Amr ibn al-As Mosque
| Amr ibn al-As Mosque | |
|---|---|
مَسْجِد عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Fustat, Old Cairo, Cairo |
| Country | Egypt |
Interactive map of Amr ibn al-As Mosque | |
| Coordinates | 30°0′36″N 31°13′59″E / 30.01000°N 31.23306°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Founder | Amr ibn al-As |
| Completed |
|
| Specifications | |
| Length | 120 m (390 ft) |
| Width | 112 m (367 ft) |
| Dome | 1 (maybe more) |
| Minaret | 4 (formerly 5) |
The Amr ibn al-As Mosque (Arabic: مَسْجِد عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ, romanized: Masjid ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ) is a mosque, located in the Fustat neighbourhood of Old Cairo, Egypt. Named in honour of the Arab Muslim commander Amr ibn al-As, the mosque was built in c. 642 CE as the centre of the newly founded capital of Egypt, Fustat. The original structure was the first mosque built in Egypt and one of the first in Africa. For 600 years, the mosque was also an important centre of Islamic learning until it was replaced by al-Muizz's Al-Azhar Mosque in Islamic Cairo. Through the twentieth century, it was the fourth largest mosque in the Islamic world.
The mosque's location was the site of the former tent of Amr ibn al-As. One corner of the mosque contained a room related in some significant way to his son, Abd Allah ibn Amr ibn al-As. Due to extensive reconstruction over the centuries nothing of the original building remained, but the rebuilt mosque is a prominent landmark and can be seen in what today is known as Old Cairo. It is an active mosque with a devout congregation, and when prayers are not taking place, it is also open to visitors and tourists.