Al-Musta'sim Billah Mosque

The Al-Musta'sim Billah Mosque (Arabic: مسجد المستعصم بالله), formerly the Abu Rabi'ah Mosque, is an Islamic mosque and shrine located in the district of al-A'dhamiyya in Baghdad, Iraq. A historic structure renovated in modern times, it contains the tomb of the last Abbasid Caliph, al-Musta'sim. It was also known as Mashhad al-Wu'ud, before it became a mosque.

Al-Musta'sim Billah Mosque
The grave of the last Abbasid Caliph, al-Musta'sim, inside the mosque
Religion
AffiliationSunni Islam
ProvinceBaghdad Governorate
Location
LocationAdhamiyah, Baghdad, Iraq
Al-Musta'sim Billah Mosque is located in Iraq
Al-Musta'sim Billah Mosque
Shown within Iraq
Geographic coordinates33°22′17″N 44°21′48″E / 33.3714557°N 44.3632855°E / 33.3714557; 44.3632855
Architecture
StyleModern, with elements from Abbasid architecture
Completed2005 (current structure)
Specifications
Capacity200 worshippers
Dome(s)1 (shrine)
Minaret(s)1
Minaret height30 metres

Historical background

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Originally, the site was the location of a shrine known as Mashhad al-Wu'ud, built over the grave of Ahmad al-Sabti, who was the son of the Abbasid Caliph Harun al-Rashid and a Sufi mystic.[1][2][3] The Abbasid Caliph, al-Musta'sim was killed by Hulegu Khan's forces in the 1258 Siege of Baghdad, his remains were transferred to this location and reburied.[1][4][3] His daughter (or granddaughter) Rabi'ah was also buried here later on, and a shrine was built for her too, hence the name of the mosque was the Abu Rabi'ah Mosque.[1][2]

Modern discovery

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Before discovering the Caliph's tomb, it was traditionally believed that al-Musta'sim was buried in the Mausoleum of Umar Suhrawardi. In 1993, an archaeological excavation was conducted at the mosque. The historian Imad Abd al-Salam Ra'uf, who was involved in the excavations, was able to find the tombstone of the deceased Caliph.[5][4] The mosque and the attached tomb were renovated in 2005.[5][3][4] It was almost completely rebuilt with modern architecture.[2] A room for the Imam and other necessities were added to the mosque's structure.[3]

Specifications

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The building has an area of 1000 m2 and can accommodate 200 worshippers.[3][6][2] Almost no trace of the original mosque remain, having been replaced by a modern structure.[3][6][2] A small dome remains over the tomb of Caliph al-Musta'sim, and all other historical features of the tomb have disappeared.[3][6][2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Al-Amiri, Hamid (2020). "Al-Musta'sim Billah Mosque and Shrine". Wad Alakli News (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Al-Musta'sim Billah Mosque". areq.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Merza, Serur (11 April 2020). "The scene of the vows or the grave of the vows, in which the grave of Caliph al-Musta'nsir Billah was discovered in al-Nasa neighborhood in al-A'dhamiyya". Al-Gardeniyya: Public Cultural Magazine. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  4. ^ a b c "In this video, see where the Abbasid Caliph Al-Musta'sim Billah lies". Al-Jazeera.net (in Arabic). 10 December 2018. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  5. ^ a b Al-Ali, Yusuf (2021). "Imad Abd al-Salam Ra'uf, an Iraqi thinker who loved history and found the grave of the last Abbasid Caliph". Al-Estiklal.
  6. ^ a b c Ibrahim, Amir Jalil (25 October 2021). "Al-Musta'sim Billah, the last caliph of the Abbasid State". IMN Magazine (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-04-02.