Al-Maqam Mosque Explained

Al-Maqam Mosque
Native Name:Arabic: جامعة المقام
Native Name Lang:ara
Image Upright:1.4
Map Type:Iraq
Map Size:240
Map Relief:1
Coordinates:30.5217°N 47.8373°W
Religious Affiliation:Islam
Location:Basra, Iraq
Festivals:-->
Organisational Status:Mosque
Organizational Status:-->
Functional Status:Active
Architecture Type:Islamic architecture
Creator:Ottomans
Year Completed:1754 CE
Date Destroyed:-->
Capacity:500 worshipers
Dome Quantity:2
Minaret Quantity:2
Elevation Ft:-->

Al-Maqam Mosque (Arabic: جامعة المقام) is a historic mosque in the city of Basra, Iraq. It is located in the Al-'Ashara region.

Description

The word in Arabic: مقام|lit=Maqam means "shrine", and it is believed that the site was originally a place of shrine, but the views are divided on who was being commemorated. According to an account by Muhammad Sadiq al-Hakim in his documentation, the shrine dated back to the year 772, and it was established by the descendant of Islamic prophet Muhammad and the eighth Shia imam Ali al-Ridha when he visited Basra from Medina.

The construction of the mosque itself dates back to 1754 by the Ottomans. It was among the largest mosques during the time, with the area size of and the haram having capacity of 500 worshipers. The building is made of brick and constructed in the older Islamic architectural style. One of the domes is painted in blue, and the verses from the Dhikir al-Hakim inscribed on it.[1] [2] The minaret height reaches . The mosque was renovated in 1922 by the Ministry of Awqaf, during which the inner wall was fixed and the outer wall was added on the outside of the courtyard. Subsequently, the mosque has been directly connected to the Shatt al-Arab. There are two libraries adjacent to the mosque, one on the first floor which stores Quran and books for dawah, and another on the second floor which was newly founded and named as the Library of Imam Ali bin Musa al-Ridha.

See also

Notes and References

  1. دليل الجوامع والمساجد التراثية والأثرية - ديوان الوقف السني في العراق - p.151.
  2. http://mk.iq/view.php?id=398&ids=9 جامع المقام الامير عليه سلام