Al-Hadi Mosque: Distinguished Islamic Architecture [Archives:2001/01/Culture]

The al-Hadi mosque is a unique architectural attraction in Sa’ada City to the north of Yemen. The city was founded by Yahya bin al-Hussain bin al-Kasem who is also the founder of the Ziyadid Dynasty in Yemen.
The mosque was established late at the end of the third century of Hejira, when al-Imam al-Hadi saw, according to some historians, at one night a light twinkling at that place, in the center of Sa’ada.
Al-Hadi lived in the old city of Sa’ada located below Telmass mountain. However, he passed away before finalizing the mosque. The size of the mosque at the time was stretching from al-Hadi’s doom in the south and to Ahmed bin Kasem’s doom in the east.
The mosque extracted different styles from all the Islamic architecture for its walls which have never undergone renovation that deforms its traditional peculiarities. Near to the mosque, door-to-door rooms were built, called mash-had, in which the Imam Hadi bin al-Kasem was laid to rest. The other mash-hads contain the bodies of other Ziyadid clerics like Mahdi Ali bin Mohammed and Ali bin Ahmed al-Kasem.
Some parts of the mosque were renovated by Imam al-Mahdi who expanded the mosque when he settled in Sa’ada between 751 to 753.
The mosque contains beautiful decorations and engravings. Corners of the mosque were often used for settling people’s disputes and as courts during the reign of Kasimid dynasty.
Imam al-Mahdi is considered to be one of the most important Ziyadid Imams in Yemen. He started preaching his religious madhab (doctrine) in the city of Thula. After that he conquered Sana’a and captured Sa’ada and Dhamar.
As for the ancient water basins, they were established by Judge Abdullah Hassan al-Durari according to instructions by al-Mahdi Ali bin Mohammed. New water closets were built in these places.
A library was set up in the second floor. A big water tank for drinking still exist up to our very day. Similarly, a well was dug up in the eastern side of the mosque to provide it and the nearby areas with water. However, it frequently breaks down because the government pays no attention to it.
The Imam al-Hadi mosque is an Islamic university based on clear strong bases of clear thought and jurisprudence. Many scholars and intellectuals have graduated from this university. Graduates of the mosque have good knowledge of the Holy Quran, its sciences, Hadiths (Prophet Mohammed’s traditions) and faith and its fundamentals, jurisprudence and Arabic language and its arts, etc.
The university was established in 1354 Hejira according to instructions by Imam Ahmed Hamid al-Din and Judge Ahmed Abdulwasa’a al Wase’ee was appointed as director.
References:
Islamic Thought in Yemen
Al-Hadi Mosque by Mr. Abdulah Hamoud al-Izzi

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