Sayyida Manoubia , a female sufi saint of Tunisia

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Sayyida Manoubia , a sufi sainit of Tunisia whose shrine is frequented by women alone.

In Tunisia, a Sufi shrine with an exuberant feminist vibe

It is said that Sayyida Manoubia, a Sufi saint, refused to marry, concerned it would interfere with her charity and pursuit of heavenly truths. Which is why, perhaps oddly, her shrine is now a must-stop for Tunisian brides.

www.csmonitor.com

While other Sufi shrines across North Africa are frequented by groups of men chanting the names of God and praying, the scene at Sayyida Manoubia is almost exclusively an all-women affair.

Every Sunday thousands of women from across Tunisia walk through an hourglass-shaped wooden door into the shrine, tucked away on a side street near Razi Hospital in the Tunis suburb of Manouba.

Upon entering, visitors are embraced by a festival of prayer and womanhood.

Sayyida Manoubia was recognized as a saint, both for her charity work and for her religious studies, and is one of the few female saints in Islam.