"In Al-Hussein Square we went ... in the protection of God who came to Hossein", at a time when the world is moving towards general closure, shops are closed and roaming is prohibited, with a daily count of the number of Corona virus victims, a chronological watch that carries the warning of death to the world and blows its whistle throughout, he sees On the other hand, visitors and followers of Al-Hussein Mosque are a safe place without fear.

On the last Tuesday of Rabi` al-Thani, clouds shade the face of Egypt, the sun shines quietly with love, and light breezes blow among the crowds that have come to receive the annual greeting to the master of the martyrs and the descendants of loved ones, visitors come from across Egypt to celebrate the birth of Hussein.

Visitors to Mawlid Al-Hussein do not take the simplest precautions for prevention (European News Agency)

A world without virus

Here you do not talk about Corona, it would seem strange if you argued about it, despite the hundreds of thousands of lives that the virus has claimed during the past year, most visitors believe that their spiritual world is free of epidemics, injustice and hatred.

Although the mosque was closed and its sheikhs were satisfied with raising the call to prayer only, and refusing to open the doors to the worshipers, the disciples remained around the closed doors.

In the vastness of his mosque, those coming from the far side of Upper Egypt harmonize with those coming from the sea countryside, the holders of positions and Excellencies, with the people of God, the uncles and the green robes.

The strange visitor is surprised that everyone does not fear the pandemic, and they do not take the simplest precautions for prevention, chanting with the six Umm Ahmad sitting in front of the cooking utensils singing "God will never leave me your face .. until you are satisfied with my life forever."

From Assiut, Umm Ahmad came to greet Al-Hussein. She was spreading the front of the majlis and next to it cooking utensils, pots for molokhia and another for rice, a plate filled with prepared bread, and trays and "fatteh" dishes.

In a session like this more than 50 years ago, the pain of childbirth surprised her mother, and fate responded to her supplication that he gave her a daughter who described herself as "not afraid of the right to blame, and she does not fear Corona or anyone else", adding, "We were here in the high days of the revolution - General 2011- When people were hiding in their homes for fear of death. "

Umm Ahmad affirms enthusiastically, "Whoever comes to Hussein is afraid of neither Corona nor anyone else."

Umm Ahmad sits in a far corner to cook rice and molokhia for visitors (Al-Jazeera)

Corona and the poor

From Assiut, Hajj Hussein came, carrying the "Tuhisheh al-Mawlid" (money and charity), which he had prepared since last year. He does not know what the word muzzle means. He sees that the people of Upper Egypt do not know Corona, and he is certain that the virus they are talking about is the curse of the rich, but the poor May God protect them.

Hussein tells Al-Jazeera Net, "There are no injuries in our village." Hussein came from his town with stocks that he prepares from year to year, and a lot of food and blankets for the simple people who spread on the ground in Al-Hussein Square, and he confirms, "There are no disinfectants, alcohol, and we do not cover our faces among people."

In the town of Hajj Hussein in Upper Egypt, the district deputy celebrated his victory in the elections with a ceremony held on an area of ​​5 acres, in which the loved ones of the chanter Yassin Al-Tohami gathered, swaying to sing and celebrate his prayers, the man sticks to the man, and the one standing with the seated, about ten thousand people, and Corona did not hit them - according to him. - “How can it afflict someone who came to visit the people of God,” as he described it.

The crowd of visitors does not know precautions from the Corona virus (Al-Jazeera)

The two girlfriends

On the sidewalk nearby, the two friends sat, watching the tents of the generator from afar. Their feet were no longer able to walk, but the window of the house did not look sufficiently on the tents of the revelers, so the two women were content with a close sitting with a tea pot and some lettuce and a thermos for entertainment.

60 years of companionship between Wajiha and Wadad, separated by years, but they are united by love every year, when Wajeha comes to see her friend every year on her visit to the birth, an intimate conversation takes place between them, the two friends are almost melting away from the extreme loneliness.

Wadad tells Al-Jazeera Net, "I bought the apartment here next to Al-Hussein 30 years ago, the children grew up and decided to continue my life here, as I have wanted all my life, and today it came to complete my joy at the birth", wiping each of them on the face of the other without fear of infection or injury, As Wajiha says, "Life is all in a way for my friend, for she is ten years old, and I cannot hide my face with a muzzle in front of her."

On a nearby sidewalk, two friends, Wajeha and Wadad, sat watching the tents of the Mawlid from afar (Al-Jazeera)

Alien

She was a stranger in the midst of a crowd not afraid of Corona, walking with her muzzle, sitting with people and keen to keep her breath away from those around, holding her stick and leaning on it, going through the tents and listening to the chanting and taking the blues, everything that Umm Imam does, but from afar, she is the only one who knows that Corona It passes by, and has penetrated its body in its first wave.

She spent two consecutive months in the hospital, that was enough to remind her always of the famous saying "Stay at home .. Stay safe." But it is Al-Hussein, how does his birth pass without visiting the heart, raise the motivation and sharpen the soul.

Umm Imam says, "If the government had prevented it, we would have said the government’s order, but we cannot delay the birthday celebration on our own," noting that the mask and a bottle of sterile alcohol do not leave her hands and her personal bag, and she is certain that "the visitors of Hussein have a Lord who protects them."