Yusuf Abu al-Haggag
Sheikh Yusuf Abu el Haggag, also al Haggag or Al-Hajjaj, was a mystic Sufi scholar and religious figure whose birthday is celebrated annually in the town of Luxor, Egypt.
Early life
Yusuf Abu el-Haggag was born in Baghdad c. 1150 and is regarded as one of the Sharif, or one of the descendants of the Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wa Salam. His lineage goes back to Sayyidna Imam Husayn ibn Ali RA.Career
Abu el-Haggag moved to Mecca, likely between the years 1190 and 1200, and later settled in the upper Egyptian town of Luxor. He established a zawiya in the settlement and devoted himself to knowledge, asceticism and worship. He traveled to Alexandria, where he met prominent Sufis and became a student of Sheikh Abd Al-Razeq. He then returned to Luxor and convened with Sheikh Abdal Rahim Al-Qanai, the owner of the Qena mosque. In his pursuits, he earned the nickname "Father of the Pilgrim".Abu el-Haggag is the patron of the Abu Haggag Mosque, where his birthday is celebrated annually. Local folklore indicates that he did not build the mosque, but saved it from later attempts by officials to demolish it. el-Haggag likely lived within the site of the temple and conducted his religious teaching there.