Al-Rifa'i Mosque (Arabic: مسجد الرفاعي, transliterated also as Al-Rifai, Al-Refai, Al-Refa'i, locally known as El-Refa'i, and in English: the Refaai Mosque) is located in Citadel Square, adjacent to the Cairo Citadel. Now, it is also the royal mausoleum of Muhammad Ali's family. The building is located opposite the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan,[1] which dates from around 1361, and was architecturally conceived as a complement to the older structure. This was part of a vast campaign by the 19th century rulers of Egypt to both associate themselves with the perceived glory of earlier periods in Egypt's Islamic history and modernize the city. The mosque was constructed next to two large public squares and off of several European style boulevards constructed around the same time.
Al-Rifa'i Mosque
The northern facade of the mosque, with the original royal entrance.
The Al-Rifa'i Mosque was constructed in two phases over the period between 1869 and 1912 when it was finally completed.[1] It was originally commissioned for Hoshiyar Qadin, the mother of the 19th century KhediveIsma'il Pasha to expand and replace the preexisting zawiya (shrine) of the medieval Islamic saint Ahmed al-Rifa'i. The zawiya was a pilgrimage site for locals who believed that the tomb had mystical healing properties. Hoshiyar envisioned a dual purpose for the new structure as a house for local traditional Sufi relics and also a mausoleum for the royal family of Egypt. Over the course of its construction the architects, design, and purpose were changed.
The original architect was Hussein Fahri Pasha, a distant cousin in the dynasty founded by Muhammad Ali of Egypt in 1803,[1] but he died during the first phase of construction, and work was halted after KhediveIsma'il Pasha abdicated in 1880. Hoshiyar Qadin herself died in 1885, and work was not resumed until 1905 when the Khedive, Abbas II of Egypt, ordered its completion. Work was supervised by the Hungarian architect Max Herz, head of the Committee for the Conservation of the Monuments of Cairo.
Style
The building itself is a melange of styles taken primarily from the Mamluk period of Egyptian history, including its dome and minaret, and Ancient Egyptian style pillars. The building contains a large prayer hall as well as the shrines of al-Rifa'i and two other local saints, Ali Abi-Shubbak and Yahya al-Ansari. Because of the time taken to built the mosque, it represents historical and political revolution in Egypt. The entrance is lined with marble columns.
The mosque served briefly as the resting place of Reza Shah of Iran, who died in exile in the Union of South Africa in 1944, and was returned to Iran after World War II. [2] Part of the burial chamber is also occupied by Reza Shah's son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who died in Cairo in July 1980. He was buried in Cairo following the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
^ abcSamir, Salwa (4 October 2012). "Meeting a royal family at Al-Rifa'i". The Egyptian Gazette. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
^Historical Iranian Sites and People. 12 December 2010
Further reading
al-Asad, Mohammad. The Mosque of Rifa'i in Cairo. 1993. In Muqarnas X: An Annual on Islamic Art and Architecture. Margaret B. Sevcenko (ed.). Leiden: E.J. Brill.
Jones, Dalu. "Va Pensiero... Italian Architects in Egypt at the Time of the Khedive.” In Environmental Design: Journal of the Islamic Environmental Design Research Centre, 86-93. Rome: Carucci Editore, 1990.
Arnaud, Jean-Luc. "Maps of Cairo and the Development of the City at the End of the 19th Century.” In Environmental Design: Journal of the Islamic Environmental Design Research Centre 1-2, edited by Attilo Petruccioli, 82-91. Rome: Dell’oca Editore, 1993.
Noweir, Sawsan and Philippe Panerai. "Cairo: The Old Town.” In Environmental Design: Journal of the Islamic Environmental Design Research Centre 1-2, edited by Attilo Petruccioli, 60-67. Rome: Carucci Editore, 1989.
External links
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The Royal Mosque - Al Rifai ( 24 October 2009)
January 10, 2023
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This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Al Rifa i Mosque news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Al Rifa i Mosque Arabic مسجد الرفاعي transliterated also as Al Rifai Al Refai Al Refa i locally known as El Refa i and in English the Refaai Mosque is located in Citadel Square adjacent to the Cairo Citadel Now it is also the royal mausoleum of Muhammad Ali s family The building is located opposite the Mosque Madrassa of Sultan Hassan 1 which dates from around 1361 and was architecturally conceived as a complement to the older structure This was part of a vast campaign by the 19th century rulers of Egypt to both associate themselves with the perceived glory of earlier periods in Egypt s Islamic history and modernize the city The mosque was constructed next to two large public squares and off of several European style boulevards constructed around the same time Al Rifa i MosqueThe northern facade of the mosque with the original royal entrance ReligionAffiliationSunni IslamLocationLocationCairo EgyptShown within EgyptGeographic coordinates30 9 16 43 N 31 18 37 46 E 30 1545639 N 31 3104056 E 30 1545639 31 3104056 Coordinates 30 9 16 43 N 31 18 37 46 E 30 1545639 N 31 3104056 E 30 1545639 31 3104056ArchitectureArchitect s Max HerzTypemosqueStyleIslamic architecture Ancient EgyptianCompleted1912Capacity10 000 Contents 1 History 2 Style 3 Usage 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory EditThe Al Rifa i Mosque was constructed in two phases over the period between 1869 and 1912 when it was finally completed 1 It was originally commissioned for Hoshiyar Qadin the mother of the 19th century Khedive Isma il Pasha to expand and replace the preexisting zawiya shrine of the medieval Islamic saint Ahmed al Rifa i The zawiya was a pilgrimage site for locals who believed that the tomb had mystical healing properties Hoshiyar envisioned a dual purpose for the new structure as a house for local traditional Sufi relics and also a mausoleum for the royal family of Egypt Over the course of its construction the architects design and purpose were changed The original architect was Hussein Fahri Pasha a distant cousin in the dynasty founded by Muhammad Ali of Egypt in 1803 1 but he died during the first phase of construction and work was halted after Khedive Isma il Pasha abdicated in 1880 Hoshiyar Qadin herself died in 1885 and work was not resumed until 1905 when the Khedive Abbas II of Egypt ordered its completion Work was supervised by the Hungarian architect Max Herz head of the Committee for the Conservation of the Monuments of Cairo Style EditThe building itself is a melange of styles taken primarily from the Mamluk period of Egyptian history including its dome and minaret and Ancient Egyptian style pillars The building contains a large prayer hall as well as the shrines of al Rifa i and two other local saints Ali Abi Shubbak and Yahya al Ansari Because of the time taken to built the mosque it represents historical and political revolution in Egypt The entrance is lined with marble columns Tomb of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi the last Shah of Iran is buried there thanks to the Egyptian President Mohamed Anwar SadatUsage EditThe mosque is the resting place of Hoshiyar Qadin and her son Isma il Pasha as well as other members of Egypt s royal family including Sultan Hussein Kamel Sultan and King Fuad I and King Farouk whose body was interred here after his death in Rome in 1965 Khedive Tewfik and Khedive Abbas II Hilmi however are buried in Qubbat Afandina a mausoleum built in 1894 in Cairo s Eastern Cemetery together with other late members of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty The mosque served briefly as the resting place of Reza Shah of Iran who died in exile in the Union of South Africa in 1944 and was returned to Iran after World War II 2 Part of the burial chamber is also occupied by Reza Shah s son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi who died in Cairo in July 1980 He was buried in Cairo following the Iranian Revolution of 1979 See also EditMuhammad Ali Dynasty family tree Al Nasir Muhammad Mosque royal mosque of the Mamluk Sultanate founded in 1318 in the Citadel of Cairo by the Sultan an Nasir Muhammad Timeline of Islamic history Islamic architecture Islamic art Lists of mosques List of mosques in Africa List of mosques in Egypt List of mausoleaReferences Edit a b c Samir Salwa 4 October 2012 Meeting a royal family at Al Rifa i The Egyptian Gazette Retrieved 16 July 2013 Historical Iranian Sites and People 12 December 2010Further reading Edital Asad Mohammad The Mosque of Rifa i in Cairo 1993 In Muqarnas X An Annual on Islamic Art and Architecture Margaret B Sevcenko ed Leiden E J Brill Jones Dalu Va Pensiero Italian Architects in Egypt at the Time of the Khedive In Environmental Design Journal of the Islamic Environmental Design Research Centre 86 93 Rome Carucci Editore 1990 Arnaud Jean Luc Maps of Cairo and the Development of the City at the End of the 19th Century In Environmental Design Journal of the Islamic Environmental Design Research Centre 1 2 edited by Attilo Petruccioli 82 91 Rome Dell oca Editore 1993 Noweir Sawsan and Philippe Panerai Cairo The Old Town In Environmental Design Journal of the Islamic Environmental Design Research Centre 1 2 edited by Attilo Petruccioli 60 67 Rome Carucci Editore 1989 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Al Rifa i Mosque Al Rifa i Mosque The Royal Mosque Al Rifai Archived 24 October 2009 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Al Rifa 27i Mosque amp oldid 1095990127, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
