Al-Sayeda Zainab Mosque, Islamic shrine and mosque in Central Cairo, Egypt
Al-Sayeda Zainab Mosque is an Islamic house of prayer and shrine in the central district of Cairo, Egypt. Seven prayer halls run parallel to the qibla wall, and the tomb inside is enclosed by brass railings.
No record fixes when a mosque was first built over Sayyida Zainab's grave. The Ottoman governor Ali Pasha ordered a renovation in 1547, and Amir Abdul Rahman Katkhuda renovated it again in 1768. In 1940 the Ministry of Endowments demolished the old building and erected the present mosque, doubling its area in 1969. Maintenance from 2022 was completed in 2024.
Every year in the Islamic month of Rajab, thousands gather in Sayyida Zainab Square for the mawlid of Sayyida Zainab, and the area changes completely for a few days. The mosque is a centre for Sufi orders and their followers. Egyptians, especially those from distant provinces, consider a visit an honour and a blessing.
The entrance opens onto a busy street and is easily reached on foot from the surrounding lanes. The interior is accessible to worshippers and visitors, though women and men use separate side areas.
Two scholars from earlier centuries rest in side chambers at the entrance. Their tombs belong to Mohammed Al-Atriss and Abdul Rahman Al-Aidarous, adding to the spiritual heritage of the site.
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