Building Name: | Sayyida Aisha Mosque مسجد السيدة عائشة |
Location: | Cairo, Egypt |
Religious Affiliation: | Islam |
Region: | Africa |
Functional Status: | Active |
Architecture Type: | Mosque |
Architecture Style: | Islamic |
Year Completed: | 14th-century (foundation) 1971 (renovation) |
Sayyida Aisha Mosque (مسجد السيدة عائشة) is a mosque in Cairo, Egypt. It 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] The mosque is named after her, and it is located outside Citadel Square on a similarly named street.[2]
The original structure was a small shrine over the grave of Sayyidah Aisha, and it was topped by a dome. When Salahuddin al-Ayyubi ruled Egypt, he ordered the construction of a madrasah next to the shrine.[2] Then in 1762, a new mosque was attached to the shrine and madrasah by Abd al-Rahman Katkhoda, a Mamluk emir during the time of Ali Bey al-Kabir.[2]
In 1971, the old mosque, madrasah and shrine were demolished. A new mosque, the one which still stands to present day, was erected instead.[2]
The original building before the Ayyubid period had a dome resting on two layers of muqarnas, and was rather square in shape.[2]
After the 1971 restoration, the mosque is now expanded. 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] It is written on the dome: "Aisha has a bright light and joy, and her dome in which supplications are answered."[2] Only one minaret is present.