Moulid el Nabawi: Celebrating the Prophet’s Birthday
By Kenzy Fahmy
On the 12th day of the third month on the Islamic calendar, Muslim communities across the globe celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. While festivities vary depending on where you are in the world, preparations in Egypt can sometimes begin weeks before the day itself, with the iconic Arouset el Moulid (the Moulid Doll) being the centerpiece.
Celebrations as they are today, full of sweets and brightly decorated dolls, are said to go back to the Fatimid era, an Ismaili Shia caliphate that ruled between the 10th and 12th centuries, and a number of origin stories exist, although it’s difficult to know for sure where and how they began. Before the Fatimids, the Moulid was celebrated with poetry and prayer in honor of the Prophet. More than one ruler has been credited with making the celebrations as impressive and festive as they are now, including the 11th century Hakim bi-Amr Allah and the 13th century Muzaffar al-Din Gokbori.
It is said that Arouset el Moulid came to be after Hakim bi-Amr Allah went into town with one of his wives to celebrate; the couple left such an impression on a local candy maker that he was inspired to make a doll out of honey to commemorate her beauty, and another to represent the Caliph on his horse. But it was apparently the 13th century ruler, Muzaffar al-Din Gokbori, who made the celebrations a big, public affair, and the Abbasids who made the day an official holiday.
Another theory states that the candy dolls might go back as far as the ancient Egyptians, when offerings of cakes in the shape of birds and animals would be made at the temples, and bread shaped like human figures would be gifted to children in celebration of important feasts. According to writer and historian, Dr. Jailan Abbas, examples of these can still be found in the Agriculture Museum in Cairo.
Today, the Moulid is still celebrated with candy and dolls, however increasing sugar prices mean that the dolls are now usually plastic and most people opt for sugar-coated nuts as their confectionary of choice. The square at Al Hussein Mosque in Old Cairo becomes host to government-sponsored celebrations, with Sufi processions parading through the streets. Quranic recitations and songs praising the Prophet are an important part of the celebrations, as is, of course, sharing the day with family, friends and neighbours.
We would like to thank Dr. Jailan Abbas for her academic contributions to this article and for taking part in our Fundamentals of Living in Egypt Seminars. If you’d like to learn more about Egypt, from history and culture to insightful tips on how to get the most out of living here, make sure to sign up for one of our upcoming seminars.