Ahmad_Al-Badawi_Mosque
The Ahmad al-Badawi Mosque, (Arabic: مسجد أحمد البدوي) is a mosque and shrine complex in Tanta, Egypt. The name of this mosque is derived from the Sufi mystic Ahmad al-Badawi, the founder of the Badawiyya Sufi order, who is buried in the shrine of the building. The mosque is also the largest and most-visited mosque in Tanta.
| Ahmad al-Badawi Mosque | |
|---|---|
مسجد أحمد البدوي | |
The mosque of Ahmad al-Badawi during his Mawlid celebration | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Islam |
| Patron | Ahmad al-Badawi |
| Location | |
| Location | Tanta, Gharbia Governorate, Egypt |
| Geographic coordinates | 30.998889°N 30.783611°E / 30.998889; 30.783611 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque |
| Completed | At least 1276 AD |
| Specifications | |
| Dome(s) | 3 |
| Minaret(s) | 3 |
| Shrine(s) | 1 |
After the death of Ahmad al-Badawi in the 13th century, his trusted student Abd al-Mu'tal succeeded him and built a khanqah next to his grave.[1] This khanqah was eventually demolished and the site was incorporated into a mosque by the Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir Muhammad.[2] It was further expanded by Sultan Qaytbay.[3] Years later, on the orders of Ali Bey al-Kabir, the Mamluk governor of the Ottoman Empire, a metal zarih was built around the grave of Ahmad al-Badawi.[4] In the 1960s, the mosque received a new pair of minarets and an iwan. In 1975, during the presidency of Anwar Sadat, the mosque was further expanded.[5]
The mosque is built in the style of Mamluk architecture. Muqarnas were used in both exterior and interior designs. The mihrab of the mosque incorporates pieces of rare mosaic material.[6]
The mosque also includes a collection of his possessions, including his rosary, which is ten meters long and contains a thousand beads. His turban, garb, and wooden staff are also preserved in the private collection there.[7]
The birthday celebration of Ahmad al-Badawi, known as the Mawlid (Milad) is celebrated every year.[8] During this time and on Ramadan, special candies are sold at the entrance of the mosque which are sweet and named after the saint himself.[9]
- egyptopia.com. "Mosque of Sidi Ahmad El-Badawi - Other Destinations in Egypt : El Gharbia Governorate Travel Guide : -". egyptopia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
- egyptopia.com. "Mosque of Sidi Ahmad El-Badawi - Other Destinations in Egypt : El Gharbia Governorate Travel Guide : -". egyptopia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
- Alaa Bakr, A Brief History of Sufism, Dar Al-Khulafa Al-Rashidun, Alexandria, 2008, p. 113