Islam in Egypt

Taking a closer look at the main mosques of Egypt is not only interesting for their grandeur but also for the immense symbolism they hold for followers of Islam in Egypt and beyond. Here is a list of the most important ones, which you can explore in more detail on the pages dedicated to their respective cities:

• Cairo: The mosques of Cairo are undoubtedly the most significant and emblematic in the country. As previously mentioned, the current capital was founded by Muslims, who established their power here, replacing the role that Alexandria had played for the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines until then. As a result, Cairo’s Islamic temples are among the city’s top tourist attractions, as evidenced by the large Cairo mosque featured on all Egyptian pound bills. Below is a list of the essential mosques to visit during your trip:

• • Al-Azhar Mosque: This is the most important mosque in Egypt because its Grand Imam is considered one of the great spiritual leaders of Islam in Egypt and beyond. The teaching center integrated into this temple is also one of the most prestigious in the Muslim world. Architecturally, it is also one of the most fascinating. Built in the 10th century, it features elements of the Fatimid style and other later periods, all of them dazzling to visitors. The mosque’s doors, minarets, great central courtyard, and huge prayer hall are all worth admiring.
  • Sultan Hassan Mosque-Madrasa: Located in Salah El-Deen square, this mosque was built in the 14th century by the Mamluk sultan who gives it its name. 
  • Al-Rifai Mosque: Also located in Salah El-Deen square, next to Sultan Hassan Mosque-Madrasa, this mosque was built in the early 20th century. It houses the tomb of the last king of Egypt, Farouk, as well as the last Shah of Persia, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. 

• • Ibn Tulun Mosque: This is one of the most historic mosques in Egypt and one of the oldest still standing. Dating back to the 9th century, it was built by the Tulunids with Abbasid influences.
  • Muhammad Ali Mosque: This is one of the most famous and visited mosques in Cairo due to its special location in the Citadel of Saladin. Built in the 19th century during the time of this vali, whose tomb is located here, it has a great elegance due to its alabaster material.
  • Al-Nasir Muhammad Mosque: Another mosque located in the Citadel of Saladin, it is smaller than the previous one but older, as it was built in the 14th century.
  • Suleiman Pasha Mosque: Also located in the Citadel of Saladin, it was built in the 16th century and is considered the first of the Ottoman period. Its style has greatly influenced the later Muslim temples of Egypt.
  • Al-Muayyad Mosque: This mosque best represents the Fatimid splendor of the city (10th-12th centuries), as some of its elements date back to that period, such as the Bab Zuweila gate, which was part of the old wall. The mosque was built on it in the 14th century, and its two spectacular minarets stand out, which can be climbed to enjoy panoramic views of the city.
  • Al-Hussein Mosque: As mentioned earlier, this mosque is one of the holiest for a part of the followers of Islam in Egypt, the Shiites, as the remains of Hussein ibn Ali, son of Fatima and therefore grandson of Muhammad, are preserved here. Its origins date back to the 12th century, but the current complex is from the 19th century.
  • Al-Aqmar Mosque: This mosque is known for its spectacular facade with a stone entrance.

• • Al-Hakim Mosque: Named after the Fatimid caliph, this mosque from the 10th-12th centuries is located next to the medieval gates of Bab al-Futuh and Bab al-Nasr.
  • Al-Fath Mosque: Despite being very recent (built in 1990), this mosque is famous for its minaret, which became the tallest of all Muslim temples in Egypt at the time of its construction.
  • Amr ibn al-As Mosque: The oldest mosque in all of Africa, built in 641 at the same time as the introduction of Islam in Egypt. Its complex is the result of numerous later reconstructions.
  • Al-Fattah Al-Aleem: Located in the new administrative capital of the country, unlike the previous ones, it does not stand out for its history, as it was completed in 2019. However, it deserves to be highlighted for being one of the symbols of modernity of Islam in Egypt and one of the most imposing constructions of this religion today, on par with other great mosques in the Muslim world, such as the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi or the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca.
  • Other mosques in Cairo: although these are the most prominent ones from a tourist perspective, there are other temples that can be visited by those interested in Islam in Egypt, whether for their monumentality, history, or current symbolism. They are the mosques of Al Ashraf (15th century), Al Burdayni (17th century), Al Ghuri (16th century), Al Malika Safiyya (17th century), Al Mahmoudia (16th century), Al Nour (20th century), Al Rahman Al-Rahim (21st century), Al Salih Tala’i (12th century), Al Sayeda Nafeesah (10th-12th centuries), Amir Jamal Al Din Al Ustadar (15th century), Amir Qijmas Al Ishaqi (15th century), Aqsunqur (14th century), Demerdash (16th century), Gamal Abdel Nasser (20th century, where the tomb of this Egyptian president is preserved), Juyushi (11th century), Khayrbak (16th century), Lulua (11th century), Mahmud Al Kurdi (14th century), Abu Dahab (18th century), Al Maridani (14th century), Amir Al Sayf Sargam Mish (14th century), Qanibay Al Muhammadi (15th century), Qanibay Ar Rammah (16th century), Sulayman Agha Al Silahdar (19th century), Sultan Al Zahir Baybars (13th century), Sultan Barquq Mosque-Madrasa (14th century), Taghribardi (14th century), Qalawun Mosque-Mausoleum (14th century), Sayeda Aisha (14th century), Sayeda Zainab (16th century), and Shaykhu Khanqah (14th century).

• Alexandria:

• • Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi: This mosque was built in the 20th century on top of a medieval mosque and is dedicated to a Sufi master from Murcia, who was born in the 13th century in what was then Al-Andalus. It is the most important mosque in the city and is renowned for its elegant domes with latticework finishes.
  • Attarin Mosque: Built in the 7th century on top of a 4th-century Christian church, this mosque housed the sarcophagus of Pharaoh Nectanebo II. It has undergone significant modifications over the years, especially with a profound reform at the beginning of the 20th century, but it still boasts a beautiful minaret.

• Luxor:

• • Abu Haggag Mosque: This mosque is one of the most unique Muslim temples in Egypt. It stands next to one of the most famous temples of Ancient Egypt, which represents a blend of styles and periods. The mosque is dedicated to a 13th century spiritual leader who is highly revered in Luxor and is still celebrated with a great moulid every year to commemorate his birth anniversary. Its spectacularity is not only due to its own architecture but also to its location, which adds to its allure.

• Hurghada:

• • Al Mina Mosque: This majestic temple stands out in the modern city of Hurghada. Its shining domes, marble pavement, and Ottoman-influenced minarets are impressive, and its location next to the port amplifies its beauty.

• Esna:

• • Al Amari Mosque: In this small city that’s a must-stop on Nile cruises for its famous Pharaonic temple, the Al Amari Mosque also stands out. It offers a glimpse into Fatimid Egypt’s Islamic architecture, with one of its medieval-era minarets preserved to this day.

• Damietta:

• • Mosque of Amr ibn Al As (year 642): This mosque is the second-oldest in all of Africa, after the homonymous mosque in Cairo. It is named after the Muslim conqueror who introduced Islam to Egypt. Interestingly, it fell into Christian hands several times as a result of the French Crusaders’ conquests in the 13th century. Today, the complex has a modernized appearance.

• Sohag:

• • Sidi Arif Mosque: This 20th-century mosque is one of the most beautiful Islamic temples in Middle Egypt. Its whiteness and harmony of design, with a large central dome and two enormous minarets, are particularly noteworthy.

• Qena:

• • Sidi Abd Er-Rahim Mosque: This city, located near Luxor, is not usually part of the major tourist circuits, but it’s home to some of the most beautiful Muslim temples in Egypt. Among them, Sidi Abd Er-Rahim stands out, with a portico of epigraphic reliefs, a great minaret, and a central dome with zigzag decoration.

• Aswan:

• • Masjed Altabyah Mosque: Of all the mosques in this southern city, this one stands out as being from the beginning of the 19th century. Its two enormous minarets are visible from all over the city.