Eid al-Mawlid an-Nabawī – religious festival in Marrakech

There are a number of key religious celebrations that take place in Morocco, the exact dates of which constantly change in keeping with the Islamic calender which follows the lunar cycle.

One such celebration is Eid al-Mawlid an-Nabawī (the festival of the birth of the prophet Mohammed) which takes place in Rabi’ al-awwal, the third month of the Islamic calender. The exact nature of the celebrations differ in various corners of Morocco, but in the red city of Marrakech the festival is honoured by locals visiting holy shrines to ask for blessings, and also to give offerings to those worse off within community.

Traditional sweets, cakes and cookies are made by families and distributed, and new clothing for children is purchased. Adults also spend a portion of the day at local mosque’s, reciting poems and prayer.

One custom which some locals practice in the city is the crafting of fans, it is believed by a few that the day of the prophet Mohammed’s birth was exceptionally windy, and this tradition commemorates that.

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As the festival draws to a close, families cluster across the leafy shades of the Menara Gardens to the modern parks of Gueliz and all the public spaces in-between to round off the days celebration with a picnic. Which is often accompanied by the dish Tanjia, a culinary delicacy unique to Marrakech.

 

During festivals such as Eid al-Mawlid an-Nabawī, Marrakech becomes even more charged with life and movement than usual. Experience the astounding culture of the red city for yourself today, through the comfort of a luxury Riad Hotel in the very heart of the Marrakech Medina.