These days, middle- and upper-class Egyptians often flock to the new, modern shopping malls found on Cairo's outskirts. But many residents still drift back to the bustle, clamor, and spectacle of the Khan, as the market is often called. In recent years, however, the Khan has changed from a manufacturing and wholesale center into a largely retail market, as fewer goods are now produced there. The artisans and craftsmen who once made everything from jewelry to sandals in the Khan's crowded alleys are rarely seen.

Shoppers browse in Khan al-Khaliti.

The market remains anchored close to the heart of Old Cairo--only a mile or two from the Nile River--by the presence of two of Sunni Islam's holiest sites: the al-Husayn mosque and shrine and the al-Azhar mosque and university. Founded in a.d. 970, al-Azhar is the Arab world's oldest university, and it remains the source of religious rulings that influence Sunni Muslims around the world. The al-Husayn shrine, which forms one side of Khan al-Khalili, is reputed to hold the head of Husayn, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. It is said that the relic was brought to Cairo from Palestine in 1153 to escape the plundering Crusaders. Husayn was killed in 680 at the battle of Karbala in a power struggle between the followers of his father, Ali--who had married Muhammad's daughter and claimed the right to take over leadership of the Muslims--and the Umayyad clan.

The followers of Husayn and Ali are known as the Shiites, a branch of Islam that is the majority only in Iran but has a significant minority following in Lebanon, the Persian Gulf states, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The rest of the Muslim world, including Egypt, mainly follows the Sunni branch. Though Husayn founded Shiism, he is still venerated in Egypt because he was a grandson of the Prophet.