Reposted from the web

Summary: This Egypt Muslim travel guide starts in Cairo after Umrah, covering airport arrival, ride-hailing, hotels, Al-Azhar Mosque, Imam Hussein Mosque, Saladin Citadel, Ibn Tulun Mosque, the pyramids, and real trap-avoidance tips.

A Guide to Avoiding Travel Traps in Egypt is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I was disappointed by Mecca and Medina because they felt just like any other popular tourist spot. The account keeps its focus on Quanzhou Muslims, Hui Muslims, Islamic History while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

I was disappointed by Mecca and Medina because they felt just like any other popular tourist spot. Don't have high expectations for the people you meet in the two holy cities either. We originally planned to stay there for a few more days, but we changed our plans last minute and decided to head to Egypt for a week. I never expected the trip to Egypt to be the worst experience I've ever had in any country. Compared to Egypt, Saudi Arabia seems much more civilized. I hope this guide helps you avoid some pitfalls, but people never seem to learn. If you insist on going, I'm sure you will run into traps that I didn't even encounter.



The flight from Jeddah to Cairo is only two hours on Nile Air. A little Arab girl on the plane kept staring at Fahim. By the time we were about to land, they couldn't help themselves, so they sat together, kissing and hugging.

The girl sitting next to me was Saudi, as I saw her holding a Saudi passport. She wasn't wearing a headscarf in the waiting area. Once on the plane, she asked me how to fasten her seatbelt, and when we landed, she asked me to help her unbuckle it. It was clear this was her first time flying, and she kept taking photos from the moment she got on the plane.



Chinese passport holders can get a visa on arrival in Egypt. When you enter, just go to the bank at the entrance and pay 25 USD per person by card for the visa. Customs will stick it in your passport, and you can enter. No other documents are needed.



When you leave the airport, many drivers will try to solicit you; just ignore them. There are also people who will offer to help with your luggage. Don't let them help, even if they show you something that looks like a work ID. Still ignore them, because these services all require tips. If you don't know how to say no, you will end up spending money.



Sisi campaign poster.

I used Uber to call a car to the hotel. In Egypt, try to use Uber or the local ride-hailing app called Careem. Most Uber drivers speak English, making it easier to communicate. If you don't use a ride-hailing app, you will most likely be overcharged and the driver won't give you change.



We chose to stay at the Ramses Hilton by the Nile. The hotel is across from the old Egyptian Museum and near the Nile. This area is where many high-end hotels in Egypt are clustered, so the environment is a bit better.



December is the Christmas holiday season, so the whole city is full of Christmas vibes. This is normal in Cairo, as there are many Coptic Christians here.



I didn't want to go out at night, so I ordered a meal to the room. Every dish was extremely salty. Since I was feeding it to Fahim, and that much salt isn't good for a child, I called to complain to the restaurant. A while later, they sent someone to remake the meal, and the second time it tasted a bit better.



I was surprised that the bathroom at the Cairo Hilton didn't have a bidet sprayer, even though you could still find a Qibla direction indicator in the room.



Breakfast starts at 6:30 a.m., while it is still dark outside.











After a traditional Arabic breakfast, I planned to go to Al-Azhar for Jumu'ah prayer. I asked the hotel staff about the time for today's Jumu'ah, and they said around 11:40.



You can see this kind of bread sold everywhere on the streets of Old Cairo. It is like the steamed bun (mantou) in northern China and costs two mao (0.20 RMB) each. Fahim really likes eating it.



Al-Azhar Mosque



Al-Azhar Mosque was built in 972 AD. It is also the second oldest university in the world. The oldest is the University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, which was built in 859 AD.



Al-Azhar was once considered the highest institution of Sunni learning. After it was nationalized in 1952, negative opinions about the university have grown.



Al-Azhar is located in Old Cairo. When I reached the entrance, I saw several rows of security guards. Everyone entering the mosque had to go through a security check, which felt familiar to me.



I took a photo in the square, but a guard told me not to take pictures. After walking into the main hall, I saw several staff members walking back and forth, constantly reminding people not to take photos. This made the atmosphere feel strange.



The imam started by reciting the Quran. The tone was strange, like the old style I have heard back home: read a sentence, take a breath, wait a moment, then read another sentence, all very choppy. Very few people came for Jumu'ah prayer. Less than a quarter of the main hall was filled, making me wonder if I had gone to the wrong place.



After the prayer, I asked someone and learned that today was the first day Al-Azhar had reopened. The mosque had been closed because of the presidential election, so Al-Azhar has changed.

Imam Hussein Gongbei



Across from Al-Azhar is the Imam Hussein gongbei (Al-Hussein Mosque), built in 1154 AD. People say the head of the Prophet's grandson, Hussein, is buried here, though some Shia Muslims believe his head and body are both at the Imam Hussein Shrine in Karbala, Iraq.



In 985 AD, the 15th Fatimid Caliph, Mansur, learned in Baghdad that Hussein's head had been buried at the Shrine of the Head of Hussein in Palestine for 250 years. It was not until 1154 AD that the 21st Fatimid Caliph, Qasim, had it transported to Cairo and built the mosque. The current building was rebuilt in 1874. Influenced by the Westernization of Cairo at the time, it was constructed in a mix of Gothic and Ottoman styles and fitted with sunshades like those at the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.



Imam Hussein passed away in 680 AD, dying in battle in Karbala, Iraq, during the war against Muawiyah. The Fatimid dynasty and Sunni Muslims believe Hussein's head was moved to Cairo in 1153. Starting from the time of Saladin, the mosque became Sunni, and to this day, its call to prayer and namaz rituals follow the Sunni tradition.



The tomb chamber is built behind the mihrab of the main hall, where you can see many people commemorating Hussein in various ways.





Inside the gongbei building is a room built in 1893. It is said to house relics of the Prophet, including a linen cloak he once wore, four strands of his hair, the staff he used when entering Mecca, a sword gifted to him by a companion, and a 501-page Quran written on deerskin in Kufic script by Ali ibn Abi Talib.







At the ticket office of the Saladin Citadel, I waited with Fahim to buy tickets. An Egyptian girl came over and asked if she could take a photo of Fahim. I said yes, and suddenly a group of schoolgirls surrounded us, taking turns snapping photos of him.

The girl asked for Fahim's name. I said, "Fahim," and they were surprised, "Fahim?" Are you Muslims? I said, "Praise be to Allah," and the girl screamed, cupped Fahim's cheeks, and kissed him.



We saw the same scene again at other spots later. Fahim is even more popular in the Middle East than in China.

Saladin Citadel



You need a ticket to enter the citadel. Most tourist spots in Egypt only take cards, not cash.

The Cairo Saladin Citadel was originally a fortress built by Saladin between 1176 and 1183 to defend against the Crusades. It served as the seat of the Egyptian government until 1874, when Ismail Pasha, the successor of Muhammad Ali, moved to a palace in the new city center of Cairo.



Records show there are four mosques inside the citadel: the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, the Mosque of Al-Nasir Muhammad, the Mosque of Suleiman Pasha, and the Azab Mosque.

Mosque of Al-Nasir Muhammad



Built in 1318, it stands on the site of an early Saladin dynasty main mosque. The mosque's columns came from buildings of the Pharaoh era, and this gate is a classic sign of the Mamluk period. Although the mosque structure is intact, most of its gorgeous marble decorations were removed and shipped to Istanbul after the Ottoman Sultan Selim I conquered Egypt.











Mosque of Muhammad Ali



Inside the Saladin Citadel stands the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Built in 1848 in an Ottoman style, it commemorates Tusun Pasha, the eldest son of Muhammad Ali, who died in 1816.



Some say the building materials for the mosque were taken from the pyramids at Giza. Inside, there is a clock tower gifted to Muhammad Ali by the French King Louis Philippe around 1840, which corresponds to the Luxor Obelisk in the Place de la Concorde in Paris.



The tomb of Muhammad Ali is inside the mosque. He was the de facto ruler of Egypt from 1805 to 1848. Once a commander for the Ottoman Empire in Albania, he is considered the founder of modern Egypt. Although he may have been Albanian or Turkish, his dynasty lasted until 1952.



People sell shoe covers at the entrance of the Ali Mosque. It is a trap, so just ignore them. Carry your shoes in your hands and walk right in. You do not need to spend money on shoe covers.



There is a carpeted area in the main hall where you can perform namaz, but very few people actually show up for prayer times in Egypt.









Ibn Tulun Mosque



Built in 876, the Ibn Tulun Mosque is the oldest mosque in Egypt and all of Africa. It is also the largest mosque in the old city of Cairo.

The designer of this mosque was an Orthodox Christian named Saiid Ibn Kateb Al-Farghany.

This mosque is an open tourist site with no entry fee. However, they charge a tip for storing your shoes. I gave them 50 Egyptian pounds, but they said it was not enough and asked for another 50 pounds. The total was about 20 Chinese yuan.



This spiral minaret is believed to have been built in 1296.



The arched windows let in plenty of light.





Neither the left nor the right mihrab mentions Ali, which shows they were built during the early Fatimid Caliphate, a Shia dynasty.



The mihrab designed by Al-Afdal to commemorate Mustansir.

Mustansir was a caliph of the Fatimid dynasty. The original mihrab is kept at the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, and this one is a replica. It is inscribed with the Shia Shahada: There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and Ali is the wali of Allah.



A mihrab from the pre-Fatimid period, with a star hanging on the emblem.



Parts of the James Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me were filmed here. It also appears in the game Serious Sam 3 and in Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, where Lara fights a minotaur in the mosque.









Al Fattah Al Aleem Mosque



Because Old Cairo became hopelessly dirty and messy, the Egyptian government had to plan a new Cairo in the desert. This mosque was built in the new city. It covers 8,600 square meters and became the largest mosque in Africa after it was finished in 2019.



New Cairo is an hour's drive from the old city. The roads in the new city are wide, the streets are clean, and the tallest building in Africa is currently being built here.



The main hall of the mosque was originally closed, but our driver, who is Egyptian, talked to the mosque staff and got them to open it for us. We prayed namaz together in the mosque, and he led the prayer. After the prayer, I offered the staff a tip, but he actually refused it. He is the only person I have met in Egypt who did not take a tip.















Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque



This mosque was built in 1839 in the Ottoman style. The carvings inside copy architecture from the European Renaissance.



The mosque is located on a busy street in the old city. It stands in sharp contrast to the bustling crowds outside, as the inside is very quiet and only a few people come for prayer.



Walk through this passage and enter the main hall on the second floor. It feels like a dark medieval castle inside.





Al-Hakim Mosque



This mosque was completed in 1013 and named after the sixth Fatimid caliph. The main gate features Kufic script left from that time.



Over the centuries, this mosque was renovated and closed several times until it finally reopened in 1980.



The architectural style is similar to Al-Azhar, but it is more than twice the size.







Sultan Barquq Mosque



You need to buy a ticket to enter this mosque, and you can buy a combined ticket with the Al-Refaei Mosque. Also, you have to tip when you store your shoes inside.

Located in the old city of Cairo, this large religious complex includes a mosque, a school, and a gongbei. It was first built in 1384. Barquq was born a slave and gained significant influence during the Mamluk period. In 1382, he deposed Sultan Hajji and declared himself king.



The film adaptation of Palace Walk, a work by the Egyptian Nobel laureate Mahfouz, was filmed here.









Al-Refaei Mosque



This mosque is across from the Sultan Hassan Mosque. It was first built in 1361 and contains the tombs of the Muhammad Ali family.















The tomb of Ali Abu Shubbak al-Refaei

Al-Refaei was the founder of the Sufi Refaei order.









This is the tomb of the last Shah of Iran, Pahlavi, who died in Cairo in 1980. Pahlavi's father, Reza Shah, also stayed here briefly after he died. Reza Shah died in exile in South Africa in 1944 and was sent back to Iran after World War II.



This place is also the burial site of the Sufi mystic Yahya al-Ansari, known as the patron saint of Cairo, along with several members of the Egyptian royal family.



There is a traditional Arabic music restaurant in Old Cairo with a stunning atmosphere and three floors.



We chose to sit on the rooftop to look down over the streets of the old city.



I noticed a detail: when it was time for namaz, the call to prayer echoed throughout the old city. The restaurant turned off its music and waited until the prayer time passed to play it again, though I did not see anyone praying during that time.







We ate grilled lamb chops and tagine (tajin), which are dishes you can hardly go wrong with when eating locally.





King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Mosque (Masged al Malik Faysal Bin Abd al’Aziz).



This is the closest mosque to Cairo Airport. It has an octagonal roof and is the cleanest mosque I visited in Cairo.



The non-traditional dome caught my eye, and there were not many people praying in the mosque during the sunset prayer (maghrib).







The Pyramids and the Sphinx.



After moving to a hotel near the airport, I planned to book a one-day tour of the Cairo pyramids online. I was told the airport was far away and it would cost an extra 270 yuan per person, bringing the total to over 1,000 RMB per person. I took an Uber from the airport to the pyramids for only 80 RMB, and it turned out that taking a taxi directly to the site was the most cost-effective way.



The Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Sphinx are located together. Seeing these images from my childhood textbooks in person was truly shocking. You cannot help but wonder how ancient Egypt built such huge and precise structures over 4,000 years ago; it seems beyond human capability.



There are many people around the pyramids trying to sell camel rides. Remember not to engage with anyone who approaches you. Camel rides are a trap with unpredictable prices, and if someone tells you it is free, that is a sign they are about to rip you off.



Don't listen to anyone outside the ticket office who says they can take you through a shortcut without a ticket; it's all a scam. You can avoid most traps by not interacting with locals. If you want to go inside the pyramids, you have to buy a separate ticket at the entrance, or you can tip the guard to get in. There is nothing to see inside, as it was looted by various people centuries ago.

Egyptian Museum



This is the old Egyptian Museum by the Nile. Cairo also has a new museum, but it doesn't have as many items as the old one. Although the old museum is run-down, the treasures inside are priceless and so numerous that they are just piled up like in a warehouse. You need to pay for museum tickets by card, as they don't accept cash. It opens at 9:00 AM and starts clearing out at 5:00 PM.



You can even touch these artifacts, and no one stops you. It feels just like a wet market inside. view all