Jamea Ahmad Ibn Tulun – Cairo’s Oldest Mosque
Jamea Ahmad Ibn Tulun – A Timeless Symbol of Islamic and Fatemi Heritage
Introduction
Misr ni sabsi oldest ane majestic Masajid ma si ek Jamea Ahmad Ibn Tulun che. Aa masjid Islamic Architecture ni ek nayab nishani chee. Em zikr aave che ke aa Masjid ni Tameer 1100 waras pehla karva ma aavi hati ane aa masjid Misr ni oldest ane Biggest Masjid ma si ek che. Aa masjid nu aapni community (Dawoodi Bohra) sathe ek nayab connection che km ke aa masjid Fatemi Imams na golden era ni nishani che.
Historical Background
Jamea Ahmad Ibn Tulun nu tameer 876-879CE (265-269H) ma Ahmad Ibn Tulun je Misr ma Abbasi Khalifat na Waali (Governor) tha. Aeye aa masjid ni tameer ehna New Capital Al-Qata'i je ne Old City of Futsat si bhi olkhai che waha kidi hati.
Aa Masjid ghana halat si guzri che Aag,Hamla ane ghana saidyo laag aa Masjid veeran hati. Aa masjid woh masjid ma si che je aaje bhi ehna Original Form ma che. Aa Masjid na Open Sehen, Arches ane Spiral Minarets ye ghana loko ne inspired kida je loko ye Cairo's great Fatemi masjids ma kaam kidu.
Em zikr aave che Fatemi Imam As ni jivare Misr par Khilafat qaim thai te vaqt aa masjid ma namaz thati hati. 15th Imam Al Aziz ye aa masjid na Fountain je Jaali gaya hata ehne vapas banavanu huqum farmayu hatu.
Fatemi Imam as na vazir Maulana Badrul Jamali ye bhi aa masjid nu renovation nu kaam kidu hatu.
Architectural Brilliance
Jamea Ibn Tulun ek architectural Marvel che. Ehni spiritual tranquility ane Defensive strength ne loko aaje bhi admire kare che.
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Vast Courtyard: Aa masjid nu sehen square shape ma open che ane ehne aas faas roofed arcades che je Ligh and reflection ne pass kare che.
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Arches and Brickwork: Aa masjid ni puri tameer Red Brick ane Plaster si thyu che. Aa masjid ma Pointed arches ane Carved Band che je pehla na zamana Artistic Geometry na examples che jema si Fatemi Designs bani che.
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Mihrab and Minbar: Aa Masjid na Mihrab ekdum beautifully decorated che. Ehma simple Stucco carvings karva ma aavi che. Masjid na Minbar wooden che je Misr na Oldest Minbar ma si ek che.
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Minaret Design: Aa Masjid na Minara Spiral Shape ma che je ni Inspiration Great Mosque of Samarra, Iraq si leva ma aavi che. Aa type na Minara pura Misr ma faqat aa Jamea maj che. Je aa Masjid ne haji unique banave che.
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Kufic Calligraphy: Aa masjid ni walls par Kufic Khatt ma Quran ni ayato likhva ma aavi che jena si inspiration lai ne Biji Fatemi Jamea ma likhai che.
Restoration and Preservation
Aa masjid ma saalo ma ghani vaqt Repair and Restoration kaam thayu che. 20th Century ma, Misr ni Antiquities Authority ye aa masjid nu major restoration kaam shuru kidu.
Duniya bhar si ghana Ulama aa kaam ma shamil thaya. Aapni Community na Architects ad Historians bhi, Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin R.a ni raza si shamil thaya ane khidmat kidi.
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Why Jamea Ibn Tulun Is Important for Dawoodi Bohra Shia
1. A Symbol of Fatemi Heritage
Although built before the Fatemi rule in Egypt, the mosque’s design heavily influenced the later Fatemi mosques. For the Dawoodi Bohra community, it represents the architectural foundation of the Fatemi daʿwat.
2. Connection with Cairo The Heart of Dawat
Standing in Fustat, near old Cairo, the mosque marks the beginning of Islamic civilization in the region that would later become the spiritual home of the Fatemi Imams. Bohras regard Cairo as a city of ilm and hikmat, where their Imams once reigned.
3. Respected in the Dawoodi Bohra Restoration Movement
Under Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin RA and Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin TUS, Dawoodi Bohra efforts to revive Fatemi heritage brought new attention to historic sites like Ibn Tulun. While not restored directly by the Bohras, it stands within their sphere of cultural reverence.
4. A Model for Modern Bohra Architecture
Many new Bohra masajid and Jamea-tus-Saifiyah campuses borrow architectural elements such as courtyards, Kufic inscriptions, and natural lighting from early mosques like Ibn Tulun, reflecting continuity in design and devotion.
5. A Reminder of Unity and Knowledge
For a Mumin, the mosque embodies tawazuʿ (humility) and ilm (knowledge) timeless virtues in Dawoodi Bohra life. It represents how Islam’s message of gratitude, reflection, and discipline has been preserved through centuries.
Timeline of Jamea Ahmad Ibn Tulun
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876 CE / 265 AH – Construction of Jamea Ibn Tulun begins under Ahmad Ibn Tulun.
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879 CE / 269 AH – Mosque completed; serves as central masjid of Al-Qata’i.
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10th Century CE – Survives the Fatimid conquest of Egypt; admired by Fatemi architects.
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13th–19th Century CE – Periodic renovations during Mamluk and Ottoman eras.
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1890–1918 CE – Early preservation by the Comité de Conservation des Monuments de l’Art Arabe.
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20th Century CE – Major restorations carried out by the Egyptian government.
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1990s–Present – Included in Bohra architectural heritage studies alongside other Fatemi mosques in Cairo.
Interesting Facts About Jamea Ibn Tulun
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It is Cairo’s oldest surviving mosque in its original form.
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The spiral minaret is the only one of its kind in Egypt.
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The mosque covers over 2.5 hectares, making it one of the largest in Africa.
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It once served as a refuge during plagues and famines, reflecting its role as a place of mercy.
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Fatemi Imams and their followers later built Jamea al-Anwar and Juyushi, carrying forward its design legacy.
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Today, Dawoodi Bohras visit it during Cairo heritage tours, seeing it as a precursor to Fatemi architectural glory.
