From Senegal to Ghana, to Egypt to Somalia, Africa is known for its fantastic mosques – each an architectural masterpiece in their own right.
Here are 20 of the most unique & ancient mosques in Africa, each a reflection of the local building styles #JummahMubarak
A thread…
1/ The Mosque of the Companions, Massawa, Eritrea. early 7th century CE
Did you know? This was the first mosque built in the continent of Africa. It is believed to be the first mosque on the African continent.
2/ Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali, built 13th c. current structure 1907
World’s largest mud-brick building & finest example of Sudano-Sahelian architecture; characterised by its adobe plastering & wooden scaffolding. The walls are reconstructed with mud each April in a 1 day event
3/ Minaret of Hamoudi mosque (1906), City of Djibouti, Djibouti
Every city has at least one iconic building, and this is the closest thing to it in Djibouti city what with the mosque's size and prominent location above the main square
4/ Chinguetti Mosque, Adrar, Mauritania, 13th-14th century
The minaret of this ancient structure is supposed to be the second oldest in continuous use anywhere in the Muslim world.
The mosque is popularly considered the national emblem of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania
5/ Larabanga Mosque, Ghana, early 1400s
Founded by one of the Prophet’s (PBUH) Companions, Ibrahim Ayuba al-Ansari, who was sent there from al-Madinah. Built in the Sudanese architectural style, it is the oldest in the country & one of the oldest in West Africa
6/ Djinguereber Mosque, Timbuktu, Mali, 1327
A famous learning center of Mali, cited as Djingareyber or Djingarey Ber in various languages. Its design is accredited to Abu Ishaq Al Saheli who was paid 200 kg (40,000 mithqals) of gold by Musa I of Mali, emperor of the Mali Empire
It was made of clay and is the tallest mud-brick structure in the world. The city was built in 1515 at the time when the city was captured by the Songhai Empire. It was restored and some of it was rebuilt in 1844
8/ The Great Mosque of Kano, Nigeria, 15th century
The great mosque was built for Muhammad Rumfa. It was made of mud, and was of the soro, or tower, variety.[1] It was moved to a new site by Muhammad Zaki in 1582, and rebuilt in the mid 19th century by Abdullahi dan Dabo.
9/ The Great Mosque of Touba, Senegal, 1887
Founded by Amadou Bamba in 1887 and completed in 1963. Bamba died in 1927 and is interred inside the mosque. It is the largest building in the city and one of the largest mosques in Africa, with a capacity of 7,000
10/ The Fakr Ad-Din Mosque, Somalia, 13th century
Also known as Masjid Fakhr Ad-Din, the 2nd oldest mosque in Somalia after Masjid al-Qiblatayn (Somaliland). It is located in Hamar Weyne mogadishu, the oldest part of the city. It is believed to be the 7th oldest mosque in Africa
11/ Masjid al-Qiblatayn, Zeila, Somaliland, 7th century
Built after the hijrah, the migration of the early followers of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to Abyssinia. Now mostly in ruins, it is one of the oldest mosques in Africa & contains the tomb of Sheikh Babu Dena
12/ Khatmiyah Mosque, Kassala, Sudan, 18th century
At the base of the Taka Mountains is this spectacular mosque, centre of the Khatmiyah Sufi sect. It's a lovely mudbrick building with a pointed octagonal minaret and a photogenic arcade of columns in the main prayer hall
13/ Great Mosque of Kilwa, Lindi Region of Tanzania, 10th century
The Great Mosque of Kilwa is a great example of Swahili architecture. It is one of the earliest surviving mosques on the Swahili coast and is one of the first mosques built without a courtyard
14/ Great Mosque of Béja, Tunisia, 944
Built by the Fatimidis on an old Christian basilica, near it there is another mosque, The Bey’s Mosque, which was built in 1675 by Murad II Bey for Hanafi Muslims of the city & in 1685 Mohamed Bey El Mouradi added a Madrasa to the mosque
15/ Mosque of the Seven Sleepers, Chenini, Tataouine, Tunisia
Where the sleepers are allegedly buried: in the surroundings of the masjid some uncommonly large tombs (about 4 meters long) are visible.
16/ Bou Inania Madrasa, Fes, Morocco, 1350–55 CE
Built in 1350–55 CE by Abu Inan Faris. It is the only madrasa in Morocco which also functioned as a congregational mosque. Widely acknowledged as a high point of Marinid architecture & of historic Moroccan architecture generally
17/ Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo, Egypt, 970
One of the oldest and most important mosques in Egypt. It is considered a source for enlightenment. The cornerstone of Al-Azhar Mosque was laid on Ramadan 14, 359 AH - 970
18/ The Great Mosque of Fes el-Jdid, Fes, Morocco, 1276
It is the historic main Friday mosque of Fes el-Jdid. It is believed to have been founded by the Marinid sultan Abu Yusuf, around the same time that the city itself was founded, making it the oldest mosque in Fes el-Jdid
19/ The Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo, Egypt, 879
One of the oldest mosques in Egypt as well as the whole of Africa surviving in its full original form & is the largest mosque in Cairo. It features ancient architecture styles of Egypt, being created from carved stucco and wood
Al Nejashi Mosque, Negash, Ethiopia, 7th century
Negash is synonymous with Islam as it is the place where the first Muslim settlement took place in the world. It houses the tombs of the companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) & is dubbed by Ethiopian Muslims as “the second Mecca”
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Shah-i-Zinda is one Samarkand’s most beloved sites, which contains some of the richest tile work in the world. The magnificent architecture draws inspiration from multiple periods & styles, taking you back through time & across cultures
A thread on the beauty of Shah-i-Zinda…
1/ The Shah-i-Zinda ensemble includes mausoleums, mosques & other ritual buildings of 11-15th & 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda (meaning The living king) is connected with the legend that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is buried here
📷 Ash Diler
2/ Shah-i-Zinda is a world-famous example of a continuously constructed historical site. Over 1,000 years ago, it was founded with a single religious monument. Between the 11th & 19th centuries, mosques & mausoleums were continuously added
From Spain to Azerbaijan, to Germany to Bosnia, Europe has some of the finest mosques.
The presence of Islam in Europe is not a new phenomenon, with Muslims residing in the continent as early as the 8th century.
Here are 24 mosques across Europe #JummahMubarak
A thread…
1/ Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque, Mostar, Bosnia
Dates back to 1617 & features numerous multicolored windows, a minaret with a lookout spot & a courtyard with several tombs. Although the original Ottoman mosque was heavily damaged during the attacks of the 1990s it has been restored
2/ The Shah Jahan Mosque, Woking, England
This is the first purpose built mosque that was built in the UK.
It was built in 1889 by Dr Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner, an orientalist of Jewish descent from Hungary. Money was donated by Begum Shah Jahan, the Nawab Begum of Bhopal.
Welcome to Al-Mutanabbi Street the ‘Book Market of Baghdad’, where books remain in the street at night because Iraqis say:
“The reader does not steal and the thief does not read.”
A thread on the rich heritage of the historic book market on Al-Mutanabbi Street…
1/ Al-Mutanabbi Street is the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, that dates back to the time of the Abbasids. Located near the old quarter of Baghdad, Al-Mutanabbi Street was Baghdad’s first book traders’ market.
2/ Al-Mutanabbi Street has been, since time immemorial, the historic heart and soul of the Baghdad literary and intellectual community.
Libraries developed in the Islamic Golden Age due to a commitment to literacy & seeking knowledge. One of the oldest libraries in the world Al-Qarawiyyin library, was founded by a Muslim woman, more than 12 centuries ago!
A thread on the greatest libraries in Islamic history…
1/ Al-Qarawiyyan Library, Fez, Morocco
Founded by a Muslim woman, Fatima El-Fihriya in 859, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world & the oldest library in Africa. It also holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest working library, & is still in use today…
1.1/ The Al-Qarawiyyan Library houses a collection of 4,000 rare books & ancient Arabic manuscripts written by renowned scholars of the region. The manuscripts include a 9th century version of the Quran and a manuscript on Islamic jurisprudence written by philosopher Averroes.
Designed to imitate the heavens, Islamic gardens are lush oases of scent, water and sacred geometry. They are a cool place of rest and a reminder of paradise.
Here are 20 beautiful Islamic gardens from across the world…
A thread….
1/ Gardens @CambCentMosque
A harmonious balance between Islamic structure & relaxed English herbaceous and naturalistic planting. A concern for sustainability, biodiversity & insect-friendly planting has also been a constant theme in the selection of plants.
@CambCentMosque 2/ Jardin Majorelle, Morocco
The garden, started in 1924, contains a psychedelic desert mirage of 300 plant species from five continents.
The colour blue (al-azraq) in Islamic tradition often signifies the impenetrable depths of the universe, and turquoise blue is thought to have mystical qualities.
Here are 24 beautiful Islamic buildings & mosques, designed using the colour blue…
A thread…
1/ Jalil Khayat Mosque, Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq
The largest mosque in the city, it was begun by Jalil Khayat who died in 2005 & completed in 2007 by his sons in memory of their father. The blue style resembles the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo & Blue mosque in Istanbul
2/ Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Sohar, Oman
Inaugurated in 2018 & influenced by Persian & central Asian blue Islamic architectural styles with touches of traditional Omani architectural elements that make it unique