The Mosque and Its History
Jami’ al-Hakim bi-Amrillah (جَامِعُ الحَاكِمِ بِأَمرِ اللَّه — the Mosque of al-Hakim, the Commander by Allah’s Order) is one of the most historically and architecturally significant mosques of the Fatimid Caliphate. Located in the heart of Islamic Cairo (al-Qahira al-Fatimiyya), it stands near the northern gate of the old Fatimid city — Bab al-Futuh (the Gate of Conquests) — along the famous Mu’izz Street.
The mosque was begun by Imam al-Aziz bi-Allah (AS), the 5th Fatimid Imam-Caliph, around 380 AH / 990 CE, and completed by his son Imam al-Hakim bi-Amrillah (AS), the 6th Fatimid Imam-Caliph, in 403 AH / 1013 CE. It is named in honor of Imam al-Hakim, who oversaw its completion and endowed it generously.
Architectural Features
The mosque is built on a monumental scale — approximately 120 by 113 meters — making it one of the largest mosques in Cairo. Its most distinctive features are its two asymmetrical minarets, which stand at the corners of the entrance facade. These minarets have an unusual cylindrical form with octagonal bases — a unique architectural design not found in any other mosque.
The exterior walls feature a continuous inscription band and decorative medallions in carved stucco. The original interior was built in the classic hypostyle style, with covered arcades surrounding a large central courtyard, and a sanctuary (haram) on the qibla side.
The minarets and façade of Masjid al-Hakim are among the finest surviving examples of Fatimid architectural craftsmanship — and it was the excellence of this craft that the Bohra restoration was determined to preserve and revive.
A Thousand Years of History
The mosque’s history mirrors the dramatic changes of Islamic Cairo over a millennium:
Fatimid era (403–567 AH / 1013–1171 CE): The mosque functioned as a major congregational mosque in the Fatimid capital, hosting Friday prayers and serving the community of the Imam’s city.
After the Fatimids: When Saladin abolished the Fatimid Caliphate in 567 AH / 1171 CE, the mosque continued to function, though its Ismaili character was suppressed. Over subsequent centuries — Ayyubid, Mamluk, Ottoman — the mosque fell into intermittent use and disrepair.
Later centuries: By the 19th and early 20th centuries, the mosque was in a parlous state. At various points in its history, it had been used as a prison (Saladin used parts of it for Crusader prisoners), as stables during the Crusader occupation of Cairo (briefly), and as a repository. A significant earthquake in 1303 CE damaged it severely.
The Fatimid Institute of Cairo occupied part of the building in the 20th century as a museum of Islamic art and a school, but the mosque as a place of worship had been essentially closed.
The Bohra Restoration — A Statement of Heritage
In the late 1970s, the 52nd Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin (RA) initiated one of the most significant Islamic heritage restoration projects of the 20th century: the complete restoration of Masjid al-Hakim.
Working in coordination with the Egyptian government and Islamic heritage authorities, teams of Bohra artisans, architects, and craftsmen undertook a comprehensive restoration of the mosque between 1979 and 1983.
What Was Restored
The restoration was not merely cosmetic but structural and artistic:
- The exterior walls were cleaned and consolidated; the carved inscription bands and medallions were carefully restored
- The two minarets — one of which had been encased in buttressing added after earthquake damage — were restored to their original form, with their distinctive cylindrical shafts and ornamental crowns
- The interior arcades were rebuilt where collapsed and cleaned where standing
- The sanctuary was completely refurbished and made ready for prayer
- Stucco and decorative carving was recreated based on surviving examples, following the Fatimid aesthetic precisely
The project drew on traditional craftsmanship traditions maintained in Gujarat — the home of the Bohra community — to recreate the carved plasterwork and decorative elements in the original Fatimid style.
The Meaning of the Restoration
For the Bohra community, the restoration was not merely an architectural or heritage project. It was an act of walayah — of loyalty and love toward the Fatimid Imams whose mosque it was, whose legacy the Bohra Dawat preserves, and whose civilization the Dawat considers itself heir to.
Syedna Burhanuddin (RA) declared that the restoration was being undertaken on behalf of the worldwide Dawoodi Bohra community as a nazr (votive dedication) to the Imams. When the mosque was re-opened, Syedna offered the Jumu’a prayer there — a profoundly symbolic act of a Fatimid Imam’s heir praying in the Imam’s mosque a thousand years after its foundation.
The restored Masjid al-Hakim has been in active use as a mosque since the restoration was completed. It stands today as a monument to both Fatimid genius and Bohra devotion.
Visiting the Mosque
Masjid al-Hakim stands at the northern end of al-Mu’izz Street (Shari’ al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah al-Fatimi) in the heart of Islamic Cairo. It is open to visitors and functions as an active mosque. The street itself — al-Mu’izz Street — is a living monument to the Fatimid city, lined with Fatimid and Mamluk mosques, mausoleums, and bazaars.
For Bohra mumineen visiting Cairo, praying in Masjid al-Hakim is a deeply meaningful act — connecting them to the Fatimid Imams, the Dawat’s history, and the restoration carried out by their community under the guidance of Syedna Burhanuddin (RA).
See also: Imam Al Hakim Biamrillah, Fatimid Caliphate, Imam Al Muizz, Syedna Burhanuddin, Understanding Ziyarat