Al-Khulafa Mosque

Al-Khulafa Mosque
جامع الخلفاء
Basic information
Location Baghdad, Iraq
Affiliation Sunni Islam
Architectural description
Architectural type Mosque
Founder Al-Muktafi
Groundbreaking 902
Completed 908

Al-Khulafa Mosque (Arabic: جامع الخلفاء‎) is a historic mosque in Baghdad, Iraq, dates back to the Abbasid era. The mosque was commissioned by the 17th Abbasid Caliph Al-Muktafi during 902-908 in order to establish the Jama Masjid near his castle. Due to this historical circumstances, the mosque is often also called as Al-Qasr Mosque (Arabic: جامع القصر‎) which literally means the mosque of the castle in Arabic. Later the mosque was dubbed as the Mosque of Caliph, and this had turned into the current name Al-Khulafa Mosque in the later generations. The mosque is one of the historic landmarks of the city of Baghdad. The mosque was mentioned in the Ibn Battuta’s travel record when he visited Baghdad in 1327.[1]

The most notable part of the mosque is its minaret which is still surviving on its original form dating back to the Abbasid era. The minaret is the only part remaining from the original construction. It is set on the Southeast corner of the sahn and constructed in brick and mortar. The minaret and its foundation are decorated with muqarnas, and the frame of the minaret is engraved with Kufic inscriptions and Islamic geometric patterns. The minaret was refurbished in 1960.[2] However, today there is a concern of its collapsing due to the lack of maintenance allegedly stemming from the sectarian divide between the Sunni-oriented mosque and the Shia-majority government.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ كتاب دليل خارطة بغداد المفصل - تأليف الدكتور مصطفى جواد والدكتور أحمد سوسة - مطبعة المجمع العلمي العراقي. 1958. p.125.
  2. ↑ Khulafa Central Mosque. Archnet. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  3. ↑ Why is Khulafa Mosque's minaret on verge of collapse? Al Monitor. Retrieved January 5, 2018.

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