DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49270#0264
NOTES ON EGYPTIAN SAINTS
R. H. Blanchard
[In sending these notes to the Harvard African Studies, Mr. Blanchard asked me to make any such
alterations as seemed desirable. Mr. Blanchard’s paper, naturally, was in need of no changes which I
could make; but in justice to him I ought to state that I have added a few particulars — notably the
paragraphs dealing with the Kuft moleds. I am responsible, also, for the concluding passage on the
need of a systematic study of the Egyptian saints — a passage I would not have added had I not known,
from several very interesting discussions with Mr. Blanchard himself, how keenly alive he is to the need
of collecting what remains of the Egyptian popular institutions before they are finally leveled away by
new influences. Ed.]
The following notes are designed to emphasize, by presenting a few particulars
regarding them, the desirability of a systematic study of the cults of the numerous saints
of Moslem Egypt. Throughout the whole Nile valley, it is an old established custom to
hold celebrations in honor of deceased Aloslems whose lives are popularly supposed to
have exhibited a peculiar degree of sanctity, and to whom supernatural powers are gen-
erally accredited. Sainthood not being difficult of achievement in the Islamic world,
it follows that almost every hamlet has its own saint’s tomb, while several such sanctuaries
are usually to be found in every larger village or town. At fixed periods such tombs are
as a rule the center of a celebration which is often connected with a religious fair. As such
celebrations are most commonly held once a year on the reputed birthday of the saint,
they are all termed “moleds”, even when more than one annual festival is held in honor
of a single saint.
The saints are of different grades or classes: most of them are called “Sheykh This”
or “Sheykh That”; some are referred to by the more honorable title of “es-Seyyid So-and-
so”; and among these latter are not a few exalted ones who are regarded as welts.
The majority of the saints enjoy only a local reputation; others are the central
figures in the popular religion of fairly large districts, while a few are so widely renowned
as to be of national importance. The local saints may or may not have a well-marked
individuality; the more widely respected ones, by a natural synthetic process, are credited
with many acts and powers which tend to obscure whatever individuality they may
originally have possessed; but even the few who are objects of national devotion generally
R. H. Blanchard
[In sending these notes to the Harvard African Studies, Mr. Blanchard asked me to make any such
alterations as seemed desirable. Mr. Blanchard’s paper, naturally, was in need of no changes which I
could make; but in justice to him I ought to state that I have added a few particulars — notably the
paragraphs dealing with the Kuft moleds. I am responsible, also, for the concluding passage on the
need of a systematic study of the Egyptian saints — a passage I would not have added had I not known,
from several very interesting discussions with Mr. Blanchard himself, how keenly alive he is to the need
of collecting what remains of the Egyptian popular institutions before they are finally leveled away by
new influences. Ed.]
The following notes are designed to emphasize, by presenting a few particulars
regarding them, the desirability of a systematic study of the cults of the numerous saints
of Moslem Egypt. Throughout the whole Nile valley, it is an old established custom to
hold celebrations in honor of deceased Aloslems whose lives are popularly supposed to
have exhibited a peculiar degree of sanctity, and to whom supernatural powers are gen-
erally accredited. Sainthood not being difficult of achievement in the Islamic world,
it follows that almost every hamlet has its own saint’s tomb, while several such sanctuaries
are usually to be found in every larger village or town. At fixed periods such tombs are
as a rule the center of a celebration which is often connected with a religious fair. As such
celebrations are most commonly held once a year on the reputed birthday of the saint,
they are all termed “moleds”, even when more than one annual festival is held in honor
of a single saint.
The saints are of different grades or classes: most of them are called “Sheykh This”
or “Sheykh That”; some are referred to by the more honorable title of “es-Seyyid So-and-
so”; and among these latter are not a few exalted ones who are regarded as welts.
The majority of the saints enjoy only a local reputation; others are the central
figures in the popular religion of fairly large districts, while a few are so widely renowned
as to be of national importance. The local saints may or may not have a well-marked
individuality; the more widely respected ones, by a natural synthetic process, are credited
with many acts and powers which tend to obscure whatever individuality they may
originally have possessed; but even the few who are objects of national devotion generally