جامع صندل, Historic mosque in Karkh district, Baghdad, Iraq
Sandal Mosque stands on Sheikh Marouf al-Karkhi Road in the Karkh district, near Haifa Street. Its prayer hall holds more than 200 worshippers, with a courtyard and a large dome above the sanctuary. The minaret is built of brick faced with coloured Karbala tile, and the prayer hall rests on four marble columns with a brick-vaulted arcade in front.
The mosque was founded in 1697 with support from the Ottoman Empire and underwent complete reconstruction between 1891 and 1893 following serious damage. This rebuilding phase was crucial for its preservation into the present day.
The mosque complex includes a religious school that produced numerous scholars, including prominent figures like Abdul Rahman Al-Alusi and Ali Aladdin.
The site is managed by the Sunni Endowment Office and is open for daily prayers, Friday services, and religious celebrations. Visitors should expect an active place of worship with regular religious activities throughout the week.
Sheikh Sandal died in 1196 and was first buried in a tomb he prepared for himself; his grave was visible until the mosque's reconstruction, when it was enclosed within the qibla wall. The spot now sits on a rise overlooking Haifa Street, and the surrounding quarter still bears his name as one of Baghdad's oldest.
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