In the Presence of al-Imam al-Layth and Yahya al-Shabih: A Tour through the Southern Cemetery

“It is remarkable for being built-up with mosques and inhabited shrines in which lodge strangers, learned men, the good and the sufis”

This is how the Andalusian traveller Ibn Jubayr described the cemetery known as al-Qarafa during his visit to Cairo in 1183. He describes a cemetery unlike any other burial ground in the Islamic world, even before the golden age of Mamluk architecture.

In our upcoming tour, we return to the earliest beginnings of al-Qarafa, dating back to the time of Ibn Tulun, a period marked by strength and independence from the caliphate despite its short duration, and then to the Fatimid era, which left a profound and lasting impression on Egyptians.

We begin our tour at the mosque of the great Egyptian imam, known as the fifth of the imams: al-Imam al-Layth. Al-Imam al-Shafi‛i described al-Imam al-Layth as “more knowledgeable than Malik, but his companions did not preserve his teachings.”

From there, we walk through the streets of al-Qarafa of the two Imams, passing the Fatimid shrines and tombs of Ahl al-Bayt, who found refuge in Egypt during the events of the Great Fitna.
We conclude our tour at the splendid ribbed Fatimid dome of Yahya al-Shabih, one of Ahl al-Bayt. A site that has been a destination for Egyptians across centuries, it is a place filled with prayers and supplications. This dome has been brought back to life by the conservation efforts of the Athar Lina Heritage and Climate Project – ERTH, and now it once again welcomes visitors as it did in the past.

Time and Date: Saturday, 29th November, from 9:45 AM to 12 PM
Tour Guide: Maissa Moustafa

Meeting Point:Mosque of al-Imam al-Layth
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3aJGLho2pqWGUZsL7

This tour is for Free, just register to secure your spot.
The tour will be conducted in Arabic.
Register here

The tour is part of ERTH II Project, run by Megawra’s Athar Lina Initiative under the supervision of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, with funding from the British Council’s CulturalProtectionFund, in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

About Maissa Moustafa:

Maissa Moustafa, PhD., is a history and cultural heritage researcher with a background in Egyptology who expertly weaves intriguing tales of history, contemporary culture, and folklore in her guided walks. She also lectures on a variety of topics within the fields of Egyptology, tourism, heritage awareness and cultural preservation