Located on al-Rashid Street in the al-ʿAmmar quarter of Baghdad, this historic Rifāʿī spiritual lodge—also describable as a zāwiyah—is regarded as one of the…
Located on al-Rashid Street in the al-ʿAmmar quarter of Baghdad, this historic Rifāʿī spiritual lodge—also describable as a zāwiyah—is regarded as one of the oldest Rifāʿī centres in the city. The shrine contains two graves: Sayyid Mansur Abu Shaybah al-Rifāʿī al-Husayni, traditionally described as a sixth-century AH spiritual figure from the family of Sayyid Ahmad al-Rifāʿī, and Sayyid Kāsib al-Rifāʿī al-Husayni, who was connected with the establishment or renewal of the takiyyah around 1091 AH / 1680 CE during the reign of Sultan Mehmed IV. The complex was later restored during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. Although much of the original building was subsequently replaced by shops and the adjoining al-Badawi building, the shrine chamber and spiritual gathering space remain preserved, and gatherings of dhikr and devotional praise continue to be held there.