The restoration of some of Egypt’s oldest mosques has drawn sharp criticism from a number of prominent architectural experts over what they call an erosion of heritage.
The mosques of Sayyida Nafisa, which was inaugurated earlier this month by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, and Al Aqmar, which opened for visitors earlier this week, are on prominent Shiite sites that date back to the Fatimid dynasty.
Sayyida Nafisa Mosque is particularly significant because it is where one of the Prophet Mohammed’s direct descendants is buried.
Funded by the Bohra, a denomination of Shiite Islam, the majority of whom reside in India and Pakistan, the restorations were overseen by the Armed Forces Engineering Authority and the Egyptian ministries of Awqaf (religious endowments) and Tourism & Antiquities.
In the case of Sayyida Nafisa Mosque, Omneya Abdel Bar, an archaeological researcher at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, singles out the removal of a silver door through which the mausoleum of the Prophet Mohammed’s great-great-great granddaughter Nafisa bint Al Hasan Al Anwar could be reached, as one way that the mosque’s identity has been altered.
The removal of chandeliers of Turkish origin was also highlighted by Ms Abdel Bar as a distortion of the mosque’s heritage.
Furthermore, two plaques, commemorating separate restorations of the mosque, one under the rule of Abbas Helmy II, the last khedive of Egypt, and another when Anwar Sadat was president, were removed during the latest renovation.
The removal of the plaques was criticised for erasing aspects of Egypt’s history that were woven into the mosque over the centuries.
Spotlights placed along the ceiling of the mosque were criticised by experts including the writer Mahmoud Marzouk, who said: “Lighting systems in archaeological sites must be studied and set up according to scientific principles. It does not make sense to place spotlights in such a way.”
Restoration row
Meanwhile, others drew a sharp distinction between restoration and redevelopment.
According to heritage researcher Hossam Zidan, to restore the mosque would have meant repair any damage and returning it to its previous state. Restorations do not include the addition of new parts that change the original structure’s identity, he argued.
What happened at Sayyida Zeinab Mosque is more akin to redevelopment, Mr Zidan said, pointing out the addition of new decorative inscriptions that are not of a characteristically Egyptian style. He said this essentially distorted the heritage of the mosque.
The criticism comes just over a year after the restoration of Al Hussein Mosque, one of Cairo’s most important Islamic sites and where the Prophet Mohammed’s grandson is buried. That effort was also lambasted over permanent changes to the structure and its grounds that many thought were unnecessary and damaging.
The removal of many large palm trees from the grounds of Al Hussein Mosque to make way for a gift shop and expanded security gates was also criticised by conservationists who argued that the trees had been there to soak up groundwater, which would thereafter seep into the old rock of the heritage sites in the area and damage them.
The removal of green spaces has long been a point of contention in projects in which the Egyptian Armed Forces’ Engineering Authority is involved.
Last year a number of residents of the Nile island of Zamalek staged a protest to decry the removal of a large riverside park to make way for a multi-storey garage project funded by the authority.
New city controversy
Mohamed Aboul Ghar, a prominent political activist, in a scathing Facebook post drew a distinction between the architectural style of new cities built in Egypt under President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, such as the New Administrative Capital and New Alamein, and that of Cairo's old quarters.
"A call to Egyptian leadership, the people of Cairo and Alexandria would like you to relocate to the New Capital and New Alamein and enjoy the glittering marble, the Iconic Tower, and the seaside skyscrapers as you pray in the largest mosque or church," he wrote. "Leave the old Cairo and Alexandria to us so that we may repair what you have ruined."
The National also spoke to Abou Bakr Ahmed, a tourism and antiquities official who oversees restoration in Islamic Cairo.
He said that although the Antiquities Ministry’s involvement with restoration was minimal because sites related to the Prophet Mohammed’s family are under the jurisdiction of the Awqaf Ministry, all changes were made following rigorous efforts to preserve heritage.
The Al Hussein restoration, in addition to the Sayyida Nafisa project, was headed by Jackline Samir, a Coptic architect who has become a controversial figure over the past week following the negative response to the work carried out.
Ms Samir gave a series of television interviews in which she defended her work on Al Hussein and Sayyida Nafisa, saying work was carried out after rigorous studies. Her interviews were met with further criticism.
While her choice to lead the project was hailed by many, including journalist Shenouda Victor Fahmy, as a win for religious harmony in Egypt and a sign that its various religious groups are able to overcome sectarian differences, others questioned her proficiency as an architect.
“I do not mind that a Coptic architect should lead the restoration of a mosque provided she is well-versed in what she is doing. Let us not forget the Coptic architect Al Farghani who built the Ibn Touloun mosque which is still standing 1,100 years after it was built,” said Wael Abbas, a political commentator and journalist in a Facebook post.
However, more conservative commentators rejected the idea of a Coptic restoring such an important Islamic site.
Meanwhile, others argued that because the restoration was funded by the Bohras, preserving Egypt’s identity was not a priority.
Indeed, Ms Abdel Bar said that following the removal of the plaques bearing the names of Abbas Helmy II and Sadat, the only plaque that remains is one bearing the name of the Bohra Sultan.
The restoration of the Al Aqmar, a 900-year-old Fatimid mosque in Islamic Cairo, was also criticised, to a lesser degree perhaps due to it being less prominent than Sayyida Nafisa.
Mr Ahmed defended Al Aqmar’s restoration, which fell under the Antiquities Ministry’s jurisdiction, asserting it was carried out after meticulous planning.
De De Pyaar De
Produced: Luv Films, YRF Films
Directed: Akiv Ali
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Rakul Preet Singh, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jaaved Jaffrey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
The%20Roundup
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Lee%20Sang-yong%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Ma%20Dong-seok%2C%20Sukku%20Son%2C%20Choi%20Gwi-hwa%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The view from The National
Mission%3A%20Impossible%20-%20Dead%20Reckoning%20Part%20One
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Christopher%20McQuarrie%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tom%20Cruise%2C%20Hayley%20Atwell%2C%20Pom%20Klementieff%2C%20Simon%20Pegg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
TICKETS
For tickets for the two-day Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) event, entitled Dubai Invasion 2019, on September 27 and 28 go to www.meraticket.com.
The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
Manchester United's summer dealings
In
Victor Lindelof (Benfica) £30.7 million
Romelu Lukaku (Everton) £75 million
Nemanja Matic (Chelsea) £40 million
Out
Zlatan Ibrahimovic Released
Wayne Rooney (Everton) Free transfer
Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad) £9.8 million
TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
Brief scores:
Juventus 3
Dybala 6', Bonucci 17', Ronaldo 63'
Frosinone 0
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
More from Aya Iskandarani
The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 611bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
Saturday's schedule at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 race, 12:30pm
Formula 1 final practice, 2pm
Formula 1 qualifying, 5pm
Formula 2 race, 6:40pm
Performance: Sam Smith
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Medicus AI
Started: 2016
Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh
Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai
Sector: Health Tech
Staff: 119
Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)
Turning%20waste%20into%20fuel
%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
More from Armen Sarkissian
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Honeymoonish
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elie%20El%20Samaan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENour%20Al%20Ghandour%2C%20Mahmoud%20Boushahri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures and results:
Monday, UAE won by three wickets
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
Closing the loophole on sugary drinks
As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.
The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.
Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed:
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en