Hamed el-Nil Tomb

The tomb of Sheikh Hamed el-Nil stands beside a cemetery in Omdurman, and on Friday afternoons before sunset the Qadiriyya order gathers there for a dhikr: green and red patchwork robes, drums, chanted repetition of the names of God and a circling movement that builds over an hour or more until the call to prayer ends it. It is public and outsiders have long been welcome to stand at the edge and watch.

What you actually see

• The Friday dhikr - the gathering that builds through the afternoon before sunset.
• The patchwork robes - the green and red jibbas the participants wear.
• The drumming and chant - the rhythm the circling is built on.
• The tomb - the shrine of Sheikh Hamed el-Nil the gathering is held at.

When to go

Friday afternoons, starting a couple of hours before sunset and ending with the call to prayer. There is nothing to see on other days. November to February is the comfortable season.

Honest expectations

This is a religious observance rather than a performance; dress modestly, stay at the edge and ask before photographing. It happens only on Fridays. Travel in Sudan requires arrangements made well in advance.

Nearby

Omdurman souq is nearby, and Khartoum is across the river.