Al-Hussein Mosque: The most prominent Islamic Mosque in Egypt

Al-Hussein Mosque is considered one of the most important religious tourist attractions, as tourists from all over the world flock to it. During the month of Ramadan, it is decorated with lights and various types of decorations, and it is surrounded by dhikr rings of supplications and tawasheeh, which add unique spiritual notes in the heart of Cairo.

Al-Hussein Mosque, is an old mosque in Cairo, Egypt, near the Khan Al-Khalili area in the Al-Hussein district. Al-Hussein Mosque is considered one of the most important Islamic holy places in Cairo. It was built during the era of the Fatimid Caliphate in 1154. The mosque contains many important collectibles, such as the oldest copy of the Holy Quran.

Al-Hussein Mosque History

The mosque was built during the era of the Fatimids in the year 549 AH, corresponding to the year 1154 AD, under the supervision of the Minister Al-Saleh Tala’i.

The mosque includes 3 doors built of white marble overlooking Khan Al-Khalili, and another door next to the dome and is known as the Green Door.

The mosque was given this name due to people’s belief that the head of Imam Hussein was buried in it, as many stories tell that with the beginning of the Crusades, the ruler of Egypt, the Fatimid Caliph, feared for the honorable head of the harm that might befall it in its first place in the city of Ashkelon in Palestine.

So he sent a request for the head to come to Egypt, and the honorable head was carried to Egypt and buried in its current location, and the mosque was built on it.

In the year 1171 AD, Saladin Al-Ayyubi established a school next to the shrine known as Al-Mashhad. This school was later demolished, and the current mosque was built in its place.

In the late Ayyubid era, in the year 1235 AD, Sheikh Abu al-Qasim bin Yahya bin Nasser al-Sukari, known as the Starling, began building a minaret above Bab al-Mashhad, now known as the Green Gate.

Abu Al-Qasim bin Yahya died before the minaret was built, so his son completed it in the year 1236 AD. It is a minaret full of decorations.

What remains of this minaret is its square base, and on it are two marble memorial plaques that include the date of the minaret’s construction and the name of the builder.

In the year 1862, Khedive Ismail ordered the renovation and expansion of the landscape and the construction of the current mosque. The mosque was built in 1873, and its current minaret was built in the style of Ottoman minarets in 1878 AD.

Al-Hussein Mosque building Design

The building includes five rows of arches mounted on marble columns, and its mihrab was built from small pieces of colored faience instead of marble. It was made in 1303 AH.

Next to it is a wooden pulpit, adjacent to which are two doors leading to the dome and a third leading to the waste room, which was built in 1311 AH.

The mosque is built of red stone in the Gothic style, while its minaret, which is located in the western corner, was built in the style of Ottoman minarets and is cylindrical in shape.

It has two courses and ends with a cone. The mosque has three doors on the western side, a door on the tribal side, and a door on the sea side that leads to a courtyard containing the place for ablution.

Inside Al-Hussein Mosque is the largest chandelier in the Arab world, which weighs up to five tons and is made of crystal decorated with pure gold and its legs are made of pure silver.

The Shrine of Al-Hussein Mosque

Al-Hussein is Al-Hussein bin Ali bin Abi Talib, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. He was born in the fourth year of the Hijra in Medina and grew up in the house of the Prophet.

After the people of Kufa convinced him that they had pledged allegiance to him for the caliphate instead of Yazid bin Muawiyah, he marched to Kufa and at Karbala, the soldiers of Abdullah bin Ziyad attacked him, killed him and his family, and beheaded him on the day of Ashura in the year 61 AH.

Opinions differed about its location, and it was said that the head of Hussein was buried in the Shrine of Hussein in Cairo after it was brought from Ashkelon in the year 1154 AD.

Al-Hussein Mosque Timings

Visiting times for the Shrine of Hussein begin at 9 a.m., provided that women are allowed to visit the shrine first, starting from the time the visit is permitted, 9 a.m., until 11 a.m.

Men are allowed to visit the shrine of Hussein, starting from the noon prayer until the evening prayer, provided that only women are allowed to visit during the period between the evening and evening prayers.

Then, men are allowed to visit the shrine and the shrine of Hussein again after the evening prayer for one hour.

The most important tourist activities in Al-Hussein Mosque

The Hussein neighborhood and mosque are among the areas that attract many tourists, due to the fact that they are considered one of the archaeological areas.

You can see how the mosque was built with red stone in the Gothic style. As for its minaret, which is located in the western corner, it was built in the style of Ottoman minarets. It is cylindrical in shape, has two courses, and ends with a cone.

You can also see the three doors of the mosque, a door from the western side, a door from the tribal side, and a door from the sea side that leads to a courtyard containing the place for ablution.

It also includes many tourist places that are considered an ancient archaeological symbol of Egypt, and Al-Hussein Streets are among the streets that are distinguished with its wonderful and authentic atmosphere, which combines ancient times and modern times

When tourists wander around, they find sellers selling antiques that indicate the archaeological heritage and Islamic heritage of Egypt, as they indicate the authenticity of art in ancient times.

Among the most wonderful of these things are the statues that were specially designed in the shapes of ancient kings, the Sphinx, and pyramids. We also find shops that sell his beloved stones everyone, especially foreign tourists, loves it.

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