Baghdad
The Asifiya mosque began as a complex of mosque, Sufi lodge and khan known as the Mawla-Khana, rebuilt in 1596 by Muhammad Chalabi, a secretary of the…
The Asifiya mosque began as a complex of mosque, Sufi lodge and khan known as the Mawla-Khana, rebuilt in 1596 by Muhammad Chalabi, a secretary of the governor's council, and renovated in 1825 by Dawud Pasha, the last Mamluk governor of Baghdad. Its name comes from Dawud Pasha's title, Asif al-Zaman. The shrine of al-Kulayni, compiler of al-Kafi, is inside the complex. Two large domes cover the prayer hall, and its minaret has two balconies on muqarnas and Qashani tiles. It stands on the Tigris at the Rusafa end of the Shuhada Bridge, beside the al-Wazir mosque, and the riverside lane gives a fine view of the river.