About Al-Hakim Mosque:
- Location: It is a historical mosque located in Cairo, Egypt.
- It is named after Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah (985–1021 AD), the sixth Fatimid caliph.
- The mosque was originally built by the Fatimid vizier Gawhar Al-Siqilli, but was incorporated into the extended fortifications built by Badr al-Jamali at the end of the 11th century AD.
- The mosque was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
- Architecture:
- The mosque is constructed of brick with stone facades and minarets.
- The plan of the mosque consists of a triangle with four arcades centering a courtyard. Two minarets flank either side of the façade.
- Originally built outside Cairo’s northern wall, the mosque was incorporated within the city in 1087, transforming its own northern wall and minarets into an integral part of the fortifications.
- The main entrance lies on the western facade of the mosque and is monumental in size and design. It is one of the oldest architectural examples of projecting entrances.
Who are the Dawoodi Bohra community?
- Dawoodi Bohra community is a sect within Shia Islam known for trading and business acumen.
- India is known to have around 500,000 Bohras, including the diasporas spread across the world.
- A large number of the Dawoodi Bohra population reside in India, Yemen, Pakistan and East Africa.
- The Dawoodi Bohras also regard the Quran as the word of Allah as revealed to Prophet Mohammed al-Mustafa, and their lives revolve around its teachings.
- The Dawoodi Bohras throughout the world are guided by their leader, known as the al-dai al-mutlaq (unrestricted missionary), who first operated from Yemen and then, for the last 450 years, from India.
