In Saudi Arabia, a Resurgence of Sufism

JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia -- A hush came over the crowd as the young man sitting cross-legged on the floor picked up the microphone and sang, a cappella, a poem about Islam's prophet Muhammad. His eyes shut tight, his head covered by an orange-and-white turban, he crooned with barely contained ardor of how the world rejoiced and lights filled the skies the day the prophet was born.

The men attending the mawlid -- a celebration of the birth and life of Muhammad -- sat on colorful rugs, rocking gently back and forth, while the women, on the upper floor watching via a large projection screen, passed around boxes of tissues and wiped tears from their eyes.

Who's Blogging? Read what bloggers are saying about this article. Brett Deimler. president of Deimler International, Inc. :: Main Page Full List of Blogs (1 links) � Most Blogged About Articles On washingtonpost.com | On the web Save & Share Tag This Article  Saving options 1. Save to description:  Headline (required)  Subheadline  Byline 2. Save to notes (255 character max):  Subheadline  Blurb  None 3. Tag This Article