A masked man steals the exaction money from the men of the Fetewa (ruffian) and gives it back to the rightful owners. Azmy, the son of the Fetewa Saber Abu Shedid, harasses people and forcibly takes money from them. Hassan stands up to the Fetewa’s men when he sees them beating the barber.
Everyone looks for the masked man. Hassan's uncle wants to sell his shop and asks Hassan to look for another place of employment. Saber's daughter Layl is kidnapped by a coachman. Master Sayed, another Fetewa, demands that Azmy turn Hassan Al-Jibaly over to him after the latter beats his son.
Sayed Al-Labban is not satisfied with Hassan's apology, so he sends men to smash his shop. As Sayed kills Master Beshr at his shop while he was looking for a treasure, Hassan follows Sayed and finds him plotting with two thugs to kidnap Layl. Hassan dons a mask and follows the thugs to save Layl.
When Azmy and Saber learn the identities of Layl's kidnappers, Azmy beats them as punishment. Hassan starts to fall for Layl.
Azmy perpetuates a rumor that the masked man killed Beshr. Hassan threatens Sayed Al-Labban at Beshr's funeral and refuses to join Azmy as a Fetewa.
Hassan steals meat from Sayed's men and distributes it on the poor. Layl meets Hassan and falls for him. Azmy sets another meeting with Hassan.
Saber allows Layl to go out. Layl tells Hassan that she knows he is the masked man and asks to meet him the next day. Saber and Layl try to bring Shouq over to determine if the girls' mother is alive.
Hassan and Layl fall for each other. Mos'ad advises Hassan to throw the gold in the Nile. Saber is supported by the people of El-Gamaleya.
Sayed plots with his son-in-law to invade El-Gamaleya to become its Fetewa. As Hassan and Azmy meet, Hassan refuses to join Azmy as a Fetewa again.
Layl refuses to go back together with Sayed. Azmy orders his men to double the exaction they are imposing on people. Azmy's men assault Hanouka to force him to pay the exaction.
Azmy and his men kill Hanouka after he dresses as the masked man. The furious Hassan quarrels with Saber and Azmy over Hanouka's murder.
As Hassan prepares to take revenge on Saber and Azmy's men, he bids Layl farewell. When the masked Hassan breaks Awad's arm, Azmy orders the latter shipped off to where the washed-out Fetewas dwell. Farag wants to be a Fetewa. Saber grows fearful over how unjust he was to Hassan's father.
Sayed questions Hassan about the treasure. Sayed advises Azmy to get rid of Farag and tells him about the treasure that he, Saber, and Ahmed Al-Jebaly found long ago. He also asks Azmy to get rid of Hassan. Hassan faces off against a female Fetewa, Hajj Ahmed, in a friendly competition.
Azmy learns that Gamila loves Hassan. Sayed tells his son-in-law about how he and Saber got rid of Ahmed Al-Jebaly. Hassan takes his daughter Noura to introduce her to Layl. As masked men break into Hassan's house to search for gold, they beat his mother.
Saber tells Hassan that his father wanted him to be the Fetewa and promises to reveal the identity of his father's killer. Saber accompanies Layl to see Ahbab. When he finds out that his second wife is the reason Ahbab ran away, he vows revenge on his second wife.
Gamila refuses to take money from Hasiba to stay away from Azmy. Saber prevents Layl from killing Hasiba and promises to punish her himself. Gamila tells the district chief that Beshr had plans to kill her before his death. Sayed asks his son-in-law to kill Marzouq.
Saber tells Azmy that Hassan is the rightful Fetewa. Hassan rejects Gamila's feelings and promises to avenge his mother. When Sayed tells Saber that he wants the gold Hassan has, Saber threatens to kill Sayed if he tries to harm Hassan. Sayed threatens Layl that he will kill Hassan.
Sayed refuses to wed his son to Noura. He also puts his plan to kill Hassan into effect and sends masked men after him. Farag kills Saber.
As Ja'far tries to invade El-Gamaleya, Azmy prepares to duel Farag for the title of Fetewa. Azmy tells Layl to forget about marrying Hassan, who caused their father's death.
Azmy suggests for Fadl to stop being a Fetewa in exchange for supporting him as the Fetewa's top aide. Hassan tells Layl that he loves her and will not give up on her. As Azmy loses his duel with Farag, Hassan challenges Farag and wins the title of the Fetewa.
Azmy leaves El-Gamaleya but not before threatening to slit Hassan's throat if Layl weds him. Sayed's men steal the gold from Mabrouk. Azmy weds Gamila who promises to help him regain his title. Sayed tries to kidnap Layl and Ja'far but Hassan gets in the way. Hassan announces that he will wed Layl.
Hassan weds Layl with Azmy's blessing. Azmy plots to get rid of Hassan to regain his title as Fetewa. Hassan pardons Ja'far and asks him for a vow of loyalty. Sayed plots to get revenge on Hassan for wedding Layl. A young man arrives to tell Mos'ad that he is Sheikh Helal's real son, Mabrouk.
Zeinab and Noura treat Layl badly. Azmy and Sayed ally against Hassan. Hassan exposes the fake Mabrouk and kicks him out of El-Gamaleya. Sayed's son, Abdu, arrives to see Hassan.
Azmy plots with the other Fetewas to get rid of Hassan. Layl befriends Noura. Sayed holds Mabrouk hostage and prepares to kill him. With Gamila's help, Sayed drives a wedge between Hassan and Layl. Azmy sets a trap for Hassan, stabbing him in the back and taking back the title of Fetewa.
Azmy tells people that Hassan was a thief. Sayed asks Azmy for Layl's hand. The washed-out Fetewas discover that Hassan is still alive and try their best to save him. Abdu breaks Mabrouk out. Azmy is shocked when he discovers that Layl is pregnant. Hassan regains consciousness.
As Hassan wakes up, he asks Al-A'war to help him and bring him Fadl. Gamila wants to buy Hassan's shop but Azmy berates her for her idea. Mabrouk confronts Shokr about the gold. Hassan's mother passes away.
Layl gets forcibly aborted. Azmy poisons Farag. Hassan saves Abu Dayf from some criminals.
Hassan takes the gold from Sayed's men and uses it to hire men to fight for him. Layl agrees to wed Sayed if he kills Hasiba. Azmy learns that Hassan is still alive.
Noura learns that Hassan is alive. Layl smuggles in some women to kill Hasiba. Layl visits Hassan with Shokr. Azmy kidnaps Noura and tells Zeinab to inform Hassan he has her. Azmy tells Sayed to rally his men to fight Hassan off.
As Hassan returns to El-Gamaleya, he faces off against Azmy and takes the title of Al-Fetewa back. Sayed tries to seize Layl and the gold from the washed-out Fetewas but Al-A'war kills him. One year later, Hassan asks Mabrouk to distribute the gold among the poor. Layl gives birth to Hassan's son.