As-Sahabah Mosque
مسجد الصحابة
Religion
AffiliationSunni Islam
RegionCyrenaica
Modern 20th-century mosque built next to a 7th-century Muslim cemetery
Location
LocationDerna, Libya
As-Sahabah Mosque is located in Libya
As-Sahabah Mosque
Shown within Libya
Geographic coordinates32°45′41″N 22°38′33″E / 32.7613837°N 22.6423723°E / 32.7613837; 22.6423723
Architecture
Typemosque
StyleModern
Completed1975
Specifications
Dome(s)Many (uncountable)
Minaret(s)1
Shrine(s)3

The As-Sahabah Mosque (Arabic: مسجد الصحابة) is a mosque located at the Maydan Al-Sahaba Square in the city of Derna, Libya.[1][2] It was built in the 1970s on the site of a cemetery containing the graves of the Sahaba who were slain by the Byzantine armies during the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb.[2] Within the grounds of the mosque is an attached cemetery containing the tomb of Zuhayr ibn Qays al-Balawi and at least seventy Muslim soldiers involved in the Battle of Mamma.[1]

History

After the Battle of Mamma in 688, Zuhayr ibn Qays al-Balawi was killed[3] along with his fellow generals (also Sahabah), Abdullah ibn Barr al-Qayisi and Abu Mansur al-Farsi, alongside with the rest of the returning Muslim forces. They were buried in what would be present day Derna.[4]

The mausoleum of Zuhayr ibn Qays al-Balawi within the cemetery compound

During the Ottoman period, three shrines for Zuhayr, Abdullah and Abu Mansur were built.[2] The cemetery was also called "Muhammad Bey Cemetery" but eventually the locals would change its name to "Sahaba Cemetery."[1]

An arcade in the mosque, prior to the 2012 attack

In 1970, the people of Derna volunteered to fund a project for a construction of a new mosque next to the cemetery.[1][2] Construction work started in 1970, and the mosque was eventually opened in 1975.[1][2]

Sahabah Cemetery

A small domed musalla that indicates the burial place of seventy martyrs

The cemetery of the Sahabah is attached to the mosque.[1][2] Three domed tombs are present, and these tombs are built over the graves of Zuhayr ibn Qays al-Balawi, Abu Mansur al-Farsi and Abdullah ibn Barr al-Qayisi.[1][2] At least seventy martyrs are buried in the cemetery, but it has all been plastered over, save for the three aforementioned tombs.[1][2]

2012 attack

In 2012, a bomb was detonated in the As-Sahabah Mosque compound.[5] The explosion damaged the mosque[6] and completely destroyed the tomb of Zuhayr ibn Qays al-Balawi. The destruction of the shrine caused the body of Zuhayr to accidentally be uncovered, where it was found to have been almost uncorrupt.[7] The tombs of Abdullah ibn Barr and Abu Mansur were also attacked with bulldozers.[8]

Damage in 2023 flood

The advent of Storm Daniel in 2023 resulted in two dams collapsing due to excessive rainfall.[9] The collapse of the two dams resulted in a huge flood, which ravaged the city of Derna.[10] The As-Sahabah Mosque was damaged by the flood and its surroundings were water-logged.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 الوصلي, عبد العزيز. ""دانيال" يجرف بلاد الصحابة.. كيف تشبثت درنة بفاتحيها؟". الجزيرة نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 مسعود, عبد القادر بن (14 September 2023). "تضم رفات أكثر من 70 صحابيا ودمرها الفيضان.. مقبرة الصحابة التاريخية في مدينة درنة الليبية". ArabicPost.net (in Arabic). Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  3. ↑ The encyclopaedia of Islam. 11: V - Z. Leiden: Brill. 2002. ISBN 978-90-04-12756-2.
  4. ↑ The encyclopaedia of Islam. 11: V - Z. Leiden: Brill. 2002. ISBN 978-90-04-12756-2.
  5. ↑ "Libya: New Wave of Attacks Against Sufi Sites | Human Rights Watch". 7 December 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Libya: New Wave of Attacks Against Sufi Sites | Human Rights Watch". 7 December 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "Sahaba Graves | PDF | Muhammad | Abrahamic Religions". Scribd. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  8. ↑ الوسط, بوابة (31 May 2014). "متطرفون يهدمون مقبرة صحابة رسول اللّه في درنة". Alwasat News (in Arabic). Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  9. ↑ Motamedi, Maziar. "Why did Derna's dams break when Storm Daniel hit Libya?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  10. ↑ Motamedi, Maziar. "Why did Derna's dams break when Storm Daniel hit Libya?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
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