Great Mosque of Kufa


The Great Mosque of Kufa, or Masjid al-Kufa, is located in Kufa, Iraq and is one of the earliest and holiest surviving mosques in the world. The mosque, built in the 7th century, was home to Ali ibn Abi Talib, the 4th Rashidun caliph; and contains the remains of Maytham al-Tammar, Ali's companion; Muslim ibn Aqeel, first cousin of Imām Husayn ibn Ali, his companion Hani ibn Urwa; and the revolutionary, Al-Mukhtar. In recent history, the mosque has seen numerous renovations primarily under the purview of the Dawoodi Bohras, led by Mufaddal Saifuddin.

Origin

Sources attribute the construction of the Great Mosque of Kufa in the middle of the 7th century to the Caliph Omar. There is a legend that says the edifice was built on a temple constructed by Adam while another claims that Adam's bones were buried on the site, having been carried by Noah on board the Ark. It is also believed that the angel Gabriel was referring to the mosque when he declared, "Twelve miles of lands from all directions of the mosque are blessed by its holiness." The site was identified in Shia Islam as the place where Noah must build his Ark. The family members of the first Shiite imams and their early supporters were buried within.
Architectural excavations revealed that the mosque, which dates from 670, was built on top of much older foundations.

Architecture

The area of the building measures approximately. The mosque contains nine sanctuaries and four traditional locations. As to its design, experts recognized similarities to the design of the palaces of pre-Islamic Persia. It has four minarets and is accessible through five gates:
Gate of the Threshold,
Gate of Kinda,
Gate of al-Anmat,
Gate of the Snake., and
Gate of Hani ibn Urwa.

Renovation

The Great Mosque of Kufa has previously underwent sporadic renovations. One historical account, for instance, noted enlargement of section as well as a raised flooring for the main building in comparison to earlier level. In 1998, head of Dawoodi Bohra community, Late Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin started renovating the mosque, which was then completed in early 2010. The renovation included: