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Houda
Houda moves passionately and with dedication between each of Egypt’s “Mulids,” the festivities that commemorate the birth of the prophet, his family, and other religious figures. He makes sure he is there, whenever and wherever, the Mulids are.
The 63 years old Mahmoud Abd El Nabi, whose neighbors have nicknamed “Houda,” has, for years, felt attracted to the joyful and spiritual atmosphere of the Mulid, which has become his refuge. Despite of the fact that he claims to be married and have a family, the Mulid has become his home and its visitors became his family.
“This is a different world where I can fly with the invocations, dance and be with beautiful people,” Houda says as his body sways with the sound of the invocations that spread across the Al-Sayeda Zaynab neighborhood, to describe his state and what he feels while he is in any Mulid.
Houda lives in a humble room on the ground floor in one of Giza’s popular areas. Just like a Dervish, no walls can confine his soul; he left his room and now sleeps at a popular cafe next to the house.
Houda makes his living by helping out at the café during the daily preparations and sometimes delivering a neighboring super market’s orders. He did not acquire a full time job so that he can attend every Mulid without constrictions. The young people in the neighborhood sometimes make fun of Houda, and while he accepts the jokes, most of the time they hurt him. Houda is proud of himself and confirms that he is not a beggar, saying that his mother’s pension protects him from seeking help from others.
In El-Moulid Houda is a completely different person, active, enthusiastic for the things around him, dancing, singing, Moulid Al-Sayeda Nfisa, Cairo, Egypt.
Houda always says about El-Moulid (here is another world).
He prefer to sleep in the café more than his room which is beside it.
Winter sunlight giving houda and his neighbour warmness.
Houda while helping out the café during the daily preparations.
Houda prepares himself to go to the celebrations of Moulid al-Hussein.
Although the woman disappeared from Houda's real life, but she always there on the walls inside his room.
Houda strongly hug with one of his friends from moulid.
Houda while his visit to the grave of Al-Sayeda Zainab during El-Moulid.
Houda at the nights without Moulid.
Every day in the winter Houda lights the firewood and put it beside him while sleeps.
Most of the day he moves inside the area where he live and don`t go out unless there is a Moulid.
Second: Single Photos
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Citizens gather in front of a pipeline store to buy some during the gas crisis in Giza, Egypt, September 4, 2016.
Civil defense men search for a person under the rubble of a house in Garden City, Cairo, Egypt,Tuesday, Mar 28, 2017.
An Egyptian extended family prays the first Tarawih evening prayers of the Muslim's holy fasting month of Ramadan on the roof top of a building, as the country's mosques remain closed during the coronavirus pandemic, April 23, 2020, Cairo, Egypt.
Soldiers of the Egyptian army in the truck belonging to the Egyptian army sells some food commodities to the citizens. The production of these commodities is made in factories of the Egyptian armed forces, Giza, Egypt, Monday, Feb 20, 2017.
the citizens try to reach the soldiers of the Egyptian army in the truck belonging to the Egyptian army to buy some of food commodities. The production of these commodities is made in factories of the Egyptian armed forces, Giza, Egypt, Monday, Feb 20, 2017.
A woman receives a packet of sugar from the truck selling it during Egyptian Sugar Crisis, Cairo, Egypt, oct 26 2016.
Egyptian photojournalist Mahmoud Abou-Zeid, center, known by his nickname Shawkan appears behind bars in one of court sessions, January 17, 2017. Shawkan was arrested in August 2013 while taking photographs of the government’s deadly dispersal of a sit-in by supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. He was arrested with two foreign journalists who were later released. He has been in pretrial detention for over 950 days. and still renew for him everytime.
Egyptian protesters burn an Israeli flag during a demonstration against the US president's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, outside the Syndicate of Journalists Cairo's downtown district, Egypt on December 7, 2017.
Blood stains pews inside the St. George Church after a suicide bombing, in the Nile Delta town of Tanta, Egypt, Sunday, April 9, 2017. Bombs exploded at two Coptic churches in the northern Egyptian cities of Tanta and Alexandria as worshippers were celebrating Palm Sunday, killing over 40 people and wounding scores more in assaults claimed by the Islamic State group.
Presidential candidate Musa Mustafa Musa going from his home to casts his ballot in the presidential elections, in Cairo, Egypt on March 26 2018.
A distributor ensuring there is phosphorous ink on a residents finger during the distribution of staple commodities as part of an effort to mobilize voters during the last two days of Egypt's 2018 presidential election, in the working class neighborhoods of Meet Oqba and Ard al-Lewa, located in central Giza, egypt, March 28, 2018. this photo as a part of report i did about distribution of staple commodities for vote in egyptian Presidential election 2018.
A little girl sits on the rubble of her house, which removed by the police yesterday, Warraq Island, Cairo, Egypt, July 17 2017. A day after one person killed and like 50 injured in clashes between the police and residents of al-Waraq Island, the police went there to remove illegal buildings. on Sunday July 16, 2017.
Egypt’s Mohamed Salah celebrating World Cup access and victory over Congo during the 2018 World Cup group E qualifying soccer match at Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, Egypt, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017.
Egypt's Amr Gamal middle Uganda's players during the 2018 World Cup group E qualifying soccer match between Egypt and Uganda at the Borg El Arab Stadium in Alexandria, Egypt, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017.
Zamalek’s players celebrate with the trophy after they won the CAF Confederation Cup at Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria on May 26, 2019.
Zamalek’s Ahmed Madboly scores second goal during Football match between Zamalek SC vs Wolaita Dicha during African Confederation Cup 2018, March18, 2018.
Egyptian club Al Ahly fans cheer during Al-Ahly v Esperance - CAF Champions League quarterfinal first-leg, Alexandra Egypt, Seb 16, 2017.
The Fans Light up The Fireworks (Flames) And Broke the Seats and Throwing it on the playground Objection On the Performance and Exit of the African Champions League by this Result during a match Between Zamalek SC & Al Ahly Tripoli in the African Champions League (CAF) group stage, at Borg el-Arab Stadium - Alexandria - Egypt on July 09, 2017.
Members of the "Tigers" team try to tackle a "Warriors" during an American football match. This match is the first match of the fourth Egyptian American football league since its creation, Feb 16 2018. in the fourth American football season in Egypt.
One of parents Sitting front of a restaurant while waiting the students exit outside the examination committee during the first day of high school exams in Giza Governorate, Egypt, on June 21, 2020.
A woman swaying with Sufi Music during Sufi People Celebrating Muled El-Sida Nafisa - Cairo - Egypt - February27 2018
A Bedouin family have fun around an old fishing ship in North Coast, Alamein, Egypt, July 28, 2017.
North Coast, Alamein, Egypt, July 28, 2017.
The lunar eclipse over Mohamed Aly Mosque, Old Cairo, Egypt, july 27 2018.
Lagona, Dahab, South Sinai, Egypt, May 20, 2016.
A Bedouin girl selling some stuff for tourists, Dahab, South Sinai, Egypt, May 21, 2016.
A super moon rises above the minaret of a mosque in Old Cairo, Egypt, Nov 14, 2016.
The Pigeon keeping opening to them to take a free time for flying at a rooftop coop, Giza , Egypt ,Dec 31, 2017. Pigeon keeping is an ancient tradition. Most pigeon fanciers in Egypt, grow, sell and make a living from their pigeons.
A Bedouin family bathing the camels in the sea, Dahab, South Sinai, Egypt, May 21, 2016.
Sufi People Celebrating Milad El-Hussein, Cairo, Egypt, January 23, 2017.
Girls take a selfie after rain stopped, riverside, Cairo. Egypt, Dec 21, 2016.
