INTRODUCTION

 

This mosque is the first mosque in Egypt, and it was built by Amr Ibn al-‘Ass at al-Fustat in (21 H./641-642 A.D.) after the conquest of Egypt. Amr Ibn al-‘Ass was one of the companions of the prophet Mohammed, and he was the leader of the Arabic and Muslim armies during the Arabic conquest to Egypt.

 

THE DESCRIPTION

 

Firstly, it was small and primitive, and measured only 50 by 30 cubits (say 29 by 17 M.).It had two doors on every side except on the Qibla side. The floor wasn’t paved, but simply strewn with pebbles and the roof was supported by palm-trunks which were used as columns.

 

Then there are many editions were added to the mosque during the following Islamic periods, and the most famous of it are:

 

• The edition of Maslama Ibn Mukhalad al-Anssari -the 9^th. governor of Egypt- in (53 H./673 A.D.) during the reign of the Calief Mo’awiya at the Umayyad Period.

 

• The edition of Abd Al-Aziz Ibn Marawan in (79 H./699 A.D.) at the Umayyad Period. 

 

• The edition of Qura Ibn Shurik in (92 H./712 A.D.) at the Umayyad Period.

 

• The edition of Salih Ibn Ali in (133 H./750 A.D.) at the Abbasid Period.

 

• The edition of Mousa Ibn Eissa in (175 H./791 A.D.) at the Abbasid Period.

 

• The edition of Abdallah Ibn Taher -the governor of Egypt during the reign the Caleif Al-Ma’mun– in (212 H./827 A.D.) at the Abbasid Period

 

• The restorations of Murad Bik in (1212 H./1798 A.D.) during the Ottoman period. He made a new Mihrab (prayer niche) with a new wooden pulpit beside it. He also added two minarets and the caller podium (Dikkat Al-Muballigh) to the mosque.

 

Finally the mosque was restored by the institution of the Egyptian antiquities, who played a very important role to preserve it and keep it as one of the most famous mosques in Egypt.

 

THE CURRENT DESCRIPTION OF THE MOSQUE

 

THE ENTRANCE

 

Un the middle of the main façade, is a monumental entrance tooped by a threefold arch supported by 3 rows of stalactites, and resting on 4 marble columns.

 

THE OPEN COURT

 

This entrance leads to the open court. In the middle of it, is a small dome resting on 8 columns crowned by Corinthian capitals.

This open court is surrounded by 4 porticoes:

• The main portico (South-East) consists of 7 arcades
• The two sides porticoes( North-East & South-West) consist of 5 arcades
• The faced portico (North-West) consists of 7 arcades

 

THE MIHRABS AND THE MINBARS

 

There are two prayer niches (Mihrabs) at the Qibla wall. Beside each one of them, are two wooden pulpits (Minbars).

THE DOME

 

At the north-east corner of the Qibla portico, is the mausoleum of Abd Allah Ibn Amr Ibn al-Ass. This mausoleum is covered by a dome supported by 4 transition zones of squinches carrying the drum of the dome that has 8 windows.

 

THE MINARETS

 

The mosque has two minarets at the south-east and south-west corners. Each one ended with a conical top.