Islamic heritage · Cairo
Al-Sayyida Nafisa Mosque
A revered mosque and shrine in Cairo's historic Qarafa necropolis, holding the mausoleum of Sayyida Nafisa of the Prophet's family.
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The story
The mosque stands in the Sayyida Nafisa district, part of the historic al-Qarafa necropolis in Islamic Cairo. It was first built in the 9th century, with the first mausoleum attributed to Ubaydallah ibn al-Sari, the Abbasid governor of Egypt, to commemorate Sayyida Nafisa, a revered saint of the Prophet Muhammad's family and a descendant of Hasan ibn Ali. Her mausoleum, or mashhad, lies within the building. Both mosque and mausoleum have been rebuilt many times since then, and the present building dates from the late 19th century. Together with the surrounding necropolis, the mosque forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Islamic Cairo.
Good to know
- The mosque was first built in the 9th century, with the first mausoleum attributed to Ubaydallah ibn al-Sari.
- The present building dates from the late 19th century, after repeated rebuilding.
- The mosque and its surrounding necropolis are part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Islamic Cairo.