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and words. There can be no more prophets in originated from the Prophet’s words. For
Islam as the Prophet Muhammad is considered example, the Prophet recommended two
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merciful acts: to give water to the thirsty and to
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teach religion to the ignorant. For this reason,
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many sabil(ﺳﺒﻴﻞ, public drinking fountains)-
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kuttab(ﻛﺘﺎﺏ, Quranic school) are found as
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monuments in Egypt.
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Although Muslims can imitate the Prophet’s
acts and follow his sayings, all they are is letters
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and words. They do not have a spiritual channel
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with God.
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Muslims believe
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that the Creator
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is so completely
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different from
His creatures
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ﺩﻋﺎﺀon the door of a mosque
that human
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beings cannot
the final prophet. Muslims model their lives have a personal
on him, following his example. If they board relationship
a train, for example, they recite the prayer for with God. It is
taking transport ( )ﺍﻟﺮﻛﻮﺏ ﺩﻋﺎﺀas set out in the unimaginable for
Hadith, just as the Prophet did whenever he them to call God
travelled. Petitions for going in and coming “Father”. Even
out of the mosque (ﺩﻋﺎﺀ ﺩﺟﻮﻝ ﺍﳌﺴﺠﺪ & ﺩﻋﺎﺀ ﺍﳉﺮﻭﺝ though they do
)ﻣﻦ ﺍﳌﺴﺠﺪare inscribed on the door of some Sabil-kuttab of Khusraw Pasha
not realize it,
mosques. During Ramadan, people give dates they have a void in their religious life because
to one another, when they break their fast in they do not have a spiritual relationship with
the evening because it is said that the Prophet
God; they only have letters, words and the law. There is also an opinion that Islamic spirituality
They desperately need something to fill this existed from the time of the Prophet
void. Muhammad and continued after his death,
Those religions which cannot fill this spiritual re-appearing with the name ‘Sufism’ later.
void cannot last long because this is mankind’s Fazlur Rahman insists that the Prophet had
natural desire. One of the main reasons felt the presence of God in a close relationship
Muslims follow Islam is in order to go to with Him. His spirituality has been revealed
paradise when they die. Many believe that in history through the founding a powerful
all Muslims go to paradise. They believe that religious and ethical society.2 Lings suggests that
even bad Muslims go to paradise after being Sufism is Islam itself and is the true spirituality
punished in hell, for a while. This is why it is so of Islam which has continued by chosen Sufis.
According to Lings, the Prophet Muhammad
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hard for them to leave Islam. However, how do
they solve their spiritual hunger? was the first Sufi master (shaykh, )ﺷﻴﺦand
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possessed great spirituality. Because of this he
Sufism provides the answer to this question for
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can be considered the chief spiritual master and
some. Sufism, or Islamic mysticism, addresses
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the first of all Sufis.
the spiritual side of Islam. Sufism is known as
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the “spirit of Islam”. I begin by examining the Even though there is this insistence that the
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concept of Sufism and then that of the saint. origin of Sufism can be traced back to the
I also consider the shrines, the places where Prophet Muhammad, the orthodoxy of Sufism
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Sufism is most visibly practiced: asking what has been always controversial. One of the main
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reasons for this is because the goal of Sufism
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is their role and who visits them. Sufism is
does not fit with orthodox Islam. The goal of
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widespread in the Islamic world with Egypt
being one of the countries that has been greatly Sufism is explained in terms of fana ﻓﻨﺎﺀand
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baqa ﺑﻘﺎﺀ: here fana means ‘passing away of
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influenced by Sufism. The focus of this study is
the conventional self ’ or ‘overcoming one’s
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Cairo, where I examine the places and people of
ego’; and baqa means ‘realizing the real ‘I’, or
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Sufism
God in oneself and remaining in Him’. This
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state of baqa is based on the Sufis’ fundamental
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2 WHAT IS SUFISM (TASAWWUF, teaching that the reality of the world is God. In
?)ﺍﻟﺘﺼﻮﻑ other words, the world is nothing but God’s
There are many views concerning the origin of self-manifestation. Therefore, in the state of
Sufism. Some consider that it began at the time baqa God is present in the individual and is
of the conquest of Umayyad by pious believers revealed in and through him. In other words,
who were worried about the secularization he sees, hears, and speaks, what God sees, hears,
of the Islamic world and were warning of the and speaks; and acts as God’s trusted agent. This
horrors of hell. Many believe the name ‘Sufi’ state of fana and baqa is absolutely different
ﺻﻮﻓﻰoriginated, from the word ‘suf ’ ﺻﻮﻑ from the concept of incarnation (hulul )ﺣﻠﻮﻝin
meaning ‘wool’, because the rough garments Christianity. The state of fana is the annihilation
they wore were made of wool. of the individual’s being in the presence of God
and not incarnation. Orthodox Islam, which
stresses the transcendent God, could not accept 2. WHO ARE THE SAINTS (AWLIYA,
this concept of Sufism and strongly condemns ?)ﺍﻭﻟﻴﺎﺀ
it. They argue that it is not based on the Quran The saints are those who reach the highest level
and Hadith, but has been born out of the on the Sufi path (Tariqa, )ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ, the state of fana
influence of heresy. and baqa. Those who reach this stage receive
The concept of sainthood brings even sharper the knowledge of the Divine (marifa, )ﻣﻌﺮﻓﺔ.
conflicts between Islamic jurisprudents (ulama, This knowledge, it is claimed, is distinct from
)ﻋﻠﻤﺎﺀand the Sufis. This concept became the that which is acquired through study. All Sufis
focus of dispute in the late 9th Century, after follow this Sufi path but only a few of them are
the era of the prophets had finished. It centred believed to have reached the level of sainthood.
around the idea of saints as a special class. This The goal of Sufis is to reach this level and
was a very sensitive issue because Islam does become the recipients of divine knowledge.
not recognize or accept the possibility of an
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Divine knowledge is one of the most
intercessor between God and human beings.
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distinctive characteristics of the saints as the
Sufism suggests that saints have inspiration ones who inherit the spiritual genealogy of
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from God in succession to the prophets. Islam the prophets. Just as the prophets were given
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says the Prophet Muhammad was the final their revelation from God, so the saints also
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prophet, there can be no more prophets. In receive the knowledge of the Divine, as they
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Sufism the Prophet is not only the model for are those who are closest to God. The spiritual
all Sufis who want to get close to God but also genealogy which traces itself back to the
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the perfect man who manifests God’s epiphany Prophet Muhammad is another characteristic
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best. of the saints. This genealogy is the family line
It is debated as to whether Sufism has origins
in the Quran and existed in Islam from the
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first, or whether it appeared later. What is clear saint has inherited a blessing (baraka, )ﺑﺮﻛﺔfrom
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is that Sufism has existed in Islam throughout the Prophet and is accepted as the channel of
the whole of its history. In the 9th century spiritual power.
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its influence spread and it became popular
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The saints are believed to have a special
among Muslims, finally reaching the peak of its mission in this world following the death of the
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popularity by the 15th and 16th Centuries. Prophet, as leaders of the Islamic community
One of the reason for this is to be found in the (umma, )ﺃﻣﺔ. As his successors they are the
work of Ghazali(d. 1111), a famous jurisprudent real power, leading the community with the
who also became a Sufi. He challenged the knowledge from God. Sufism was the answer
jurisprudents to reconsider Sufism, and was to the question “who will lead the community
able to reconcile Sufism with orthodoxy. He did after the death of the Prophet?”
this by highlighting what Sufism could offer
Islam, articulating the role of Sufism in Islam.
4 THE SAINTS IN ISLAMIC SOCIETY:
According to him Sufism fills the void that
SUFI SHRINE CULTURE
results from the limitations of knowledge or
jurisprudence. He believed that Sufism could It is the Sufi shrines that best show the
fill the spiritual void for followers of Islam. influence of Sufism and reveal the concept of
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St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
the saints. The shrines enclose the tombs of They were visiting not only this shrine but also
deceased saints and are built to honour them. other famous shrines as it is natural for Muslims
The small building is usually covered by a dome to visit many shrines. This is understandable
and the beautifully decorated tomb of the dead because the more blessings you accumulate the
saint is placed inside the building. When it is a better it is and
very famous saint, the tomb is protected by a also because they
fence decorated with elaborate patterns which cannot be certain
prevents people touching it. People believe that which shrine will
the nearer they can get to a coffin, the better it is be more effective
for them. than another.
The majority of Muslims view Sufism There is yet
differently from what we have discussed thus another reason
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far. Many Muslims will visit saints’ tombs to why people visit
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accumulate blessings from these saints in order shrines. They
to help solve their current problems. This believe that
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could include difficulties in business, illnesses because saints are
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and so on. The most common request made of closer to God that
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the saints is for healing. I met a man who visited they intercede
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The shrine of Ruqayya, a local saint
a shrine which is famous for its healing powers. with Him on
He was convinced of the success of praying in their behalf. They also believe that the saints
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that shrine because people said that those who are ready to help whenever the petitioners ask,
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had pain in their legs and had headaches were and answer their requests favorably. In other
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healed by praying there. However, he had not words, the saints are regarded by the Muslims
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heard personally from those who had been as a special class of persons who are very close
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healed at the saint’s tomb and nor had he even to God, and at the same time, as the beings
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met any such people. who are firmly tied to the Muslim masses as
intercessors who listen to their prayers and are
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The objects around the shrines are also believed
to have special powers and are used as a means concerned about their lives. For this reason,
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for healing: people drink from the spring many Muslims gladly ask help of the saints
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around the shrine; eat the fruit of the trees about their daily problems, from very tiny issues
nearby; and also use the leaves of those trees. A to significant ones.
couple who visited the shrine of Ruqayya (ﺭﻗﻴﺔ
)ﺍﻟﺴﻴﺪﺓare a good example of this belief: they 5 SUFISM IN EGYPT
were visiting because his wife was due to have
It is said that the number of the Sufis is
an operation soon. The husband picked some
decreasing. The reason given is that the purpose
fruit from the yard of the shrine and gave it to
of Sufism, which is to seek spirituality, does not
his wife and he also ate it. He then gave some
fit within the process of modernization. For this
of the fruit to my friend also, as he knew that
reason, Sufism is said to be effective in rural
she was not married and he predicted that she
areas and outskirts of cities, only. Nevertheless,
would marry soon because she had now eaten
there are some countries in which Sufism
the fruit.
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St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
has a strong base and Egypt is one of those you directly. When you ask the same question
countries. There are many Sufi orders in Egypt: a second time, the person will nod his head
Rifa`iyya, Shadhiliyya, Tijaniyya, Ahmadiyya(al- implying that the answer is ‘yes’. While non-
Badawiyya), Rufai`yya, al-Naqshbandiyya, al- Sufis acceept that Sufis are Muslims they also
Baaziya and others. The Muslim Brotherhood believe that they are following a different path.
which was founded by Hasan al-Banna and When asked about Sufis they will answer “I
has spread throughout much of the Arab world know they are Muslims. I don’t want to say that
is said to be deeply related with the Tijaniyya they are completely wrong but Sufis are taking
order. the side road which strays a little from the main
The number of Sufis in Egypt varies according or right way.” One man I met in a mosque
to the political and economical conditions, and replied “Praise God, I’m not a Sufi.” When I
different documents give different numbers: asked the reason why, he said: “Sufis are weak
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some say one third while others say up to 90 people, who need someone to help and lead
them. That’s why they become Sufis.” He said
in
percent. Given that only men can be counted as
Sufis, one third is not a small number. Although he also visits shrines; however his mindset is
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we don’t know the exact number, it is clear that different from that of the Sufis. If we compare
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there are many Sufis and Sufi orders. The book this with Indonesian Sufis we find when they
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Egyptian Mystics: Seekers of the Way insists are asked about their identity they don’t want
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that Sufism originated in Egypt, basing the to say straight out that they are Sufis, but at the
same time, they don’t try to hide the fact. They
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argument on the high number of Sufis in Egypt.
state that they don’t admit openly they are Sufis
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because one characteristic of Sufism is that it is
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an intimate relationship between God and the
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individual; it is a veiled relationship. Egyptian
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Sufis seem to want to hide their identity as a
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Sufi. Once when I asked a sincere man if he is
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question.
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In`my experience, Sufis are sincere and kind
people, and know that the religions of other
people should also be respected. Most of those
I met had strong beliefs about Islam but didn’t
Dhikr in a Sufi mosque force their religion on to me; we shared gladly
Sufism has had a strong influence in Egypt and and freely about both our faiths. This is in
has many adherents. However, it seems that contrast with certain other groups of Muslims
people’s concept of Sufism does not always who want to force others to believe their
give a good image. If you meet someone who religion. They don’t want to enter into dialogue
is kind and sincere and ask of that person about faith but demand that the other person
whether they are a Sufi, they will not answer make a confession to be a Muslim (shahada,
)ﺷﻬﺎﺩﺓ, and insist that that’s the only way to go
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St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
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local saint whose
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6 SHRINE CULTURE IN CAIRO name is not known.
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People living next
6.1 Shrines in Cairo
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door told me that
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There are many famous shrines in Cairo: a saint and his
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`Aisha, `Ali, `Atica, al-Husayn, Nafisa, seven sons are
Ruqayya, Zaynab to name a few. There are buried there, and
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other not-so-famous and smaller shrines in although his name
villages around the cemetery areas and in some is unknown and he
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of the older streets. Some of them seem to be is not famous still he is a saint who is helping
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abandoned, a place Egyptian women to conceive, like the other
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that gathers rubbish, saints in Egypt.
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but still people say
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Small shrines are generally built in villages
they are shrines. In
around the cemetery or in the old streets of
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the case of famous
Cairo, rather than in the busier and heavily
shrines, many
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populated city areas. People living in these areas
people are drawn to
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are said to have limited education.
them and they are
big and superb. 6.2 People in shrines
In the small shrines Many people visit shrines. During Ramadan,
Sayyida Zaynab during Ramadan
the tomb is covered or the various feasts of the saints, even more
by a clean, embroidered cloth. The tomb is people visit shrines. The shrine of Ruqayya who
neat but is not necessarily in the centre of the is known as a local saint, is visited by around
shrine. Only village people visit them. There is 50 people every day and on Fridays around 200
very little decoration on, or in, the tomb. Wild people attend the dhikr. In the case of the large
cats are often seen inside such shrines. Once and very beautiful Sayyida Nafisa mosque,
I met three women who were together in just which incorporates the shrine of Sayyida Nafisa,
such a small shrine in an old street: one of them many more people gather. Small shrines in
villages are usually locked but when someone a family comes together, while others come
comes to visit the shrine a person in charge with close relatives. They will often visit several
will come and open it. According to the person famous shrines at a time. Once I asked a woman
in charge of a particular small shrine outside who came from afar the reason she particularly
cemetery area, he said that particular shrine is visited this remote shrine. She explained that
visited by 7-8 people every day. although there are shrines in her village they are
Once I visited a medium sized shrine where not large and famous like this one. Because she
250-300 men attended the dhikr. As only men had come to the shrine because of a headache,
are counted as Sufis and can attend the dhikr, this may imply that these large, famous shrines
women gather apart from them and observe the are considered more effective for receiving
dhikr from upstairs. That shrine has dhikr twice answer to prayers.
a week with many people going there regularly. People I met in shrines said that those who
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Not only do Sufis go to the shrines but visiting come to the shrines all have heartaches, troubles
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them is comparable to a pilgrimage to Mecca or problems. My experience also indicated
that those who visit the shrines come because
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or the Hajj( )ﺣﺞand is called ziyara( )ﺯﻳﺎﺭﺓwhich
of difficulties and desires: one of them had
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means ‘a visit’. According to tradition, ziyara is
a severe headache; one was scheduled for an
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done to remember death and the afterlife and is
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one of the core themes in Islamic theology. One
man I met in a mosque told me that although
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he visits shrines like the Sufis do, he doesn’t
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pray to the dead saints. Another woman said
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that praying to a dead person is wrong because
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Islam doesn’t teach such things. If anyone wants
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to ask of God, he/she should do that through
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du`a’ (ﺩﻋﺎﺀ, invocation) during the five-times
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daily prayer.3 However, for many Muslims,
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ziyara has a special meaning. They are not only
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visiting or remembering these saints, but they
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bring their daily problems and ask questions
and seek comfort from the dead saints.
Although they may not be Sufis or belong to
any Sufi order, they come to the shrines to operation in a few days’ time; and another had
bring their special requests. exams coming up soon; while someone else had
been suffering for a long time after her husband
For famous shrines such as Husayn, Sayyida lost his job; yet another woman was weeping
Nafisa, Sayyida Zaynab, or `Aisha, not only for some time while holding the fence around
the local people visit but people travel great the dead saint’s coffin. Her weeping was so
distances also to visit. Some of them save their deep that people around her were moved by her
money so they can make an annual pilgrimage. apparent suffering. Some women shared her
If they are ill, or have any other troubles they sorrow silently and comforted her by patting
make the time to visit the shrines. Sometimes her on her shoulder. When I asked one of
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St Francis Magazine Nr. 2 Vol. III (September 2007)
them the reason for her weeping, she answered There is a box in front of the fence of the tomb.
“Only God knows”. They did not know the People place a piece of paper on which their
reason either but still they could share with her request is written or give money as a gift to
because they understood they may bear such a the saint in that box. However, many people
sorrow in their own lives at some time. prefer to put those things inside the fence
6.3 Shrine Culture: what do people do when
visiting shrines?
The main purpose of visiting shrines is to seek
helping solving current problems or difficulties.
Before entering the shrines they take off their
shoes and then ambulate around the tomb
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where they will be closer to the dead saint.
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The place is normally blocked by glass so it can
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be difficult to put them inside, but people try
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clothes, even underwear and also other gifts
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kissing it, reciting Quranic verses and making for the saint, inside. If someone cannot visit
their personal requests. The reason they go the shrine themselves, due to illness maybe,
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around the tomb is to pray in all the directions someone else will make the visit instead and
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of the dead saint. The head part of the tomb is place a possession of the person beside the
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raised and specially decorated, so it is obvious coffin. They expect healing for the person, this
for everyone where the head of the saint is. As way. Sometimes, it appears those who reach the
the saint is considered a personal being, who age of marriage put their underwear beside the
shares in the visitors’ problems and issues, then coffin. The ardent passion of the visitors can be
they should also be able to hear the requests of seen in this place.
the visitors wherever they are. However, the People visit the shrines not only to solve their
visitors appear to want to pray in all directions problems but also to get comfort and take rest.
of the saint in case they cannot hear. Their The woman, who told me about her hard life
body language in praying indicates they are very because her husband lost his job two years ago,
serious. Some shed tears and some raise their had visited the shrine whenever she had a day-
face beseechingly. off. For her, the shrine was seen as a place to
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Other reasons that people seem to visit shrines comfort from the saints and express their love
is if someone is due for an operation and wants
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to them.
to calm their mind, or those who are due to take
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exams will visit the shrine to pray for success; I once asked the reason, of the woman who
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and others use the quiet to study there. The said that the saints carry the Egyptians, whether
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shrines seem to be a place to release one from it is because of the people’s sin. The woman
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all the difficulties of life, as well as for taking a strongly denied the fact that she is a sinner.
rest and receiving comfort beside the tomb of She said those who pray 5 times a day are not
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their beloved saint. sinners. When I asked again why she needs
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someone who can help carry her, she couldn’t
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People want to express their love toward their give an answer. Some time later, she said it is
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saint. I observed this among those who sell because not all the people are good; there are
flowers and perfumes on the street near one
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some good people and some bad people, even
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of the big shrines. They said the flowers were though they are all Muslims. I have not met
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for the saint and indeed, the fence inside the anyone who admits that they commit sin; or
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shrine was decorated with many of the flowers, worries they may go to hell. Many people want
I had seen on the street. People explained that if
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to be strong; they don’t want to admit they are
someone loves someone else they want to give
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worried about anything. In a playground a boy
a gift to the other and so likewise because they once said to me “we Muslims are strong but
love the saint they want to give them gifts. you Christians are weak.” People don’t like
In Orthodox Islam there is no way to express to be weak. The more I have spent time with
love to God because of His transcendent them the more I feel they are fearful: they put
nature. However, all human beings have the ornaments in cars, doors and the inside of their
instinctive desire to love God and to be loved houses to prevent misfortune such as the evil
by Him. People find a way to express their love eye. There are customs and actions to prevent
to God through the saints who they believe are misfortune but still many people worry that
close to God but also dwell among people. For maybe something bad will happen to them in
those who don’t know Jesus Christ this kind of the future. They may try to avoid the feeling of
solution may be rather natural. fear because they are too afraid of the feeling.
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