Photos: Egypt Reopens Sayyida Zeinab Mosque After Restoration

The Sayyida Zeinab Mosque has undergone an extensive restoration which began in 2022, and has now been reopened to the public. Located at the heart of Cairo's Sayyida Zeinab neighbourhood, the mosque has been restored to its former glory with its external façade, interior shrines and halls, as well as the intricate architectural decorations that adorn the place of worship.

The mosque is named after Al Sayyida Zeinab bint Ali, the daughter of Imam Ali, the fourth Caliph. Though the history of the mosque remains somewhat of a mystery, most estimates suggest that it was first built in 1154 CE and later rebuilt in 1874. This latest restoration prepares one of the city's most important mosques for Eid Al Fitr after the holy month of Ramadan.

Lady Zainab, the granddaughter of the Messenger of God, willingly came to Egypt, and the people of Egypt received her warmly. The governor of Egypt at that time gave her his entire palace to live in, but she was content with only one room in the palace. She resided in it and made it a place for her worship and asceticism. 

After her death, this room turned into her place of worship, and she recommended before her death that the rest of the palace be turned into a mosque. Her wishes were respected, and the governor's palace was transformed into the Sayeda Zainab Mosque. 

Nowadays, the Sayyida Zainab Mosque is considered one of the most important mosques in Egypt, along with the Mosque of Our Master Al-Hussein bin Ali and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif Mosque.