Abdulhadi as-Soudi Mosque
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| Abdulhadi as-Soudi Mosque | |
|---|---|
Arabic: مسجد عبد الهادي السودي | |
 The ruined mosque in 2017, with a wall of the central chamber still standing | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Region | South Arabia |
| Location | |
| Location | Taiz, Yemen |
| Country | Yemen |
  Location in Yemen | |
| Coordinates | 13°34′11″N 44°00′29″E / 13.5696218°N 44.0079645°E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Islamic architecture |
| Established | 16th century |
The Abdulhadi as-Soudi Mosque (Arabic: مسجد عبد الهادي السودي) is a now-destroyed historic mosque located in the city of Taiz in southwestern Yemen. It is named for Abdul Hadi as-Soudi, a Muslim scholar and poet who is buried there along with some of his family. The mosque was destroyed in 2016 by Islamist militants who were reportedly from al-Qaeda.
The mosque was first constructed during the later years of the rule of the Tahirid Sultanate, and then renovated during the rule of the Ottoman Empire over Yemen.[1][2] It not only functioned as a place for prayer, but also as a place for Sufi gatherings.[1] The renowned poet and Muslim scholar Abdul Hadi as-Soudi was buried in a room within the mosque known as the Qubbat Abdulhadi as-Soudi.[3]
Architecture
The mosque building was only a single story, with a courtyard and a place for the Sufis to conduct their meetings. A large white dome topped the structure; this dome was regarded as one of the largest mosque domes in Yemen before the destruction in 2016.[1][4][5] A dome topped the room known as the Qubbat Abdulhadi as-Soudi which contained the mausoleum where the remains of the mosque's namesake and some other Sufi saints were entombed.[2][3] A cemetery also exists behind the mosque, and it is still active since 2016.[3]
