Egypt’s tourism and antiquities minister inaugurated the newly restored dome of the Imam Al Shafi'i Mosque in Old Cairo on Sunday in celebration of World Heritage Day.
A prominent Ayyubid landmark of Islamic Cairo, the Imam Al Shafi’i mosque reopened in November after a three-year renovation.
The dome, which predates the mosque by a few centuries, required more extensive work.
The contract for the extensive restoration of the mosque and the dome, a joint effort by the ministries of tourism and awqaf, or religious endowments, was awarded to the state-owned Arab Contractors Company.
Tourism Minister Khaled El Anany said his ministry oversaw the decorative and cultural restoration while the Awqaf Ministry provided the funding.
The work on the mosque alone cost 13 million Egyptian pounds ($829,000), the Tourism Ministry said.
The dome suffered a great deal of wear and tear over the years because of its location in a densely populated and badly polluted area of Cairo.
Both the interior and exterior of the dome were restored under the supervision of tourism ministry experts in Islamic culture and architecture.
The work was carried by a large crew of technicians working with materials including wood, stucco, coloured marble and metal.
A new drainage system was installed to prevent water damage to the structure, and a new lighting system was added for decorative purposes.
The structural work included treating many cracks in the walls, floors and ceilings, and the replacement of fixtures on the dome, such as its lead cladding, because they were beyond repair.
The dome is inscribed with Quranic text including excerpts from Ayat Al Kursi (Verse of the Throne), one of the holiest verses in the Islamic faith.
Restoration of the inscriptions had to be handled with care because of the age of the structure.
The mosque is named after one of the most important imams of Sunni Islam, Muhammad ibn Idris Al Shafi'i, whose remains are housed in a mausoleum at the dome.
An Islamic scholar and theologian, Al Shafi’i was the first contributor to the principles of Islamic jurisprudence and the founder of the Shafi’i school, or madhab, one of the four most important schools of thought on Islamic law.
Al Shafi’i lived in the 8th and 9th centuries, and the dome was built in 1212 by the Ayyubid Sultan Al Kamil in his honour.
The mosque’s construction came a few centuries later during the reign of Khedive Tawfiq in 1892.
The mosque’s facelift was a cornerstone of the government's renovation for a large section of Cairo for the opening of the nearby National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation this month.
The opening was marked by the transfer of 22 royal mummies to its halls from the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square in a grand parade.
The museum is on the banks of the Ain Al Sira lake, which was an entirely different space a few years ago when it was still inhabited by thousands of Cairo’s poorest.
The lake has received one of the most intensive makeovers the Egyptian capital has seen in years, turning it into a clean space with restaurants, cafes, artisanal stores and a walkway.
Mr El Anany has been one of the most outspoken voices for the renovation of Cairo’s Islamic and Coptic districts, most of which are in Old Cairo, also known as Historic Cairo.
He said one of his ministry’s main goals is to highlight Egypt’s non-pharaonic heritage sites, which are often overlooked by tourists eager to visit the pyramids and other ancient attractions for which the country is better known.
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Medinet Habu and Colossi of Memnon - Egyptian archaeology in pictures
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) | US$95,000 | (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) ) | $175,000) | (Turf) 1,600m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 3 (TB) ) | $300,000) | (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Curlin Handicap Listed (TB)) | $160,000) | (D) 2,000m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB)) | $175,000) | (T) 1,400m
10pm: Handicap (TB) ) | $135,000 ) | (T) 2,000m
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Arrogate's winning run
1. Maiden Special Weight, Santa Anita Park, June 5, 2016
2. Allowance Optional Claiming, Santa Anita Park, June 24, 2016
3. Allowance Optional Claiming, Del Mar, August 4, 2016
4. Travers Stakes, Saratoga, August 27, 2016
5. Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Park, November 5, 2016
6. Pegasus World Cup, Gulfstream Park, January 28, 2017
7. Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, March 25, 2017
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
LOVE%20AGAIN
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Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
Blonde
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WIDE%20VIEW
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The five pillars of Islam
The lowdown
Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Rating: 3/5
Everybody%20Loves%20Touda
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MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
HAJJAN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Abu%20Bakr%20Shawky%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3EStarring%3A%20Omar%20Alatawi%2C%20Tulin%20Essam%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al-Hasawi%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
Tell Me Who I Am
Director: Ed Perkins
Stars: Alex and Marcus Lewis
Four stars
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP
Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan
Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20Roundup
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