The sect of the Agawats (a special service group of caretakers) was established to serve the Grand Mosque in Mecca (Masjid al-Haram) and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina (Masjid al-Nabawi) in the seventh century AH/fourteenth century AD. This sect represents a community with its own customs, traditions, and internal system independent of other sects.

This book examines the establishment of the institution of the Aghawat and its early successors. It examines their physical characteristics and their moral aptitude, their style of attire, ranks, duties, incomes, social, religious, and political standing, and the challenges and crises they faced. The study concludes that this sect, whose numbers have dwindled considerably and whose functions have diminished over time, will eventually disappear, just as other sects associated with service in the Two Holy Mosques have faded away before this sect.

About the Author

Professor Ahmed Abdulrahim Nasr

Professor Ahmed Abdulrahim Nasr holds a BA (Hons) and MA from the University of Khartoum, Sudan, and a second MA and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. He has served as Professor at the Institute of African Studies, University of Khartoum; the International Islamic University, Malaysia; and Africa International University, Sudan. His previous roles also include Researcher at the Hajj Research Center, King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Consultant to the GCC Popular Heritage Centre in Doha, Qatar.

Among his eighteen authored, edited, and translated books in Arabic and English are: “Mayrno the Blue Nile: A Study of Oral Translation”; “The History of the Abdallab through their Oral Traditions”; “Folklore and Development in Sudan”, and “Morphology of the Fairy Tale”, (co-authored with another).

Among his thirty articles published in Arabic and English in local, regional, and international peer-reviewed journals are: “Popular Islam in Tayeb Salih’s Literature”; “The Search for Identity: Three Trends in Sudanese Folklore Studies”; “Al-Qais: Women’s Drama and Celebration in Nineteenth-Century Mecca”; and “Al-Kajur (Traditional Healing Practice) among the Nyimang.” (Sudanese Nuba Mountains’ ethnic group).

He was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, as the honorary Personality at the 21st edition of the Sharjah International Storytelling Forum (2021), in recognition of his outstanding leadership role, appreciation for his continuous journey of giving, and his contribution to preserving cultural heritage.

 

*Available for purchase at Meroë, The Africa Institute’s bookshop (on campus).

The sect of the Agawats (a special service group of caretakers) was established to serve the Grand Mosque in Mecca (Masjid al-Haram) and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina (Masjid al-Nabawi) in the seventh century AH/fourteenth century AD. This sect represents a community with its own customs, traditions, and internal system independent of other sects.

The sect of the Agawats (a special service group of caretakers) was established to serve the Grand Mosque in Mecca (Masjid al-Haram) and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina (Masjid al-Nabawi) in the seventh century AH/fourteenth century AD. This sect represents a community with its own customs, traditions, and internal system independent of other sects.

This book examines the establishment of the institution of the Aghawat and its early successors. It examines their physical characteristics and their moral aptitude, their style of attire, ranks, duties, incomes, social, religious, and political standing, and the challenges and crises they faced. The study concludes that this sect, whose numbers have dwindled considerably and whose functions have diminished over time, will eventually disappear, just as other sects associated with service in the Two Holy Mosques have faded away before this sect.

About the Author

Professor Ahmed Abdulrahim Nasr

Professor Ahmed Abdulrahim Nasr holds a BA (Hons) and MA from the University of Khartoum, Sudan, and a second MA and Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. He has served as Professor at the Institute of African Studies, University of Khartoum; the International Islamic University, Malaysia; and Africa International University, Sudan. His previous roles also include Researcher at the Hajj Research Center, King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Consultant to the GCC Popular Heritage Centre in Doha, Qatar.

Among his eighteen authored, edited, and translated books in Arabic and English are: “Mayrno the Blue Nile: A Study of Oral Translation”; “The History of the Abdallab through their Oral Traditions”; “Folklore and Development in Sudan”, and “Morphology of the Fairy Tale”, (co-authored with another).

Among his thirty articles published in Arabic and English in local, regional, and international peer-reviewed journals are: “Popular Islam in Tayeb Salih’s Literature”; “The Search for Identity: Three Trends in Sudanese Folklore Studies”; “Al-Qais: Women’s Drama and Celebration in Nineteenth-Century Mecca”; and “Al-Kajur (Traditional Healing Practice) among the Nyimang.” (Sudanese Nuba Mountains’ ethnic group).

He was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, as the honorary Personality at the 21st edition of the Sharjah International Storytelling Forum (2021), in recognition of his outstanding leadership role, appreciation for his continuous journey of giving, and his contribution to preserving cultural heritage.

 

*Available for purchase at Meroë, The Africa Institute’s bookshop (on campus).

 

Publisher

The Africa Institute (Sharjah, UAE)

Language

Arabic

ISBN

978-9948-735-84-7

Dimensions

16 x 24 cm, paperback

Year of Publication

2025

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