Ashrafiya Mosque, Islamic mosque in Ta'izz, Yemen
Ashrafiya Mosque is an Islamic house of worship in Ta'izz featuring a central dome surrounded by smaller domes, with exterior walls finished in qadad, a traditional lime plaster. The structure includes a large prayer hall, a teaching madrasa, and an interior courtyard.
This mosque was built in two phases during the late medieval period, commissioned first by one Rasulid sultan and later completed by his successor. The construction spanned several generations of the ruling dynasty.
This mosque houses a madrasa that teaches the Shafiʽi school of Islamic jurisprudence and maintains a scholarly library still used today. It remains an active center for religious education and learning in the community.
The interior space is spacious and well-organized, with enough room for larger groups during prayer times and religious gatherings. The layout of the prayer hall and courtyard makes it easy to move through and understand the mosque's layout.
Within the courtyard lies a royal tomb chamber that served as the burial place for members of the Rasulid ruling family. This burial site merges the mosque's religious function with its role as a dynastic monument.
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