Cairo
Shahin al-Khalwati was a Sufi master born in Tabriz who came to Egypt in the reign of Sultan Qaytbay and served among his mamluks until he asked to be freed…
Shahin al-Khalwati was a Sufi master born in Tabriz who came to Egypt in the reign of Sultan Qaytbay and served among his mamluks until he asked to be freed to devote himself to worship. He studied the Khalwati way under Shaykh Umar Rushani, then returned to Cairo as a close companion of Shaykh Muhammad al-Dimirdash, and he passed away in 1547. His son built this mosque in 1538 on a ledge of the Muqattam hills above the Southern Cemetery, and the shaykh is buried in its domed tomb. Much of the building is now in ruins, but its minaret still stands out against the cliff, with wide views over the cemetery below.