"The mulid is a quintessentially Egyptian experience, dating, some say, to early pharaonic times. In villages and cities throughout the country a tomb or shrine is the central pivot of a whirl of color, music, dancing, and people, which builds up to the climactic layla kabira, or big night, the last night of the mulid. Colorful crowds, dervishes dancing and chanting, the aroma of fresh food winding through the melee, music, drums, and song - all these propel the visitor into participating in an unforgettable cultural experience that lies at the heart of popular spirituality in Egypt." "Sheriff Sonbol braves the cheerful chaos to bring back remarkable images of the carnival atmosphere, while Tarek Atia introduces the book, explores the mulid in literature, and profiles some of its colorful personalities. Together they create a celebration of both the riotous color and the vivacity of the mulid as well as its more contemplative side." "With extracts from the writings of Abdel-Hakim Kassem, Abdel Malik Nouri, Tawfiq al-Hakim, Naguib Mahfouz, Salwa Bakr, Salah Jahin, and E. W. Lane."--BOOK JACKET.