The Sidi Arif Mosque (also known as ''Masjid Al-Arif Bellah'', ;

transliterated Transliteration is a type of conversion of a text from one writing system, script to another that involves swapping Letter (alphabet), letters (thus ''wikt:trans-#Prefix, trans-'' + ''wikt:littera#Latin, liter-'') in predictable ways, such as ...

: ''Masjid al-Aarif bi Allah'') is one of the largest

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

s in

Sohag Governorate Sohag () is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the southern part of the country (Upper Egypt), and covers a stretch of the Nile Valley. Since 1960, its capital has been the city of Sohag. Prior to that, the capital was the city ...

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

. It was built for the first time at the 14th century and was reconstructed several times; the last one was in 1968 and being renewed in 1998 for the last time. The mosque is named after the Sufi mystic buried in it, Sidi Arif, whose real name is Ismail ibn Ali ibn Abdussami, a member of the Ashraf family of mystics.

Architecture

The mosque has two minarets and the roof is crowned by a dome, with a large prayer hall with split entrances, segregated for men and women. The tomb of Sidi Arif is located in a room at the end of the mosque. Next to the mosque is the tomb of

Murad Bey Murad Bey ( 1750 – 22 April 1801) was an Egyptian Mamluk chieftain (Bey), cavalry commander and joint ruler of Egypt with Ibrahim Bey. He is often remembered as being a cruel and extortionate ruler, but an energetic courageous and fighter. T ...

, the

Mamluk Mamluk or Mamaluk (; (singular), , ''mamālīk'' (plural); translated as "one who is owned", meaning "slave") were non-Arab, ethnically diverse (mostly Turkic, Caucasian, Eastern and Southeastern European) enslaved mercenaries, slave-so ...

and bey of Egypt who ruled with Ibrahim Pasha.

Burials

Sufi mystics * Ismail ibn Ali ibn Abdussami * Ahmad ibn Zarruq (not to be confused with

Ahmad Zarruq Ahmad Zarruq () also known as Imam az-Zarrūq ash Shadhili (Aḥmad ibn Aḥmad ibn Muḥammad ibn 'Īsa) (1442–1493 CE) was a 15th-century Moroccan Shadhili Sufi, jurist and saint from Fes. He is considered one of the most prominent and acco ...

the Maliki-Sufi master) Mamluk governors * Murad Bey Mohammed, bey of Egypt

Significance

Every year the people of Sohag visit the mosque to celebrate the birthday, or

Mawlid The Mawlid () is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad on the traditional date of 12 Rabi' al-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. A day central to the traditions of some Sunnis, Mawlid is al ...

, of the saint. The mosque is also visited because of the saint's tomb.

Gallery

File:SohagArifInside.jpg , Inside the Sidi Arif Mosque File:SohagArifDome.jpg, Dome of the Sidi Arif Mosque File:SohagArifMihrab.jpg, Mihrab and minbar of the Sidi Arif Mosque

References

{{Mosques in Egypt 14th-century mosques in Africa Mosques completed in 1968 Mamluk architecture in Egypt Mosque buildings with domes in Africa Buildings and structures in Sohag Governorate 20th-century mosques in Egypt Mosque buildings with minarets in Africa

Architecture

Burials

Significance

Gallery

See also

References