Thousands of passionate Sufis and followers travelled all the way to Upper Egypt’s southernmost governorate, Assiut, to celebrate the Mouled of Al-Farghal.

Unlike many of the known Mouleds in Cairo, Al-Farghal is an extremely famous shrine in Upper Egypt that is as appreciated and holy as the most known shrines in the surrounding area of the city centre.

For a week, the city of Abu Tig in Assiut opened its doors to welcome Sufis who came from different places to revive the memory of the man who is believed to have a holistic relationship with God in Islam.

Al-Farghal was born in 1904 in Assiut. He learned Islamic studies at a young age and soon became the relic of his city. He is dubbed “the Sultan of Upper Egypt”.

Despite not being known or spotlighted in media publications, Ahmed Al-Farghaly is one of the most famous Sufi preachers. His shrine is considered one of the biggest mosques in the city of Abu Tig, which is the third biggest city in Assiut.

Every year, in the first two weeks of July, followers of Al-Farghal’s way of Sufism gather to revive his memory, by distributing food and watching Tanora dancing with the background of Islamic enchantments.

While commemorating his life, lectures on his beliefs, ethics, and the path he had followed in his life are recited to people who spend their days and nights near his shrine.

All photos taken by Ahmed Dream