also called the Taj al-Jawame’ (Arabic: تاج الجوامِع, lit. ’Crown of Mosques’),[1] or Masjid Ahl ar-Rayah (Arabic: مسجد اهل الرّاية, lit. ’Mosque of the Banner Bearers’),[2] or Jame’ al-Ateeq (Arabic: جامِع العتِيق, lit. ’the Old Mosque’),[3] was originally built in 641–642 AD, as the center of the newly founded capital of Egypt, Fustat. The original structure was the first mosque ever built in Egypt and the whole of Africa.[4] For 600 years, the mosque was also an important center of Islamic learning until Al-Muizz’s Al-Azhar Mosque in Islamic Cairo replaced it.[1] Through the twentieth century, it was the fourth largest mosque in the Islamic world.[5]
The location for the mosque was the site of the tent of the commander of the Muslim army, general Amr ibn al-As. One corner of the mosque contains the tomb of his son, ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As. Due to extensive reconstruction over the centuries nothing of the original building remains, but the rebuilt Mosque is a prominent landmark and can be seen in what today is known as Old Cairo. It is an active mosque with a devout congregation, and when prayers are not taking place, it is also open to visitors and tourists.[6]
Note : Old Cairo area we can do it in the time because all in same area we can spend there around 3 hours