Muslims in the world, especially to the Muslim refugees.

Today marks Muharram 1, 1447 AH.

Today is the start of the new Islamic Hijri Year 1447.

Our Islamic calendar started from 14 centuries when Prophet Mohamed “PBUH” and his companions, the early Muslims seek refuge and safety in Yathrib that became Islam’s first capital and state.

Midjourney imagining how the Muslims in Yatharb receving Prophet Muhammed "PBUH" 
and his companions in the style of American concept artist Mary Blair 

It was not the first time that early and first Muslims had to seek refuge in other city. Yes , early Muslims seek refuge in the Kingdom of Aksum in modern day Ethiopia under the rule of Nagashi/Nagasi/King Ashama in what known in the Islamic history the first Hijra.

Ahl al-Bayt, the Prophet’s own family, had to be refugees as they were persecuted, hunted, displaced, and martyred

Most of the major Abrahamic prophets — in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — experienced exile, forced migration, or were refugees at some point in their lives.

So I do not know how some people who call themselves as people of faith following Judaism , Christianity and Islam and yet are anti-refugees.

It kills me actually.

In some sad reality , today the largest refugee groups globally are still Muslim-majority populations.We are speaking about Palestinians, Syrians, Afghans, Sudanese , Yemenis, Rohingya and Uighurs.

Malcolm X at 100 : Malcolm X Goes to Mecca

It is the Hajj season of 2025 — and it also marks the 100th anniversary of Malcolm X’s birth.

In these difficult times filled with despair, anger, and growing racism in the Arab Muslim world — and beyond — I find myself unable to ignore the profound spiritual experience Malcolm X had during his Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in April 1964.

That journey was a turning point in his life. It marked his transformation from a former member of the Nation of Islam — which he had recently left — to someone who truly embraced being a brother within the global Muslim ummah.

Hajj expanded Malcolm X’s worldview. After years of advocating the separatist, Afrocentric ideology of the Nation of Islam, the pilgrimage introduced him to a vision of Islam rooted in unity, equality, and racial harmony among Muslims of all backgrounds.

The experience moved him deeply — so much so that he wrote a letter during the pilgrimage to a friend. That letter, written in Mecca on April 26, 1964, would later be included in the final chapters of The Autobiography of Malcolm X, as told to Alex Haley.

What follows is the full text of that letter, written by Malcolm X — who by then was calling himself El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz.

Letter from Mecca

I have just completed my pilgrimage (Hajj) here to the Holy City of Mecca, the hollyiest City on earth, which is absolutely forbidden for non-Muslims to even rest their eyes upon. This pilgrimage is the most important event in the life of all Muslims, and there are over 226,000 who are here right now from outside of Arabia. From Turkey came the largest contagion, around 50,000 in over 600 buses. This refutes Westerner propaganda that Turkey is turning away from Islam.

I know of only 2 others who have made the actual Hajj to Mecca from America, and both of them are West Indians who also converts to Islam. Mr. Elijah Muhammad, 2 of his sons, and a couple of his followers visited Mecca outside the Hajj season, and their visit is known as the “Omra”, or Lesser Pilgrimage. It is con-

(Page 2) -sidered a blessing in the Muslim World even to make the “Omra”. I very much doubt that 10 American citizens have ever visited Mecca, and I do believe that I might be the first American born Negro to make the actual Hajj itself. I’m not saying this to boast but only to point out what a wonderful accomplishment and blessing it is, and also to enable you to be in a better position intellectually to evaluate it in its proper light, and then your own intelligence can place it in its proper place.

Happy Eid al-Adha 2025

Happy Eid al-Adha from Egyptian Chronicles to all Muslims around the world who are celebrating, despite many of our fellow Muslims, especially in Gaza and Sudan, being unable to do so this year.

A son of sheep vendors in Egypt hugging a lamb 
Amr Abdullah for Reuters

Many share a deep frustration during this Eid due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Countless voices echo the poignant verses of the renowned poet Abu Tayyib Al-Mutanabbi.

عيدٌ بأيِّ حالٍ عدتَ يا عيدُ
O Eid, with what condition have you returned?

بمثلِ هذا الحالِ، هل تعودُ عيدُ؟
With such a state, can you really be Eid?

Al-Mutanabbi composed this 30-verse poem just one day before leaving Egypt, on the Day of Arafah in the year 350 AH (around Eid al-Adha). The poem expresses his profound sadness and longing as he awaited Eid to bring good news and reunion with loved ones after a year of separation during his stay in Egypt. At the same time, the poem carries a sharp tone of satire and criticism towards the ruler of Egypt, then-Kafur al-Ikhshidi, as Al-Mutanabbi’s ambitions for power and prestige there remained unfulfilled.

The poem has become famous for its first line, “O Eid, with what condition have you returned?”

 Here are the Takbeerat of Eid with the sounds of artillery shelling east of Gaza City earlier today.

تكبيرات العيد مع أصوات القصف المدفعي شرق مدينة غزة pic.twitter.com/ggfFSIWPWR

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) June 5, 2025

Happy Eid from Gaza

Nevertheless, it is Eid al-Adha, a time when we, as Muslims, remember how the pilgrimage in the Holy Land is a living reenactment of the moment when Lady Hagar and baby Prophet Ismail were stranded in the desert—what would later become Mecca. Although the situation seemed desperate, Lady Hagar’s faith and patience led to the miraculous emergence of the Zamzam well, which saved them and eventually brought life to Mecca, according to Islamic tradition.

Lady Hagar never abandoned her faith in God, despite the hopelessness of her circumstances.

Personally, this is my first Eid without someone very close to my heart—my aunt, who was like a second mother and an older sister to me—after what can only be described as a short yet bitter battle with illness. May Allah bless her soul and grant patience to me and all those facing similar losses.

I’m not yet ready to fully speak about this, but the past weeks have been difficult, and I am still trying to come to terms with this new reality. This is why I haven’t blogged regularly since mid-Ramadan. Nevertheless, I am beginning to catch up.

Nevertheless, it is Happy Eid.

Happy Eid al-Adha to all, and hopefully, insha’Allah, an Eid miracle will happen for both Palestinians and Sudanese.

Farewell Brother Francis II :What the Western Media Overlooked About the Late Latin Pope of Rome "Updated"

I honestly didn’t know what to write this Sham El-Nassim, as the genocide in Gaza continues to unfold.

I certainly never imagined that on Easter Monday, I’d spend nearly half the day glued to the screen, following global reactions to the death of Pope Francis II.

In case you’ve been completely offline, Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. The Vatican confirmed his death was due to a stroke, which led to a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse.

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the 1936-born was the first Latin American and Jesuit pope, serving since 2013.

According to most international media outlets, his papacy was marked by humility, a focus on social justice, and outreach to marginalised communities. He was also known for taking bold stands on climate change and economic inequality, reflecting his Jesuit roots.

That’s the version most Western media tells you.

However, they often overlook the truly exceptional qualities that made Pope Francis II a singular figure in modern Church history.

He was perhaps the first head of the Catholic Church to deeply and sincerely believe in interfaith coexistence—particularly with the Islamic and Arab worlds.

He recognized Palestinian Christians at a time when much of the West ignored them, refusing to acknowledge them as victims of Israel’s ethnic cleansing.

Pope Francis at the 'Nativity of Bethlehem 2024,' upon its inauguration in the Paul VI Hall
at St Peter's Square, in the Paul-VI hall at the Vatican on December 7, 2024. (AFP)

In what turned out to be his final sermon on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis called for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Though he did not read the homily himself—it was delivered by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, master of liturgical ceremonies—the world understood: this was his last message, spoken in his final 24 hours.

And it mattered. It forced the media, even if only briefly, to turn its gaze back to the tragedy unfolding in Gaza.

Kodak Agfa presents: Cairo’s Ramadan Bazaar of Ahmed Maher Street or from Bab El-Khalk to Bab Zuweila Gate aka Taht el-Rab’a “Part.2”

It is like the last day of Ramadan, and I am really sorry to publish the second part of this post only now.

I should have posted earlier if it were not for the Ramadan procrastination, health issues, and work-life balance. It is not too late.

I am sorry that I am posting right now just as we are starting to re-watch the second season of the Gaza genocide again and watch live helplessly.

To be honest I am using this post as more of a runaway to escape the yet again footage and photos of killed children in hospitals.

I pray that when I finish this post a Ramadan miracle happens and ends this nightmare as soon as possible.

Now back to That el-Rab’a and that trip in that street from Bab El-Khalk to Bab Zuweila gate.

We stopped last time at the Ramadan Saint Patrons in Egypt: Bogy and Tamtam

Bogy and Tamtam, the saint patrons of Ramadan in Egypt 

Their facial expression may reflect many things in our time whether domestically or regionally or internationally.

Their statues on the street were like two ancient Egyptian statues guarding some ancient Egyptian King's tomb in some irony.

Despite the younger generations did not watch their shows in Ramadan as my generation had, many of them stopped and took photos with Ramadan’s most famous duo.

Snapping a photo with Bogy and Tamtam

Now you will know that you are near Bab Zuweila gate when you reach its famous walls or rather the walls of the Mosque of Sultan al-Muayyad.

Ramadan lanterns in the shadow of
Mosque of Sultan al-Muayyad Sheikh and Bab Zuweila

Bab Zuwayla or Bab Zuweila (Arabic: باب زويلة) is one of three remaining gates in the city walls of historic Cairo in Egypt. It was also known as Bawabat al-Mitwali or as Bab al-Mitwali or Bab al-Qus.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2025: The Tale of Fatima, Halima and Karima “The Valley of Herbs and Plants” EP.28

Ramadan Karim

Tonight, we will continue our tale, the “Tale of Fatima, Halima and Karima", and know what Halima will find at the Valley of Herbs and Plants, but first, we will have our little chitchat.

The Magical Valley of Herbs and Plants plays a role in tonight’s episode. Contrary to what one might assume, there is no mention of a magical valley or garden where plants speak in the original Arabic version of One Thousand and One Nights.

Those magical speaking plants appear instead in tales that were added to foreign-language translations of the book around the turn of the 18th century — in what later came to be known as the “orphan” Arabian Nights tales.

Nevertheless, believe it or not, the idea of speaking plants does have deeper roots — both in Persian culture, the cradle of the Arabian Nights, and in medieval Islamic intellectual tradition.

In Persian literature — and later in Ottoman and Arabic writing — there existed a genre known as munāẓara, or “disputation,” which featured debates between inanimate objects or living beings. Within this tradition developed what might be called a subgenre known as the “Debate of the Flowers.”

In medieval Persian poetry and prose, the rose speaks, the nightingale replies, the cypress boasts, and the tulip laments. These were not fairy-tale fantasies, but symbolic dialogues layered with philosophical and mystical meaning.

Whether in Persia or in Al-Andalus, these “speaking” plants were not magical beings in the literal sense. Rather, they were imagined as speaking through lisān al-ḥāl — the “language of their state” — a silent eloquence that praises God, as all living beings do according to Islamic tradition and the Holy Qur’an.

“And We made from water every living thing,” says the Holy Qur’an in Surah Al-Anbiya (21:30).

Medieval Islamic philosophers such as Avicenna (Ibn Sina) and the Ikhwan al-Safa (Brethren of Purity) classified the soul into hierarchical levels. The vegetative soul (al-nafs al-nabātiyya) represented the most basic level of life, attributed to plants, which possess the capacities for growth and reproduction.

Because plants require water to grow and thrive, some Andalusi scholars argued that they must share in the same “essence of life” as animals and humans. To them, water was the carrier of the divine life force.

And now, without further delay, here is the 700th episode of our Arabian Nights Egyptian radio show—or the 28th night in this year’s tale, The Tale of Fatima, Halima, and Karima.

Ramadan Arabian Nights 2025: The Tale of Fatima, Halima and Karima “The Ghosts in the chamber” EP.27

Ramadan Karim

Tonight, we will continue our tale, the “Tale of Fatima, Halima and Karima",, and know what Halima will know from Abu Farag in their meeting, but first, we will have our little chitchat.

As Taher Abu Fasha used spirit possession in our tale this time, I would like to highlight something: contrary to what Wikipedia claims, spirit possession is an alien concept in Islam.

It entered Islamic societies through pre-Islamic African cultures and civilisations, such as Ancient Egypt and Ethiopia.

It has no roots in the Holy Quran or the Sunna.

The Quran makes no mention of possession, and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) never performed exorcisms nor taught specific rituals for them.

On the contrary, the Quran emphasizes that humans and jinn inhabit entirely separate worlds.

In other words, it is completely pre-Islamic folkloric.

And now, without further delay, here is the 699th episode of our Arabian Nights Egyptian radio show—or the 27th night in this year’s tale, The Tale of Fatima, Halima, and Karima.