Egypt: Sufi muslims celebrate Mawlid al-Nabawi in Cairo

Holding banners and saying religious chants, hundreds of Egyptian Muslims took to the streets of Cairo on Tuesday to mark the birth of prophet Mohammed.

In the historic Al Azhar area, those in the crowd said they thought of the event as a renewal of their faith.

Saber Abd El Raouf, shiekh of a Sufi order, said, "we are celebrating the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. It is like renewing the faith within our hearts. The Messenger of Allah does not need a commemoration, but rather our own hearts come alive by the commemoration of the birth of the Messenger of Allah."

Hassan Abd El Nazeem, another member of a Sufi order, said, "the celebration basically is walking in a procession from the Sidi Saleh Al-Jaafari Mosque to the shrine of Al-Hussein. We keep chanting praises for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and we recite supplications for the birthday of the Prophet."

The occasion is normally celebrated with public gatherings, processions and religious recitations.