Al-Rifa’i Mosque in Cairo, Egypt | Plan, History, Facts About Al-Rifa’i Mosque

The Mosque of Al-Rifa’i Location

Al-Rifa’i Mosque is located in Salah al-Din Square in the historic district of Cairo, Egypt. The mosque faces Sultan Hasan Mosque and Madrasa. Actually, it is separated from the mosque of Sultan Hassan by a pedestrian street and it is very close to the Citadel.

Who built Al-Rifa’i Mosque?

Khoshyar Hanem, the mother of Khedive Ismail ordered the mosque to be built in 1869 to contain the tombs of the royal families of Egypt.

When Al-Rifa’i Mosque was built?

The construction of the Al-Rifai Mosque began in 1869, almost 500 years after the Sultan Hassan Mosque, which was established in 1359.

Why Al Rifai mosque was built?

Khoshyar Hanim made a vow because of her son Ismail’s illness and the debt crisis that Egypt was going through at the time, to build a mosque.

It happened that the financial crisis passed in peace and her son Ismail recovered. The mosque was established in 1869 AD, but she died before it was completed in 1905 AD, then Khedive Abbas completed the construction in 1912 AD

Why did the mosque call Al Rifai mosque?

On the site of the Al-Rifa’i Mosque, there was a mosque called Zakhira Al-Mulk built in the Fatimid Era. Then turned into a (Zawia) for Sheikh Ali Abu Shabak, who is the grandson of Imam Al-Rifa’i. His grave is located in the mosque now, and from it, the mosque took its name.

After the establishment of the mosque, the name was attributed to Sheikh Al-Sayyid Ahmed Al-Rifa’i, who is buried in Iraq. until the mother of Khedive Ismail Khoshyar Hanim ordered the mosque to be built. Meanwhile, we still do not know why she chooses that place for building the mosque.

Who is the designer (Architect) of Al-Rifa’i Mosque?

The architect of the mosque is Hussein Pasha Fahmy al-Mimar, the son of Abd al-Karim Bey, the brother of Muharram Bey, who held the position of governor of Alexandria and married “Tafida Hanim”, the daughter of Muhammad Ali Pasha.

He learned in Egypt and entered the Sawari School. Then he was chosen to travel to France on a mission in the year 1844 in order to join the Egyptian Military School in Paris. Later on, he entered the civil service department and graduated from it, and joined the Higher Engineering School in Paris.

Facts about Al-Rifa’i Mosque

Al-Rifai Mosque was built in the 19th century to match its neighbor Sultan Hasan Mosque, which was built in the 14th century AD
In the past, there was another mosque from the Fatimid era, called Zakhira al-Mulk, on the same site as the mosque. After that, it turned into a shrine for Sheikh Ali Abu Shabak.
Khoshyar Hanim imported building materials from Europe like Italian marble
This mosque is the first building that used cement in its construction in the history of Islamic architecture in Egypt
After building the mosque until it reached a height of two meters, the building was halted due to modifications that did not satisfy Khoshyar
Khoshyar died in 1885 AD, and the construction was suspended until 25 years
The inscriptions were written by the calligrapher Abdullah Bey Zuhdi
There is a part of the mosque dedicated to prayer, and another part dedicated to the royal tombs of the family of Muhammad Ali.
The mosque also houses the tomb of Muhammad Reda Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, who died in 1980 AD.
Al Rifai mosque is Probably the most impressive and beautiful building of the neo-Mamluk style
Al Rifai mosque has nineteen different kinds of marble from seven different countries
The cost of the construction until 1880 AD amounted to 500,000 pounds
Al Rifai mosque was completed in 1911 AD and it was inaugurated in the month of Muharram in the year 1912 AD

Al-Rifa’i Mosque in Cairo Egypt Plan and design

Al-Rifa’i Mosque from the inside is rectangular in shape, and it covers 6500 square meters. Although, 1767 meters is the part modified for prayer, the rest of the space is allocated for the royal burial of the family of Muhammad the children, and grandchildren.

Al Rifai mosque main door

The main door of the mosque is located on the western side and is characterized by stone columns with ornate marble bases. The doorway has two huge marble columns on either side.

From here to a room surmounted by a dome with wooden corners decorated with gold. Then, there is a door exits from one of its walls leading to a room in which Sheikh Ali Abi Shabak is buried, and the shrine room of Sheikh Ali Al-Ansari.

The entrances to the mosque are distinguished by being tall and surrounded by stone and marble columns, and the facades are decorated with copper windows. Besides, there are 6 doors on the eastern side of the mosque, 4 of which lead to the burial rooms of the princes and kings of the Alawite family, and the first of these rooms were the tombs of the sons of Khedive Ismail. Al Rifai mosque is topped by two minarets erected on round bases.

Qibla Portico

The qibla portico is a square area covered with a muqarnas dome, resting on 4 pillars at the corners of each of them 4 marble columns with engraved and gilded capitals. The dome is surrounded by wooden ceilings decorated with gilded carvings.

Mihrab

In the center of the eastern wall is the mihrab covered with colored marble. It is only a niche in the wall to show the direction of the Qibla.

Wooden Pulpit

Its wooden mihrab is a piece of art that tells the story of Mamluk art with the artistic taste of the nineteenth century. A form of tiny wooden pieces that artists call the method of combined fillings formed adjacent star dishes that occupied the two sides of the pulpit and its front. It is inlaid with ivory, ebony, and walnut wood.

Dikka

In front of the mihrab is the muezzin’s bench, which is made of luxurious white marble and rests on luxurious columns. It is adorned with Quran verses engraved using pure gold all around it.

Chair of the holy Quran | Quran table

There is a luxurious chair for the Holy Qur’an, which dates back to 1911 AD and is still in very good condition.

The lighting system of Al Rifai mosque

Lighting the mosque consists mainly of huge, ornate brass lanterns that hang from the ceiling. These lanterns are electric now, but in the past used candles as a source of light.

Al Rifai mosque doors

There are many doors in the walls and all the doors are made with the finest wood and decorated with pieces of expensive Ebanos wood.

Mausoleums of Al-Rifai Mosque

There are 2 mausoleums in the mosque and 3 domes for the royal family.

1^st, the tomb of Khoshyar Hanim, who died in 1885 Hanim before the completion of the mosque. Also, the tomb of her son, Khedive Ismail, is in one room.

2nd, the dome is housing the tomb of the wives of Khedive Ismail.

3rd, the tombs of the sons and daughters of Khedive Ismail

4th, the tomb of King Fouad I is located to the right of the royal entrance to the mosque, and its walls are covered with colored marble. Meanwhile, next to King Fouad is the tomb of his mother, Queen Ferial, wife Khedive Ismail, and the mother of King Fuad.

5th, there are the remains of King Farouk, who was forbidden to be buried in the Al-Rifai Mosque during the reign of the late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and was allowed to be moved during the reign of President Muhammad Anwar Sadat.

6^th, it is noteworthy that the tomb of Jananiar Hanim, the sister of De Lesseps, the architect of the Suez Canal, is also among the tombs because she is the wife of Khedive Ismail. The tombstone is distinguished by its design in the style of Christian architecture, and it is topped with a cross with Quranic verses below it.

7^th, the mosque also has the tomb of Muhammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, who spent the rest of his life in Egypt. After the collapse of the Shah’s rule after the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, President Anwar Sadat ordered his burial in the Rifai Mosque after his death in 1980.

8th, this Mosque has 2 Mausoleums for Ali Abu-Shabak and Sheikh Yehia Al-Ansary.

Address of Al-Rifa’i Mosque in Cairo Egypt

Salah al-Din Square, Al Darb El Ahmar, El Khalifa, Cairo Governorate

Opening hours of the visit to Al-Rifa’i Mosque

Al-Rifa’i Mosque opens daily between 09.00 AM and 17.00 pm.

Ticket price for the visit to Al-Rifa’i Mosque

You can purchase an Entrance ticket to Al Rifai mosque at the Ticket window

Adult: EGP 80 (3 $)

Students with valid cards: EGP 40(1.5 $)

Children aged 6-12 years: EGP 40 (1.5 $)

Children under 6 years: FREE

Extra tip about Al-Rifa’i Mosque

Al Rifai mosque is an active place of worship. At the time visiting the mosque and like all the mosques in Egypt such as Mohamed Ali Mosque, and Amr Ibn El Ass Mosque, women need to cover their heads, arms, and legs. All visitors will need to leave their shoes prior to entering the mosque.

Al Rifai mosque is one of the top tourist attractions in Cairo. As a kind of shedding light on it to show its nobility and originality, the face of the Egyptian ten-pound banknote was decorated with a picture of the Al-Rifai Mosque in more than one version. Besides, the back of the current paper bears the picture of King Khafre.