The Western Hanbali Mosque

Description of the site: Historical sources mentioned the mosque as the Western Mosque; due to its location in the western part of the Old City, after several imams following the Hanbali school of thought succeeded in leading and supervising it, it became known as the Hanbali Mosque, and it is still preserving this tradition that was inherited by the Hanbali-Nabulsi family. It directly overlooks the most important markets of the city, which are Khan Al-Tujar and Al-Khan Street. Hence, most worshipers in this mosque are traders and shoppers from the city’s residents and visitors.The mosque was established during the Mamluk period during the mandate of Sultan Muhammad bin Qalawun in 1309-1343 AD. While in the Ottoman period, it was reconstructed during the mandate of Sultan Muhammad Rashad V in 1911 AD. Later, in 2011 AD, the Ministry of Awqaf carried out restoration and expansion works on the western side of the mosque, where several rooms and domes were added adjacent to the mosque, and the dam above the northern gallery was removed. This mosque was likely built over buildings dating back to the Roman and Byzantine periods, and this is evident from the crossed columns and arches that support the roof, and from the crowned columns, some of which are Corinthian.During the restoration process in the mosque in 2011 AD, a stone column was uncovered in the western facade bearing an inscription dating back to the Byzantine period, where the Roman stones were reused in the southern wall of the mosque. The total area of the mosque is about 1,500 square meters, consisting of three halls separated by ten huge marble columns.The mosque has two eastern and northern gates, and on the southern facade, there are three niches for the Qiblah dedicated to the educational sessions of the three schools approved in the city. The largest and most beautiful of these niches is the central one, on both sides of which are two marble columns topped by a stone arch of fine engravings, while the two side niches were smaller and less important than the central niche. And on the same Qibla wall is a beautiful stone podium that includes prominent floral and geometric decorations on both sides. And at the end of its wall from the western side, there is a room where prophetic poetry is preserved. The northwestern part of the mosque is dedicated to ablution facilities and bathrooms. The ablution facilities and their equivalents at the western end of the prayer house, are surmounted by a dam designated as a prayer chamber for women.The importance of the mosque was increased by its embrace of the prophetic poems that were gifted to the city by the Ottoman Sultan Muhammad Rashad V. It was received by a procession of the city’s notables in 1911 AD, including Rashid Al-Bitar, who was entrusted with the task of preserving the poetry. Since then, the Al-Bitar family has assumed the task of maintaining it. The city has continued to celebrate annually by showing poetry on the night of the twenty-seventh of Ramadan, as a religious festive appearance in which the Sufi group comes out with their flags and banners. The mosque is filled with worshipers from the city's people and outside, to celebrate this religious occasion.