Have you visited Khan el-Khalili yet? Ambassador Manzoor-ul-Hasan asked as he slowly sipped his ahwa—the traditional Egyptian coffee. He was Pakistan’s Ambassador to Cairo and it was through his gracious hospitality that the doors of this remarkable city had opened for us. Farhan, the Third Secretary, glanced at us before replying, “Sir, we have just returned from the Pyramids.” “Oh, then you must be exhausted.” The Ambassador looked at us with a knowing smile. “What is there in Khan el-Khalili?” I asked. He smiled gently and replied, “Khan el-Khalili is the heart of Cairo.” Those few words began to beat inside me like a living heart. I looked towards Moazzam Sahib and speaking on behalf of both of us, declared that we were not tired at all. “Then leave immediately,” the Ambassador said as he rose from the dining table. Cairo’s traffic reminded me of Karachi’s Saddar: one enters by choice but returns only if fortune permits. We inched through the endless stream of vehicles until we finally reached Khan el-Khalili, an ancient bazaar where the craftsmanship of skilled artisans mingles with the aroma of freshly brewed ahwa, captivating every visitor. As I stepped out, my hand instinctively rested against an old stone wall. “Please stay exactly where you are,” Farhan said, taking a photograph before smiling and adding, “The wall you are leaning against belongs to Al-Azhar.” Everything within me changed forever.

The thought that in a few moments I would walk into one of the oldest centres of Islamic learning........

© Pakistan Observer