Zawiya of Moulay Idris II

Last updated
Zawiya of Moulay Idris II
زاوية إدريس الثاني
Zawiya of Moulay Idriss II.jpg
View of the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II.
Religion
Affiliation Islam
Statusactive
Location
Location Fes el-Bali, Fez, Morocco
Geographic coordinates 34°03′53.45″N4°58′29.00″W / 34.0648472°N 4.9747222°W / 34.0648472; -4.9747222
Architecture
Typezawiya, mosque, mausoleum
Style Moroccan (Moorish)
Specifications
Minaret(s)1
Materials brick, wood, stucco, ceramic tiles

The Zawiya of Moulay Idris II is a zawiya (an Islamic shrine and religious complex, also spelled zaouia) in Fez, Morocco. It contains the tomb of Idris II (or Moulay Idris II when including his sharifian title), who ruled Morocco from 807 to 828 and is considered the main founder of the city of Fez. [1] [2] It is located in the heart of Fes el-Bali, the UNESCO-listed old medina of Fez, and is considered one of the holiest shrines in Morocco. [3] [4] The current building experienced a major reconstruction under Moulay Ismail in the early 18th century which gave the sanctuary its overall current form, including the minaret and the mausoleum chamber with its large pyramidal roof.

Contents

Background: Moulay Idris II

The tomb of Idris II in the mausoleum Mausolee de Moulay Idriss II 13102019 004.jpg
The tomb of Idris II in the mausoleum

Idris II, born in 791, was the son and successor of Idris I. Idris I was a descendant of the Muhammad who fled from Abbasid-controlled territory after the Battle of Fakh because he had supported the defeated pro-Shi'a rebels. He used his prestige as a descendant of Muhammad to forge an alliance with local Berbers in 789 and quickly became the most important religious and political leader in the region. He died soon after in 791, just before his son Idris (II) was born. After Idris II officially took over his position as ruler in 803 he significantly expanded the authority of the new Idrisid state. With the help of new Arab immigrants he gained independence from his Berber allies and extended Idrisid control to include most of what is today Morocco and parts of eastern Algeria. [2] As a result, he was of central importance to the early Islamization of Morocco, and arguably the first true "Moroccan" Islamic ruler. [2] He died in 828. [2]

Crucially, Idris II is responsible for moving the capital of his state from Walili (former Volubilis) to what is now Fez, founding in 809 a new city on the west bank of the river across from another settlement on the east bank founded by his father in 789. He and his successors turned Fez into an important capital and urban center of Morocco, and the city accrued prestige with the creation of institutions like the Qarawiyyin Mosque and University in 859. [1] [2] The reputation of Moulay Idris II was maintained and revived over time. He came to be considered the patron saint of the city of Fez and his shrine is one of the holiest in Morocco. [3] [4]

History of the zawiya

The zawiya, marked by its tall minaret, in the heart of Fes el-Bali Zawiya of Moulay Idris II 3.jpg
The zawiya, marked by its tall minaret, in the heart of Fes el-Bali

Early history (9th–13th centuries)

There is little certain information about the shrine before the Marinid dynasty period (14th–15th centuries). The history of both the shrine and the religious culture surrounding it is not clearly traceable until the resurgence of the sharifs (families and dynasties recognized as descending from Muhammad) in Morocco's political and religious life which took place slowly during the Marinid period. [5]

While there is disagreement among sources as to what happened to Idris II's body after his death, most believe that he was buried in the mosque he had built next to his palace of Dar al-Qaytun (House of the Tent) in the center of Fes, possibly in a mausoleum on its eastern side. [5] [6] This building is later referred to as the Shurafa Mosque (or Mosque of the Sharifs), and it served as the early Friday mosque (the main mosque where the Friday sermon, khutba , was delivered) of the city. It could have been built around the same time that Idris II founded his settlement in this area in 808 or 809. [7] : 33, 49  [8] The 11th-century author Al-Bakri described the mosque as consisting of a hypostyle prayer hall with three transverse aisles oriented roughly east-to-west and a large courtyard ( sahn ) planted with olive trees. [8]

During the rivalry between the Umayyads of Cordoba and the Fatimids in the 10th century, Fez and northern Morocco came under the domination of the Zenata Berbers, who deposed the Idrisids in 917–921. [2] Moussa ibn Abi al-'Afya, whom the Zenata placed in charge of Fez, persecuted the descendants of Idris, drove them out of the city, and took measures to discredit their reputation. [5] [9] Among other things, he publicly denied that the Shurafa Mosque contained the real tomb of Idris II, promoting the story (reported in some sources) that Idris II had instead been buried next to his father in the town of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun (about 50 kilometers west of Fez). [5] Finally, at some point around this period the khutba (Friday sermon) was transferred to the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque, thus robbing the Shurafa Mosque of its status as the community's main mosque. This transfer happened either in 919–18 or in 933, both dates right after a brief period of Fatimid domination over the city, which suggests that the transfer may have occurred on Fatimid initiative. [10]

Over the following decades, further regime changes and military interventions by powers from outside Morocco resulted in political instability and the complete disenfranchisement of the Idrisids. [9] In 1069 Fez was conquered by the Almoravids, who promoted a stricter and more orthodox version of Sunni Islam (following the Maliki maddhab) which was hostile to the cult of "saints", [2] resulting in another exodus of the sharifian families from the city. [5] As the Idrisids lost power and Fez came under the control of other rulers who were hostile to their influence, the mosque and the mausoleum were neglected and eventually abandoned, and the cult of Moulay Idris II along with it. [5] [3] [4] By then it was also overshadowed in prestige by the Qarawiyyin, which became the most important institution in Fez. [6] Most of the tombs of saints in the city were also ruined over this time. [5]

Marinid period (14th-16th centuries)

The religious and political importance of the sharifs (Arabs who claimed descent from the Prophet Muhammad) began to be revived and re-elaborated under the Marinid dynasty. Like the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties before them, the Marinids were Berbers rather than Arabs. Unlike these previous dynasties, however, their political legitimacy was not based on a program of religious reform or on a strong role in defending the Muslim frontier in al-Andalus (Spain) at the time. As a result, they sought new bases of legitimacy. Among other means, they did this by constructing many new madrasas promoting the Maliki Sunni maddhab and its scholars (who became their bureaucracy), while at the same time cautiously fostering the various sharifian dynasties and factions inside Morocco for support. [3] [2]

For the Marinids, based in Fez, the Idrisid cult and its association with Fez itself was still seen as a possible threat and their relationship to it was initially tepid and ambivalent. Notably, when the body of Idris I was allegedly rediscovered in Walili (Volubilis) in 1318, which generated excitement among locals, Marinid officials quickly moved to prevent the story from spreading. [3] However, later Marinid rulers changed their attitudes and progressively re-adapted the story of the Idrisids so as to instead highlight the role of the Marinids as their symbolic successors. The Marinids presented themselves as rulers who were reviving and preserving an orthodox Islamic state in Morocco. Accordingly, writers and officials under their rule (and under the later Wattasids) re-emphasized the link between Fez and its Idrisid founders, presenting the former Idrisids as definitively Sunni rulers (despite Idris I having fled to Morocco due to his Shi'a sympathies), and depicting the Marinids as eager endorsers of the cult of Moulay Idris I and Moulay Idris II. [3]

After the roof and walls of the zawiya collapsed altogether in 1308 following a long period of neglect, Marinid officials allowed the mosque to be rebuilt by Idris' descendants, who rebuilt it exactly as it was. [6] [5] A more crucial event, however, happened in 1437: during preparations to restore the building again, a buried body was discovered on site and was recognized by the legal scholars of the time as being the body of Idris II. [3] [2] [6] Chronicles of the event report that Marinid officials were involved in the decision to subsequently re-inter the body at the same site while restoring the zawiya. [5] [4] A marble panel recounting the event was placed on the wall above the tomb and is still visible today. [5] Modern-day scholars doubt the details of this story, [5] but the event nonetheless marks a rise in the prestige of the zawiya. The cult surrounding Moulay Idris II slowly rekindled, and by the 16th century it was strong and even actively encouraged by the Wattasid rulers (the successors to the Marinids), with regular ceremonies taking place around the tomb. [1]

Saadi and Alaouite periods (16th century to present)

View from the courtyard towards the 18th-century minaret and, on the left, the window of the dar al-muwaqqit (chamber of the mosque's timekeeper). The window has a sculpted marble arch believed to be a Saadian spolia taken from Marrakesh and installed here by Sultan Moulay Isma'il. Marokko 2015 023 (20781086208) (edited).jpg
View from the courtyard towards the 18th-century minaret and, on the left, the window of the dar al-muwaqqit (chamber of the mosque's timekeeper). The window has a sculpted marble arch believed to be a Saadian spolia taken from Marrakesh and installed here by Sultan Moulay Isma'il.

At a more national level, the renewed prestige of the sharifs in general was so successful that two sharifian dynasties, the Saadis and the 'Alawis (the current monarchy to this day), subsequently took over and ruled Morocco. The Idrisids, the original sharifian rulers of early Islamic Morocco, fit more easily into the narrative of political legitimacy of these dynasties. Perhaps because of this, numerous contributions to the zawiya were made throughout this time, culminating in a major reconstruction in the early 18th century which gave the sanctuary its overall current form.

View towards al-Qandusi's large 19th-century painting of the word Allah in the courtyard of the zawiya Zawiya moulay idris II and al-Qandusi art DSCF6286.jpg
View towards al-Qandusi's large 19th-century painting of the word Allah in the courtyard of the zawiya

In 1557, the Saadi sultan Mohammad al-Sheikh built a new roof over the mausoleum to make it more monumental. [5] In 1603, the last year of Sultan Ahmad al-Mansour's reign, his son, Emir (prince) Zaydan Abu Maali, added more decoration inside the mausoleum. [5] Shortly after, in 1610 or 1611, at the initiative and expense of a generous private individual named Harun al-Andalusi, a private house next to the mausoleum was purchased and its property converted into a courtyard or sahn for the mosque, while another Saadi official (the qadi al-R'assani al-Andalusi) contributed a fountain for the center of the courtyard. [5] In 1644, another individual (named al-Hadj 'Ali ibn Qasem al-Qumini) contributed funds for embellishing the courtyard and also gifted further items for use in the mausoleum. [5]

Under the Alaouite dynasty, the first Alaouite sultan, Moulay Rashid, made generous donations to the zawiya in 1669. [5] Two other Alaouite officials, in 1679 and in 1714, had new fountains installed and new sources of water redirected to the mosque (in one case, redirected from the Qarawiyyin). [5] Most significantly of all, Moulay Ismail, the powerful and long-reigning Alaouite sultan, had the entire zawiya rebuilt between 1717 and 1720, including the current minaret and the mausoleum chamber with its large pyramidal roof. [4] [5] This gave the complex its current dimensions (or almost) and the overall decoration it has today. In 1824, another Alaouite sultan, 'Abd al-Rahman (or Abderrahman), erected a new mosque extension on a site adjacent to the mausoleum, marking the last significant modification to the structure. [4] [6]

The celebrated Moroccan Sufi calligrapher Muhammad al-Qandusi, who lived in Fes from 1828 until his death in 1861, was responsible for painting the large calligraphic representation of the name Allah on the southern wall of the zawiya's courtyard. [12] [13] [14] Since the 19th century, the zawiya has been restored a few more times. It was renovated in 1956 on the initiative of King Mohammed V and some of the decoration on the outside of the building dates from this time. [6] The complex most recently underwent restoration between 2011 and 2014 under the supervision of architect Rachid Haloui. [15] [16]

Geography

Urban environment

Rooftop view of the dome of the Hammam Moulay Idris, an old hammam near the Nejjarine Museum today which was associated with the zawiya of Moulay Idris II Hammam moulay idris DSCF5488 crop.jpg
Rooftop view of the dome of the Hammam Moulay Idris, an old hammam near the Nejjarine Museum today which was associated with the zawiya of Moulay Idris II

The zawiya's most prominent external features are its minaret, the tallest in the old city of Fez, [4] [6] and the large green-tiled pyramidal roof over the mausoleum chamber. As a result, it is one of the most visible and easily identifiable buildings on the old medina's skyline. Up close, however, the zawiya is often obscured by the narrow lanes and the densely-packed buildings of the old city. On the zawiya's eastern side is a grid-like set of covered streets which make up a bazaar known as the Kissaria (also spelled kisariyya or qaysariyya), historically the central and most prestigious market in the city, situated between the two most important mosques of the city (the Qarawiyyin Mosque and Idris II's mosque/zawiya). [7] Further west, on the south side of Place Nejjarine, is the historic Hammam Moulay Idris which is associated with his tomb and traditionally considered to confer some of its blessings. [17] [7] [18]

The sanctuary (horm)

A wooden bar across this street entrance, near the zawiya, denotes the boundary of the sanctuary. Animals (e.g. mules) were historically not allowed past this point. Portal to the sanctuary area around the Zawiya of Moulay Idriss II.jpg
A wooden bar across this street entrance, near the zawiya, denotes the boundary of the sanctuary. Animals (e.g. mules) were historically not allowed past this point.

Some of the streets around and leading to the zawiya are marked at certain points by a horizontal wooden bar under which pedestrians must duck in order to pass. These denoted the extent of the Zawiya's sanctuary or haram (also horm), a protected and sanctified space. Up until the beginning of the French colonial occupation in 1912, non-Muslims and pack animals (e.g. mules, commonly used in the old city) were forbidden to pass beyond this point, and any Muslim within this space was allowed to claim asylum from arrest or prosecution. [19] [4] [20] Today, non-Muslims are not allowed to enter the building itself but can now walk up to its doors and around its perimeter. [20]

This horm or sanctuary also contains multiple other buildings which were generally included in the habous (endowment) of the zawiya. These include:

The Zawiya of Moulay Idris was not the only one in the city to have the privileged status of a horm. Other major Sufi sanctuaries in the city, often associated with a particular founder, also offered asylum in this way. These other sanctuaries were the Zawiya of Sidi Abdelkader al-Fassi, [21] [22] the Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed esh-Shawi, the Zawiya of Sidi Ali Boughaleb, the Zawiya of Moulay Ahmed es-Skalli, and the Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed at-Tijani. [7] : 600 

Architecture

The most monumental entrance portal of the zawiya building is on its north side, at the foot of the minaret and at the end of a lane leading directly off the major souq street of Tala'a Kebira. This entrance leads into the sahn or main courtyard, which includes a central fountain of white marble dating from the reign of Moulay Ismail (18th century) [4] as well as wall fountains used for ablutions (washing and ritual purification). A large calligraphic representation of the name Allah on the southern wall of the zawiya's courtyard is the work of Muhammad al-Qandusi in the 19th century. [12] [13] [14]

At the south end of the courtyard stands the large mausoleum chamber, where Moulay Idris II's tomb is located. The walls and the mihrab of the chamber are richly decorated with carved and painted stucco, mosaic tiles (zellij), and white and black marble columns. [6] The ceiling of the chamber is a large wooden dome, probably composed of hundreds or thousands of small wooden pieces fitted together to create a star-like pattern, as is typical of Moorish-Moroccan architecture. [23] [24] The tomb itself is covered by a wooden baldaquin incrusted with gold and copper and elaborately decorated with gold Arabic calligraphy. [4] [6] The mausoleum can also be directly accessed through a set of cedar-wood doors on the west side of the building, via an equally richly decorated vestibule. [4] (These doors are also the closest that non-Muslims can get to the Mausoleum's interior. [20] ) The east side of the complex, adjacent to the courtyard and the mausoleum, is a roofed hypostyle space for prayer, including the mosque space built by Sultan Abd al-Rahman in 1824.

A number of ornate marble columns, capitals, and panels throughout the complex, as well as an ornate marble arch for the window of the muwaqqit 's or timekeeper's chamber (Dar al-Muwaqqit) overlooking the courtyard, all appear to be Saadi in origin, probably stripped by Moulay Ismail from Saadi palaces like the famous el-Badi in Marrakech and re-used in new prestigious buildings elsewhere. [11] Another small marble column built into the external southern façade of the mausoleum is likely of Almoravid origin. [25]

There are several smaller entrances and other elements along the outside of the building, usually marked with intricate decoration. Notably, the external south wall of the building features a grilled window which connects directly to the tomb and where passing Muslims can offer short prayers to bless Moulay Idriss II. Next to this, there is also a small slot opening where passersby may give money as zakat (alms) for the zawiya. [4]

Religious practices and ceremonies

The tomb of Moulay Idris II draws Moroccan visitors and pilgrims from all over the country due to its religious and historical importance, and many still come seeking baraka, or blessings, by touching the tomb. [4] The zawiya has for centuries played a role in the yearly celebration of Mouloud (the anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad's birth), notably as the starting point for the procession of the city's artisans' guilds, which still takes place today. [4]

The moussem of Moulay Idris II is the most important moussem (Sufi religious festival) in the city and one of the most important in Morocco. The festival has taken place for hundreds of years and is sponsored by all the traditional merchant and artisan guilds in the city. Each year, all the guilds march through the city together in a procession that culminates at Idris II's mausoleum. Each guild donates gifts to the zawiya. One of them is the keswa, a large textile decorated with Qur'anic verses, that is draped over Idris II's catafalque. The week of the moussem is also marked by other cultural events and entertainment. [26] [27] : 86, 130  [28] [29] [7] : 301–302 

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meknes</span> City in Fès-Meknès, Morocco

Meknes is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco, located in northern central Morocco and the sixth largest city by population in the kingdom. Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, Meknes became the capital of Morocco during the reign of Sultan Ismail Ibn Sharif (1672–1727), son of the founder of the Alaouite dynasty. Sultan Ismail created a massive imperial palace complex and endowed the city with extensive fortifications and monumental gates. The city recorded a population of 632,079 in the 2014 Moroccan census. It is the seat of Meknès Prefecture and an important economic hub in the region of Fès-Meknès.

Idris (I) ibn Abd Allah, also known as Idris the Elder, was a Hasanid and the founder of the Idrisid dynasty in part of northern Morocco, after fleeing the Hejaz as a result of the Battle of Fakhkh. He ruled from 788 to 791. He is credited with founding the dynasty that established Moroccan statehood, and is regarded as the founding father of Morocco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of al-Qarawiyyin</span> University in Fez, Morocco

The University of al-Qarawiyyin, also written Al-Karaouine or Al Quaraouiyine, is a university located in Fez, Morocco. It was founded as a mosque by Fatima al-Fihri in 857–859 and subsequently became one of the leading spiritual and educational centers of the Islamic Golden Age. It was incorporated into Morocco's modern state university system in 1963 and officially renamed "University of Al Quaraouiyine" two years later. The mosque building itself is also a significant complex of historical Moroccan and Islamic architecture that features elements from many different periods of Moroccan history. Scholars consider al-Qarawiyyin to have been effectively run as a madrasa until after World War II. Many scholars distinguish this status from the status of "university", which they view as a distinctly European invention. They date al-Qarawiyyin's transformation from a madrasa into a university to its modern reorganization in 1963. UNESCO and the Guinness World Records, have cited al-Qarawiyyin as the oldest university or oldest continually operating higher learning institution in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Idrisid dynasty</span> 788–974 Arab dynasty ruling Morocco

The Idrisid dynasty or Idrisids were an Arab Muslim dynasty from 788 to 974, ruling most of present-day Morocco and parts of present-day western Algeria. Named after the founder, Idris I, the Idrisids were an Alid dynasty descended from Muhammad through his grandson Hasan. The Idrisids are traditionally considered to be the founders of the first Moroccan state, setting the stage for subsequent dynasties and states centered in this region. Their reign played an important role in the early Islamization of Morocco and also presided over an increase in Arab immigration and Arabization in major urban centers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moulay Idriss Zerhoun</span> Place in Fès-Meknès, Morocco

Moulay Idriss, Moulay Driss Zerhoun or simply Zerhoun is a town in the Fès-Meknès region of northern Morocco, spread over two hills at the base of Mount Zerhoun. It is famous for being the site of the tomb of Idris I, the first major Islamic ruler of Morocco, after whom the town is named. It is located near Meknes and overlooks the ruins of Volubilis a few kilometers away.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fes el Bali</span> UNESCO World Heritage Site in Fez, Morocco

Fes el Bali is the oldest walled part of Fez, the second largest city of Morocco. Fes el Bali was founded as the capital of the Idrisid dynasty between 789 and 808 AD. UNESCO listed Fes el Bali, along with Fes Jdid, as a World Heritage Site in 1981 under the name Medina of Fez. The World Heritage Site includes Fes el Bali's urban fabric and walls as well as a buffer zone outside of the walls that is intended to preserve the visual integrity of the location. Fes el Bali is, along with Fes Jdid and the French-created Ville Nouvelle or “New Town”, one of the three main districts in Fez.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dar al-Muwaqqit</span> Type of structure attached to a mosque

A Dar al-Muwaqqit, or muvakkithane in Turkish, is a room or structure accompanying a mosque which was used by the muwaqqit or timekeeper, an officer charged with maintaining the correct times of prayer and communicating them to the muezzin. Dar al-Muwaqqit was the Arabic term given to such structures added to many mosques in Morocco from the Marinid period onward. In the Ottoman Empire the equivalent of such structures were known in Turkish as a muvakkithane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fez, Morocco</span> City in Fez-Meknes, Morocco

Fez or Fes is a city in northern inland Morocco and the capital of the Fez-Meknes administrative region. It is one of the largest cities in Morocco, with a population of 1.256 million, according to the 2024 census. Located to the northwest of the Atlas Mountains, it is surrounded by hills and the old city is centered around the Fez River flowing from west to east. Fez has been called the "Mecca of the West" and the "Athens of Africa". It is also considered the spiritual and cultural capital of Morocco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mosque of the Andalusians</span> Mosque in Fez, Morocco

The Mosque of the Andalusians or Al-Andalusiyyin Mosque, sometimes also called the Andalusian Mosque, is a major historic mosque in Fes el Bali, the old medina quarter of Fez, Morocco. The mosque was founded in 859–860, making it one of the oldest mosques in Morocco. It is located at the heart of a district which was historically associated with Andalusi immigrants, from which it takes its name. It has been renovated and expanded several times since then. Today, it is one of the relatively few remaining Idrisid-era establishments and one of the main landmarks of the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani</span> Religious site in Fez, Morocco

The Zawiya of Sidi Ahmed al-Tijani, Zawiya Tijaniya Al Koubra is a Sufi zawiya, an Islamic religious complex building for education and commemoration, in Fez, Morocco. The building is located in Fes el Bali, the old medina quarter of the city. More specifically, it is situated in the Al-Blida neighborhood, close to the University of Al Quaraouiyine. It is dedicated to the founder of the Tijaniyyah order from the 18th century, Sheikh Ahmad al-Tijani who is buried in the site, which is a pilgrimage site for followers of the order during the period of Mawlid al-Nabi from all over the world, including Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Sub-Saharan Africa, especially Senegal. It is one of several other zawiyas dedicated to al-Tijani. The complex is distinguishable from highly ornamented facades facing the street, and a minaret in turquoise color.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R'cif Mosque</span> Mosque in Fez, Morocco

The R'cif Mosque is a Friday mosque in Fes el-Bali, the old city (medina) of Fez, Morocco. It has one of the tallest minarets in the city and overlooks Place R'cif in the heart of the medina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chrabliyine Mosque</span> Mosque in Fez, Morocco

The Chrabliyine Mosque is a Marinid-era mosque in Fez, Morocco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Architecture of Fez</span>

The architecture of Fez, Morocco, reflects the wider trends of Moroccan architecture dating from the city's foundation in the late 8th century and up to modern times. The old city (medina) of Fes, consisting of Fes el-Bali and Fes el-Jdid, is notable for being an exceptionally well-preserved medieval North African city and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A large number of historic monuments from different periods still exist in it today, including mosques, madrasas, synagogues, hammams (bathhouses), souqs (markets), funduqs (caravanserais), defensive walls, city gates, historic houses, and palaces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Mosque of Meknes</span> Mosque in Meknes, Morocco

The Grand Mosque of Meknes is the historic main mosque of the old city (medina) of Meknes, Morocco. It is the largest and most important mosque in the old city and one of its oldest monuments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tala'a Kebira</span> Street in Fez, Morocco

Tala'a Kebira is one of the longest and most important streets in Fes el-Bali, the old city (medina) of Fes, Morocco. The street runs roughly east to west, starting near the Bab Bou Jeloud and Bab Mahrouk gates in the west and ending at the al-Attarine Madrasa in the east, near the Qarawiyyin Mosque. It constitutes one of the main souq streets in the old city and a number of important historic monuments are built along it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Mosque of Fes el-Jdid</span> Mosque in Fez, Morocco

The Great Mosque of Fes el-Jdid is the historic main Friday mosque of Fes el-Jdid, the royal city and Marinid-era citadel of Fes, Morocco. It is believed to have been founded in 1276, around the same time that the city itself was founded, making it the oldest mosque in Fes el-Jdid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zawiya of Sidi Bel Abbes</span> Religious building in Marrakesh, Morocco

The Zawiya of Sidi Bel Abbes or Zaouia of Sidi Bel-Abbès is an Islamic religious complex (zawiya) in Marrakesh, Morocco. The complex is centered around the mausoleum of Abu al-Abbas as-Sabti, a Sufi teacher who died in 1204. He is the most venerated of the Seven Saints of Marrakesh, generally considered the "patron saint" of the city. The zawiya's architecture dates in part to the late Saadian period but has been modified and restored multiple times since then.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kissariat al-Kifah</span> Bazaar in Fez, Morocco

The Kissariat al-Kifah or Kissaria (القيسارية) is the historic central bazaar of Fes el-Bali, the historic old city of Fez, Morocco. It is located between the Zawiya of Moulay Idris II and the Qarawiyyin Mosque.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Fez</span>

The History of Fez begins with its foundation by Idris I and Idris II at the end of the 8th century and the beginning of the 9th century CE. It initially consisted of two autonomous and competing settlements on opposing shores of what is now known as the Oued Fes. Initially inhabited by a largely Berber (Amazigh) population, successive waves of mainly Arab immigrants from Ifriqiya (Tunisia) and al-Andalus (Spain/Portugal) over time gave the nascent city an Arab character as well. After the downfall of the Idrisid dynasty, it was contested between different Zenata groups allied with either the Fatimid Caliphate or the Umayyad Caliphate of Cordoba. In the 11th century the Almoravid sultan Yusuf ibn Tashfin conquered the region and united its two settlements into what is today the Fes el-Bali quarter. Under the rule of the Almoravids and of the Almohads after them, despite losing the status of capital to Marrakesh, the city remained the economic and political center of northern Morocco and gained a reputation for religious scholarship and mercantile activity.

The Madrasa of Fes el-Jdid, also known as the Madrasa of Dar al-Makhzen, was a 14th-century madrasa built by the Marinid dynasty in the Fes el-Jdid quarter of Fez, Morocco. The madrasa was later converted into a mosque and integrated into the expanded Dar al-Makhzen of Fez, where it still stands today.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Fes". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. 3 Mar. 2007
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Abun-Nasr, Jamil (1987). A history of the Maghrib in the Islamic period. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN   0521337674.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lintz, Yannick; Déléry, Claire; Tuil Leonetti, Bulle (2014). Le Maroc médiéval: Un empire de l'Afrique à l'Espagne. Paris: Louvre éditions. pp. 432–435. ISBN   9782350314907.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Métalsi, Mohamed (2003). Fès: La ville essentielle. Paris: ACR Édition Internationale. pp. 192–194. ISBN   978-2867701528.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Gaudio, Attilio (1982). Fès: Joyau de la civilisation islamique. Paris: Les Presse de l'UNESCO: Nouvelles Éditions Latines. pp. 123–131. ISBN   2723301591.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Mezzine, Mohamed. "Mulay Idris Mausoleum". Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Le Tourneau, Roger (1949). Fès avant le protectorat: étude économique et sociale d'une ville de l'occident musulman. Casablanca: Société Marocaine de Librairie et d'Édition.
  8. 1 2 El Khammar, Abdeltif (2005). Mosquées et oratoires de Meknès (IXe–XVIIIe siècle): géographie religieuse, architecture et problème de la Qibla (PhD thesis) (in French). Université Lumière-Lyon 2. p. 535.
  9. 1 2 Rivet, Daniel (2012). Histoire du Maroc: de Moulay Idris à Mohammed VI. Fayard. pp. 88–92. ISBN   9782213638478.
  10. ↑ Terrasse, Henri (1968). La Mosquée al-Qaraouiyin à Fès; avec une étude de Gaston Deverdun sur les inscriptions historiques de la mosquée. Paris: Librairie C. Klincksieck. p. 12.
  11. 1 2 Salmon, Xavier (2016). Marrakech: Splendeurs saadiennes: 1550–1650. Paris: LienArt. pp. 264–272. ISBN   9782359061826.
  12. 1 2 Skali, Faouzi (2007). Saints et sanctuaires de Fés. Marsam. p. 185. ISBN   9789954210864.
  13. 1 2 Murner, Clara. "Al-Qandusi, le calligraphe au miroir du Prophète". SaphirNews.com | Quotidien d'actualité sur le fait musulman en France (in French). Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  14. 1 2 "Muhammad al-Qandusi". Awliya Map. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  15. ↑ "Fès : La restauration du mausolée Moulay Driss piétine". L'Economiste (in French). 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  16. ↑ "Les travaux de restauration du mausolée Moulay Idriss". www.monarchitecte.ma. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  17. ↑ Sibley, Magda; Jackson, Iain (2012). "The architecture of Islamic public baths of North Africa and the Middle East: an analysis of their internal spatial configurations". Architectural Research Quarterly. 16 (2): 155–170. doi:10.1017/S1359135512000462. S2CID   111065262.
  18. ↑ Secret, Edm. (1942). "Les hammams de Fes" (PDF). Bulletin de l'Institut d'Hygiène du Maroc. 2: 61–78.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bressolette, Henri (2016). A la découverte de Fès. L'Harmattan. ISBN   978-2343090221.
  20. 1 2 3 The Rough Guide to Morocco. London: Rough Guides. 2016. p. 174. ISBN   9780241236680.
  21. ↑ Skali, Faouzi (2007). Saints et sanctuaires de Fés. Marsam. pp. 61–62. ISBN   9789954210864.
  22. ↑ Fès et sainteté, de la fondation à l'avènement du Protectorat (808–1912): Hagiographie, tradition spirituelle et héritage prophétique dans la ville de Mawlāy Idrīs. Rabat: Centre Jacques-Berque. 2014. ISBN   9791092046175.
  23. ↑ Barrucand, Marianne; Bednorz, Achim (2007). Moorish Architecture in Andalucia . Taschen. ISBN   9783822831038.
  24. ↑ Dodds, Jerrilynn D., ed. (1992). Al-Andalus: The art of Islamic Spain. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. ISBN   0870996371.
  25. ↑ Salmon, Xavier (2021). Fès mérinide: Une capitale pour les arts, 1276–1465. Lienart. pp. 29–30. ISBN   9782359063356.
  26. ↑ The Rough Guide to Morocco (12th ed.). Rough Guides. 2019. pp. 43–44, 186.
  27. ↑ Gaudio, Attilio (1982). Fès: Joyau de la civilisation islamique. Paris: Les Presses de l'Unesco: Nouvelles Éditions Latines. ISBN   2723301591.
  28. ↑ "Moussem of Moulay Idriss – Regional Council of Tourism FEZ" . Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  29. ↑ "Fès : Ouverture du Moussem annuel de Moulay Idriss Al Azhar". LesEco.ma (in French). 2019-09-26. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.