The festival of the “mouled” which means the birth of the prophet Mohamed (pbuh) (570 A. JC) is celebrated each year on the 12 Rabi Al Awal in a spiritual environment particular to the town of Kairouan.

Formerly, one prepares one month in advance. Particularly the streets of the médina, the Musoleums, the mosques and the shrines are carefully cleaned and whitewashed with “jir arbi” (calcium oxide), the walls are decorated with special multicoloured carpets of kairouan. Hundreds of garlands and neons illuminate the markets await the event.

Formerly, the festivities lasted a whole week until the next Friday “jemaât el mouled” by the habit reserved for habitant of Kairouan where after the departure of the visitors, the whole families men, women and children go in” ziara “ to the mausoleum “sayed sahbi” to recite the fatiha, to express wishes then to make a small tour with “fasqiat el aghaliba” and to finish the walk by a going to the local market “souk”.

Currently, enthusiasm grows increasingly toward animation of the city but the city of Kairouan remain attached more than ever to their ancestral habits and continue to celebrate the “mouled” with the same enthusiasm as before.

The day before “mouled”, the visitors who amount per thousands run come from the four corners of the country and even from Arabic and Islamic countries. Indeed, Kairouan is always regarded as the fourth Holy City of Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem

There are many Islamic conferences that are organized annually in the city of Kairouan where Imam (preachers), juries-consultant and researchers from the Moslem world are invited. This year (2005), the 32nd conference placed under the topic “The religious speech in the service of development”.

Travelling merchants settle in the neighborhoods of the mausoleum “sahbi” selling any kind of toys and gifts bought by families to their children. Improvised restaurants for the occasion are installed in the four corners of the city preparing “keftaji” and lamb barbecues.

As all our religious festivals turn around the ritual of the “mouled”. Formerly, the people of Kairouan and their families prepare the famous cake “makroudh” at home. Nowadays by laziness or ignorance of the young housewives, one buys it from the market (souk).

At night, the festival is centered in the large mosque where the official ceremony usually sponsored by Mr. President of the House of Commons is held (Foued Mbazaa) and formerly by the “zaïm” (leader) Habib Bourguiba (1st President of the Republic of Tunisia) opened by chanting verses of Qoran and marked by a religious talk given by the first Imam Sheik Abderrahmane Khelif (May God forgive him).

In the mausoleum “Abi zamaa balaoui” one recites the “sira” of the prophet (pbuh) and in the “souk” various bands of “Mouldia" chanting to animate the city.

However, for the history that the official festivities of the “mouled” really started in Tunisia only in 1257 H (1842 A JC) at the time of Ahmed Bacha

Engaged couple make family visits to wish happy “mouled” and offer wedding presents “mussem”

The visitors either are placed in hotels or generally accommodated by families and some they prepare tents as camper and others spent their night under the sky looking at the stars.

The next morning all the families prepare famous “Assida” a traditional “bidha” by means of the “methred” currently disappeared from the culinary scene (kind of large flattened stick as an oar is used to stir up and to crush the paste against the walls of the “tanjara” (pot) containing flour mixed with powdered sugar, olive oil mixed with “Bessissa”, it has more rich in vitamins than the very recent in our culinary practiced, the very sweetened and flanked “assida zgougou” with alep pines with its harmful creams and dry fruits. It is not only my opinion but that also of the nutritionnists who recommend it highly.

In the “Balaoui” mausoleum the disinherited children are circumcised freely, thanks to the contributors who bring also “assida” prepared on their premises to the shrine. While the main bands “mouldia” continues singing the praises of the prophet formerly directed by Abdelmajid Ben saad and currently by Mr Mohammed Barrak (not to get confused with the “soulamia” singing the praises of the marabouts)

Ya sayed ya sahbi el jah ya saheb rassoul illah…..allahomma salli ala mustapha badi el jamali wa bahr el wafa.

Mohamed Rebai
info@kairouan.org