Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque in Cairo, Egypt | The facts of the ancient mosque and the history of establishing the crown of mosques, the oldest and first Islamic mosques in Egypt and Africa, the most important monuments in the Islamic world, and more.
The Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque is one of the mosques located in the city of Fustat, which was founded by Muslims.
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Amr ibn al-Aass Mosque
Cairo is the story of the history of the construction of the Amr ibn al-Ass Mosque in Fostat, Egypt.
Useful information about the most important archaeological mosques in Cairo and the interior architectural design of the mosque, what are the dates of the visit, the prices of entrance tickets and more.
Commander Amr ibn al-Aass built a large house for himself in the city of Fostat, which was considered the capital of Egypt at the time of the 21st Hijri, the commander received a royal order from khalif to build a large mosque inside the city where it was 50 arms long equivalent to 25 meters and the width of the mosque 30 arms.
The Amr ibn al-Aass Mosque in Fostat is the oldest mosque in Africa, where the mosque then overlooked the eastern bank of the Nile and over time, the course of the Nile gradually changed to the west, even 500 meters after the original status of the mosque.
The governor of Egypt Mohammed Ali Pasha completely demolished the mosque and rebuilt it completely differently with architectural designs and ancient decorations from 1211 Hijri. There is only the courtyard of the mosque and the tomb behind it, and in the middle of the Sahn you will find a small dome, where the dome dates to 1212 Hijri.
The Amr ibn al-Aass Mosque in Fostat in Cairo, the plan, expansions and history of construction in Cairo the most important tourist places of Islamic heritage in Egypt and how many worshippers reach thousands and more when the Muslim leader, Amr ibn Al-Aass arrived in Cairo in 640 AD, the first thing he did was to build the mosque, on the ruins of Fort of Babylon on the east bank of the Nile, in the neighborhood of Old Cairo and although the ancient capital of Egypt was Alexandria, but the Khalif Omar ibn El- Khattab ordered his general Amr ibn al-Aass, to establish a new capital near Medina, and Amr ibn al-Aass chose the site of the city of Fostat, and built his first mosque in Africa in 642 AD.
About the history of the construction of the Mosque Amr ibn Al-Aass was originally built using palm trunks and bricks, and palm leaves were used to make the ceiling, and the first version of the mosque was about 29 meters long and 17 meters wide. The mosque has been rebuilt several times since the 7th century, and the first arcades of the columns were erected in 827 AD, where it acquired its permanent form, which is still to this day, and was last renovated in 1875 AD. Although the structure of the original mosque has been replaced.
The historical importance of the mosque as the site of Egypt’s first Islamic city and Africa’s first mosque continues to attract tourists.
Many names have been given to the mosque, including the “Crown of Mosques” and the ancient mosque. In fact, the actual features of the mosque differ from its ancient aspects.
One of the most important updates obtained by the mosque of Amr ibn al-Aass in Fostat, what governor Abdullah ibn Tahir did during the reign of Khalif al-Maamoun in the 9th century, where the mosque reached an area of 120 meters long and 112 meters wide. The mosque was destroyed as a result of the fire of Fostat in 1175 AD. When the city of Fostat was burned by Shawar, the Fatimid minister of Khalif, to prevent the Crusaders from invading Fostat, the fire lasted 54 days, so Salah al-Din rebuilt and renovated it in 1179, and in 1906 during the reign of Khedive Abbas Helmi II, where the mosque was completely restored.
What can you see at the Amr ibn al-Aass Mosque in Fostat?
In the south corner of the mosque you will see the mihrab of the corridor, where there is a mausoleum under the dome, perhaps for Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-Aass.
One of the most important facts about this mosque was not only a place of prayer, but also a kind of school and university 600 years before the foundation of the al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, as it sometimes served as a court.
There are many monuments that highlight the great historical value of Amr Ibn al-Aass Mosque.
The dates of visit of the mosque of Amr ibn Al-Aass in Cairo: the mosque is open to tourist visits at any time, except for prayer hours, as it is always open to worshippers at five hours of prayer for the price of the entrance ticket to the mosque
Admission to the mosque is completely free the location of the Mosque of Amr ibn Al Aass in Fostat in Old Cairo near the Mar Gerges metro station in Cairo and can go to the mosque via this Google map.
Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque
• Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque was called in the past the Al-Fath Mosque or the Old Mosque.
• Another name for this mosque is the crown of mosques, and among those names is what shows us how important that mosque is.
• The mosque is located in the east of the Nile, and it is said that the area of the mosque in the past was 50 cubits by 30 cubits, but that area increased with the expansion operations.
• Maslama bin Makhlad Al-Ansari, the governor of Egypt, one of the saints who expanded the mosque, in addition to Muawiyah bin Abi Sufyan.
• Expansion operations continued after that at the hands of the wise men of Egypt, and now it has an area of 120 by 110 meters.
• Minister Shawar during the Crusade burned Fustat, fearing that it would fall under the occupation, and at that time the Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque would be demolished.
• During the reign of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi, he ordered the rebuilding of the mosque, which was equipped with a large mihrab.
• The mihrab was covered with marble in addition to inscriptions bearing the name of Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi.
Description of the mosque of Amr ibn al-Aas
• The mosque is considered the first Islamic university, to the extent that it preceded Al-Azhar, Kairouan, as well as Al-Zaytouna.
• Students receive in the mosque the teachings of the Arabic language and the Islamic religion.
• Ibn Fadlallah Al-Omari described the mosque in his encyclopedia dating back to the eighth century AH.
• It is said about the mosque that it is a mosque with a mihrab and minbar and it is furnished with white marble.
• The pillars of the mosque are all made of marble, and eight companions prayed in it, including Miqdad ibn al-Aswad and Ubadah ibn al-Samit, as well as Abu al-Darda.
• In the past, the mosque had an unroofed courtyard and columns made of palm trunks, while the ceiling was made of leaves.
• The mosque’s floor was previously covered with gravel.
• In the northeastern corner of the mosque there is a shrine qibla dating back to the era of Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-Aas.
• The mosque’s windows are decorated with ornaments.
About the founder of the Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque
• Amr ibn al-Aas is a companion and a Muslim military leader.
• He is considered one of the four most important leaders who led the Islamic conquest of Syria and Egypt.
• Amr ibn al-Aas was the first governor of Egypt after the conquest.
• Amr bin Al-Aas converted to Islam at the hands of Asmah Al-Najashi in the eighth year of the Hijrah in the year 629 AD.
• Amr ibn al-Aas then went to Medina and met Khalid ibn al-Walid and Othman ibn Talha, and they all entered Medina.
• Amr ibn al-Aas participated in many wars, including the apostasy wars and the conquest of the Levant, in addition to his fight in Palestine.
• Amr also participated in the battle of Ajnadin in front of Heraclius.
Dates of visiting
The mosque is open daily for the five daily prayers.
