Al-Maqam Mosque

Al-Maqam Mosque
Arabic: جامعة المقام
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Mosque
Status	Active
Location
Location	Basra, Iraq
Location in Iraq
Geographic coordinates	30.5217°N 47.8373°E / 30.5217; 47.8373
Architecture
Type	Islamic architecture
Creator	Ottomans
Completed	1754 CE
Specifications
Capacity	500 worshipers
Interior area	600 square metres (6,500 sq ft)
Dome(s)	2
Minaret(s)	2
Minaret height	25 metres (82 ft)

Al-Maqam Mosque (Arabic: جامعة المقام) is a historic mosque in the city of Basra, Iraq. It is located in the Al-'Ashara region.

Description

The word in Arabic: مقام, lit. 'Maqam' means "shrine", and it is believed that the site was originally a place of shrine, but the views are divided on who was being commemorated. According to an account by Muhammad Sadiq al-Hakim in his documentation, the shrine dated back to the year 772, and it was established by the descendant of Islamic prophet Muhammad and the eighth Shia imam Ali al-Ridha when he visited Basra from Medina.

The construction of the mosque itself dates back to 1754 by the Ottomans. It was among the largest mosques during the time, with the area size of 600 square metres (6,500 sq ft) and the haram having capacity of 500 worshipers. The building is made of brick and constructed in the older Islamic architectural style. One of the domes is painted in blue, and the verses from the Dhikir al-Hakim inscribed on it. The minaret height reaches 25 metres (82 ft). The mosque was renovated in 1922 by the Ministry of Awqaf, during which the inner wall was fixed and the outer wall was added on the outside of the courtyard. Subsequently, the mosque has been directly connected to the Shatt al-Arab. There are two libraries adjacent to the mosque, one on the first floor which stores Quran and books for dawah, and another on the second floor which was newly founded and named as the Library of Imam Ali bin Musa al-Ridha.

See also

• Islam in Iraq
• List of mosques in Iraq