Al Hussein Mosque

Al Hussein Mosque is situated in what is known as Old Cairo or Islamic Cairo, a neighborhood of Cairo that is not far from the city center Al Hussein Mosque is situated in what is known as Old Cairo or Islamic Cairo, a neighborhood of Cairo that is not far from the city center. Numerous old mosques and the well-known Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, where merchants have been selling their goods since the 14th century, are among the region's most visited attractions. A visit to this mosque is included in some of our Cairo tour packages, but not all of them. However, we are able to incorporate it into whatever itinerary you desire.

Perhaps the most well-known feature of Al Hussein Mosque is situated in what is known as Old Cairo or Islamic Cairo, a neighborhood of Cairo that is not far from the city center Al Hussein Mosque is that it contains the oldest complete manuscript of the Quran in the world. It is also thought to contain the head of Hussein, the prophet Muhammad's grandson, who was assassinated by the Umayyads in Iraq in 680. Today, Al Hussein Mosque is situated in what is known as Old Cairo or Islamic Cairo, a neighborhood of Cairo that is not far from the city center Al Hussein Mosque is regarded as one of the most sacred Islamic sites in Egypt.

The mosque's history:

Under the direction of Minister Al-Saleh Talaa, the mosque was constructed in the year 549 AH, or 1154 AD, during the Fatimid dynasty. Three white marble doors that overlook Khan Al-Khalili and the Green Gate, which is located close to the dome, are features of the mosque. Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi founded a school near the shrine known as al-Mashhad in the year 1171 A.D.; it was eventually destroyed, and the present mosque was constructed in its stead.  Sheikh Abul-Qasim bin Yahya bin Nasser Al-Sukkari, also known as Al-Zarzour, started constructing a minaret over the Gate of Al-Mashhad, now called the Green Gate, in 1235 A.D., during the conclusion of the Ayyubid Empire. The minaret was finished by his son in 1236 A.D. because Abul-Qasim bin Yahya passed away before it was constructed. And all that is left of this minaret is its square base, which has two marble memorial slabs on it that bear the builder's name and the date the minaret was built. The current mosque was constructed in 1873 after Khedive Ismail ordered its renovation and extension in 1862. In 1878 AD, the mosque's current minaret was constructed in the Ottoman architectural style . Ali Mubarak described the Al-Hussein Mosque in detail, stating that Khedive Ismail had ordered its refurbishment and construction, as well as the enlargement of its roadways and space.  In 1893, Khedive Abbas Helmy II ordered the construction of a room on the southern side of the Dome of the Mashhad to house the honorable prophetic relics. These relics include two robes, a piece of the Prophet Muhammad's stick, two hairs from his honorable beard, a piece of his shirt, a kohl, and two holy Qur'ans, one of which was attributed to the third caliph, Othman bin Affan, and the other to the fourth Rashidun caliph, Ali bin Abi Talib. It was noted that the first thing that was known about the prophetic antiquities in Egypt was that they belonged to Bani Ibrahim in the city of Yanbu in the Hijaz. Later, the companion minister Taj al-Din Muhammad bin Hanna Khadr al-Din purchased, moved, and constructed it.  It features a mosque from the early 14th century AD called "Ribat al-Athar" in the Athar al-Nabi area of modern-day Old Cairo.

Naming the mosque after Al-Hussein:

According to certain Egyptian historians, the mosque was given this name because the head of Al-Hussein bin Ali was interred there. These historians also claim that the Crusades had just begun.The Fatimid caliph, who ruled Egypt, was afraid of the honorable head of the damage that could occur in Ashkelon, Palestine, in the first place. He therefore requests that the head be sent to Egypt, where it will be buried in its present place and a mosque will be constructed over it.

Naming the mosque after Al-Hussein: According to certain Egyptian historians, the mosque was given this name because the head of Al-Hussein bin Ali was interred there. These historians also claim that the Crusades had just begun.The Fatimid caliph, who ruled Egypt, was afraid of the honorable head of the damage that could occur in Ashkelon, Palestine, in the first place. He therefore requests that the head be sent to Egypt, where it will be buried in its present place and a mosque will be constructed over it.