TANTA, Egypt — Amid Egypt's ongoing political or economic difficulties, hundreds of thousands of people traveled to Tanta, 57 miles north of Cairo, in early October to celebrate the birth of Ahmed al-Badawi, a 13th-century mystic from Morocco who settled in Tanta and founded the Badawiyyah order of Sufism.

The birthday celebration, or “moulid” or “mawlid,” takes place over the course of six days and seven nights. This year it began Oct. 6 and ended the night of Oct. 12. The celebration includes rituals and traditions that have been practiced for thousands of years, in particular in the villages and cities of Upper Egypt and the Nile Delta, where large numbers of people are followers of Sufi orders (tariqa).

The event's roots lie in Badawi's death in 675 anno hegirae (1276), when his followers gathered to pay their respects, erecting tents around his grave for three days. The tradition continues, despite the spread of Salafism, which prohibits such practices as visiting sepulchers and holding mawlids.

Sufism is diverse, being practiced in cultures from India to North Africa. Sufi teachings focus on the spirituality of religion, avoiding the political. Thus, for example, Sufis might interpret the religious principle of jihad as a spiritual matter involving the taming of issues and pursing a path of goodness.