and the young boy sang for us

i never really know where i'm going in sudan. or what's coming next. at first that bothered me. lately, though, i've just been trying to let go, let sudan take me wherever it wants.

a few nights ago, after a day at the camel market (obviously), i found myself at a sufi compound in omdurman, one of the three cities that make up khartoum's metro area.

sufism is hard to explain -- at least, i find it hard to explain. the best i can do is describe it as sort of a mystical branch of islam.

the people there, as is often the case wherever i wind up, were kind beyond all expectations. the sheikh showed us through the compound, through the mosque and through the small cellar where, we were told, he spends the month of ramadan without food or water or fresh air.

we also got to meet the students at the adjoining islamic school. all students in sudan, unless christian, are required to take islamic studies as part of their core curriculum. but the students at the mosque study nothing but the quran. a good part of this education involves reciting quranic verses.

one of the young boys (he's in the picture above) showed us how it's done. to hear what that sounds like, click on the media player above. listen closely, and you'll probably also catch the evening call to prayer in the background.


boards like these we scattered around the otherwise-empty school room.








once the camera comes out, you know a group picture is inevitable.


"there is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God." this message was repeated several times in the cellar where the sheikh spends the whole of ramadan.