The Sufi festival or moulid is the gateway to the Sea of Love. It's a tradition of honoring and appreciating the living Spirit of revered ancestors that has been going on here in Egypt for thousands of years. It involves a pilgrimage, a gathering of those who share the same path, the same belief system, who come together to give and receive blessings, which are the spiritual currency in Sufism.
These festivals occur continuously throughout the year and are held in villages and cities all over Egypt, wherever a greatly revered man or woman ended their lives. Thousands are drawn to the take part in the all-embracing atmosphere of love and joy that emanates from the holy tomb, which is the epicenter of all the vibrant energy and activities, which start in the morning and go on all day long. You can catch an brief idea of the range of these in the video, but of course there is much more than what is shown here.
For many of the dervishes, the ritual zikr at the hadra or ceremony of Divine Ecstasy is the culmination of the days blessings, with sometimes over 50 different Sheikhs offering their sacred service to them. Some already begin in the afternoon, although after nightfall the sounds of drums, flutes, violins and heartfelt singing fill the air, and the ceremonies are in full swing. A dazzling array of colorful hangings set the stage, the size of the gathering varying quite a bit with a big Sheikh drawing more than 200 dervishes onto the magic carpet.
As such it becomes clear why the moulid is the doorway to great abundance of all the essential Sufi values, and especially the state of Divine Ecstasy made possible through the loving devotion of the Sheikhs and their musicians and, of course, the overwhelming generosity of the great benefactors who sponsor these most sacred events. All flows directly from the heart to the heart. What could be better?

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