Sayeda Aisha Mosque
Mosque in Cairo, Egypt
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sayyida Aisha Mosque (Arabic: مسجد السيدة عائشة) is a mosque and mausoleum, located near Salah ad-din Square on a similarly named street in Islamic Cairo, Egypt. The mosque contains the tomb of Aisha bint Ja'far al-Sadiq, a female scholar who was one of the daughters of Ja'far al-Sadiq,[1] and the mosque was named in her honour.[2]
| Sayyida Aisha Mosque | |
|---|---|
مسجد السيدة عائشة | |
| |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Salah ad-din Square, Islamic Cairo |
| Country | Egypt |
 Interactive map of Sayyida Aisha Mosque | |
| Coordinates | 30°01′29″N 31°15′24″E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Style | Islamic |
| Completed |
|
| Specifications | |
| Dome | 1 |
| Minaret | 1 |
History
The mosque is named after Aisha, daughter of Jaafar al-Sadiq, son of Muhammad al-Baqir, son of Ali Zain al-Abidin, son of Hussein, son of Ali ibn Abi Talib. She was the sister of Musa al-Kazim. She died in 145 AH (762/763 CE). Her tombstone reads: "This is the tomb of the honorable Lady Aisha, one of the children of Jaafar al-Sadiq, son of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, son of Ali ibn Abi Talib."[3][full citation needed]
The original structure was a small shrine over the grave of Sayyidah Aisha, topped by a dome. When Saladin ruled Egypt, he ordered the construction of a madrasa next to the shrine.[2] When the new city walls of Cairo were built in the same era, the madrasa was separated from the tomb and a new gate was opened in the wall, called Bab Sayeda Aisha or Bab al-Qarafa.[3][full citation needed]
In 1762, a new mosque was attached to the shrine and madrasa by Abd al-Rahman Katkhuda, a Mamluk emir during the time of Ali Bey al-Kabir.[2]
In 1971, the old mosque, madrasa and shrine were demolished. A new mosque was erected in its place, which still stands today.[2] When the Sayeda Aisha Bridge was built,[when?] the Qarafa Gate was demolished and Fayda Kamel renovated the Sayeda Aisha Mosque to its current state.[3][full citation needed]
Architecture
The original building before the Ayyubid period had roughly square plan and had a dome resting on two layers of muqarnas.[2]
The 1971 restoration expanded the mosque into its present form. It has two doors; one for men, which leads to the prayer hall, and another side door for women, which leads directly to the tomb chamber.[1] The mosque has a large dome, which is supported by eight concrete pillars in a circular formation.[1] On the dome is in inscription which reads: "Aisha has a bright light and joy, and her dome in which supplications are answered."[2] The mosque has one minaret.
