Location

The mosque is located in the northwestern corner within the Citadel of Salah al-Din. It overlooks
the City of Cairo.

Builder
The mosque was built by order of Muhammad Ali Pasha. He was the Ottoman Albanian governor
and de facto ruler of Egypt from 1805 to 1848, considered the founder of modern Egypt. At the
height of his rule, he controlled all of Egypt, The Sudans, Hejaz and the Levant.

The Date of the establishment of the mosque

Its construction began in the year 1246 AH (1830 AD), This mosque , which
was made during the Ottoman period or dynasty was made by the architect
Yusuf Bushnak who got his inspiration for the design of the mosque from
the Sultan Ahmed Mosque that was built in the year 1616 AD in Istanbul,
Turkey.Being placed on the foot of the Mugattam hills, the mosque
outshines the whole citadel. The construction of the mosque took almost
two decades (without interruption) to be built and it has the features of the
Ottoman architecture (since it was constructed during that time) and was
funded by Muhammad Ali Pasha in the memory of his oldest son Tusun
Pasha who died in 1816 AD and work on it continued without interruption
until he died in the year 1265 AH (1848 AD).1

1
Mubark, A, Al-Khetat Al-Tawfikiya, for Cairo, Egypt and other old and famous cities, Part V. Bolaq Pub.,
Cairo, 1888, pp. 110-112 (in Arabic).

1
Description of the mosque
This mosque is known as the "Alabaster Mosque", in reference to its marble paneling on its interior
and exterior walls. The mosque’s twin minarets are the highest in all of Egypt, each reaching a
height of 84 meters. The mosque was built on the Turkish style that consists of an open court and
prayer hall. The prayer hall is a square space that surmounted with a large central dome which
surrounded by four semi-domes and four shallow domes in the corners. There are two minbars
(pulpits) inside the mosque.2 The original of the two is made of wood decorated in green. The other
was a later addition made of marble. The outer open court contains a copper clock tower, which
was gifted to Muhammad Ali Pasha by Louis Philippe of France in 1262 AH/1845 AD.
Muhammad Ali Pasha reciprocated the gesture with an obelisk of Ramesses II’s (c.1279–1213
BC) that stood in front of Luxor Temple. Today, it stands in the Place de la Concorde Square,
Paris. Limestone is the mosque’s main building material.3

2
Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities website
Muhammad Ali Mosque - Discover Egypt's Monuments - Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
(egymonuments.gov.eg)
3
Principles of Architectural Design and Urban Planning During Different Islamic Eras, Organization of
Islamic Capitals and Cities Pub., Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 1992, pp. 403-405.

2
Architectural Characteristics of Muhammad Ali Mosque

Plan of the mosque of Mohamed Ali

Horizontal plane of dome of the mosque

3
• The Courtyard:
The courtyard of the mosque is a spacious rectangular area surrounded by colonnades with domes
and arches. The courtyard is paved with marble and features a large central fountain for ablutions.
The colonnades are made of marble and have intricately carved details that showcase the artistic
skill of the craftsmen of the time. The arches are also decorated with intricate designs and motifs.
The minarets of the mosque rise above the colonnades and are visible from various points in the
city. The courtyard is designed to provide a peaceful and serene atmosphere for worshippers to
perform their prayers. The sound of the water from the central fountain adds to the tranquility of
the courtyard, while the colonnades provide shade from the hot sun. The symmetry of the courtyard
and its surrounding colonnades gives a sense of order and balance, adding to the spiritual
experience of the mosque. Overall, the courtyard of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali is a beautiful
and serene space that showcases the architectural and artistic excellence of the time. It is an
important landmark and a popular destination for tourists and worshippers alike.

4
• The Doors:
Description of the doors in the mosque of
Muhammad Ali: The doors of the mosque are made
of wood and are decorated with intricate carvings
and inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The doors are also
adorned with brass and copper fittings, which add
to their ornate and intricate design. The main
entrance to the mosque is a large wooden door that
leads into a spacious courtyard.
There are also several other smaller doors throughout the mosque, which lead to
Each door in the mosque is unique and has its various prayer halls and chambers.
own distinct design. Some doors feature geometric patterns, while others are
decorated with intricate floral designs. The doors also feature Arabic calligraphy,
The doors of the which is a prominent feature of Islamic art and architecture.
Mosque of Muhammad Ali are considered to be among the finest examples of
traditional Islamic woodwork and are a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of
the artisans who created them.

• Tomb of Muhammad Ali Pasha

It is located on the northwest side, and it is rectangular. Some of its walls contain wooden cladding
covered with silk. The tomb is topped by a large marble composition of graded white marble, some
of which are topped by others.4

4
Akasha, Alia -Al Amara Al Is lamia fi Masr “Islamic Architecture in Egypt”–2008–Bardi Publish–Giza,
Egypt Page:58

5
• Central dome
It is located in the eastern part and resembles the domes in the mosques of Istanbul. Its height is
52 m and It takes an oval shape and is surrounded by four half-domes, all of which are covered
with a layer of lead to protect them from rain. The domes contain windows colored in red, blue
and green, and are called lunar and solar. The ceiling is decorated with half-domes and gives an
airy atmosphere to the place, so it is considered the only mosque that does not contain fans or air
conditioners.

• The Minarets
The two minarets located on the western side and is distinguished by
its length and grace, and the height of each of them is 82 m. It is
designed in the Turkish style and contains conical covers that look like
a pencil. In the past, the muezzin was chosen from blind people so that
he would not reveal the women around the
mosque.

6
• The Pulpits
There were two pulpits in the mosque, the first was built
by Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1840 and is considered one of
the largest pulpits in Islamic mosques in Egypt. It was
made of wood covered with a layer of gold, and decorated
with floral motifs influenced by the Ottoman style and the
wooden pulpit was high, so the muezzin crossed people’s
necks, and this is not from the etiquette of Islam, so King
Farouk built another pulpit inside the mosque made of
marble and its door of copper to be in front of the qiblah .
5

• Hall of Prayer Walls

Are made of stone, and reach an impressive height exceeding 25 meters. Their inner
faces are divided into two levels: the first level the entire cladding is in marble, while
the second level, free of marble cladding, and is painted and decorated.

5
4‫ – ص‬1939 ‫ مطبعة الكتب المصرية‬- ‫ كتاب مسجد المغفور له محمد علي باشا الكبير‬- ‫محمود أحمد‬

7
• Dikkat Al-Buballigh
On the northwestern wall is the dikkat al-muballigh, an elevated platform from which the prayers
of the day are recited to worshippers. The dikkat al-muballigh extends the width of the building
and is supported by eight marble columns. It rises from the floor level of the mosque about 11 m.
It is large and can be reached through the two minarets’ stairs from outside the prayer house. This
bench was used for the seating of one of the students of the imam of the mosque, who would repeat
“information” of what the imam says during the prayer until the worshipers in the other part of the
mosque hear it. The mosque far from the imam.

• The Iwan
The Iwan harboring the qibla is located in the southeastern wall. An iwan is a vaulted
rectangular space that is open on one side. The qibla is decorated with golden
radiations. Next to is a marble minbar (pulpit) which was made during the reign of
King Farouk I in 1941. The minbar is equipped with a door through which the
preacher ascends a staircase to the seat at the top Qibla Iwan of Muhammad Ali
Mosque it contains doom, Pulpit and Prayer Niche The entrance iwan. The architect
was Mohammed Ali ibn Ostad Ali Beik. The calligraphy is `Sols nastaligh banaei
and moagha'l by Mohammad Reza Emami.6

6
Yousef, Nabil – Ashghal Almaden that Alnamat Althabet fi aham athar Al Qahira Al Islamia “Metal Pattern
Works in The Most Important Monuments of Islamic Cairo” – 2003 – 1st Ed – Madbouly Books – Cairo, Egypt
– Page: 154 to 156.

8
 Texts and Writings
Many parts of the mosque are decorated with verses from the Holy Qur’an, some of which were
written in the Thuluth script, and other is in Persian script. On the sea door of the mosque, the
َ ‫ ادْ ُخلُوهَا ِب‬.‫عيُون‬
Almighty says ) َ‫س ََل ٍم آمِ نِين‬ ٍ ‫ ( ِإ َّن ْال ُمتَّقِينَ فِي َجنَّا‬.
ُ ‫ت َو‬
The corners of the domes are decorated with the words of
His Majesty God, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and
the names of the Rightly Guided Caliphs in calligraphy. The
Turkish artist “Amin Azmerli”, and the Mosque of
Muhammad Ali Pasha has several architectural and artistic
features that make it unique from other Egyptian mosques.
7

7
11‫ – ص‬1939 ‫ مطبعة الكتب المصرية‬- ‫ كتاب مسجد المغفور له محمد علي باشا الكبير‬- ‫محمود أحمد‬

9
 Architectural characteristics of mosques in the Ottoman era

• Domed and central plan: Mosques in the Ottoman era were predominantly designed with a
central dome structure, often surrounded by smaller domes and four or more minarets. The
domed structure served as the main prayer hall, while the smaller domes and minarets provided
additional space for worshippers and Islamic call to prayer.
• Use of ornate decoration: Ottoman mosques were renowned for their intricate and elaborate
decorative features, including intricate calligraphic inscriptions, glazed tiles, colored glass, and
elaborate geometric patterns, all of which were intended to create an atmosphere of spiritual
awe and majesty.
• Emphasis on symmetry: Ottoman mosques portrayed symmetrical designs, with identical
features on either side of the central axis, which was intended to convey a sense of balance,
harmony and order.
• Use of courtyards: Many Ottoman-era mosques were designed to include an open courtyard
or 'sahn' in the center of the building, typically surrounded by a portico or arcade of arches.
The courtyard served as an outdoor gathering space for worshippers, and also provided a
transition space between the public and the more private inner areas of the mosque.
• Masterful Ottoman domes: The domes over the prayer hall in Ottoman mosques were
elaborate, with intricate patterns and decorations, and were supported by tall, slender pillars
that allowed for light to enter the mosque8.

8
M. Bloom, Jonathan; S. Blair, Sheila, eds. (2009). "Ottoman". The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and
Architecture. Oxford University Press. p. 82.

10