Cairo — Fatimid Heritage Sites
القَاهِرَة — الآثَارُ الفَاطِمِيَّة
Cairo was the capital of the Fatimid Caliphate from 969–1171 CE and contains extraordinary Fatimid heritage. Key sites include: Al-Azhar Mosque — founded by Jawhar al-Siqilli in 970 CE, the oldest continuously operating university in the world; Masjid al-Hakim Bi-Amrillah — named after the 16th Fatimid Imam-Caliph, painstakingly restored by Dawoodi Bohras; Bab Zuwayla — the last surviving southern gate of medieval Cairo; the Fatimid palaces and the old Fatimid city (al-Qahira al-Fatimiyya). The Qabr Mubarak of Imam Hakim is a site of great spiritual significance.
Why it Matters
The Fatimid Caliphate was the Golden Age of the Dawat. The Fatimid Imams ruled from Cairo and established the institutions that preserved Ismaili knowledge. For Dawoodi Bohras, the restoration of Masjid al-Hakim by the 52nd Dai al-Mutlaq Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin (RA) — completed 1980 — is a landmark act of historical preservation. Visiting Fatimid Cairo is a connection to the heritage of the Dawat.
Also in this region
4- Mosque and Maqam of Imam Husain (AS) Cairo (Khan al-Khalili) Aimmah جَامِعُ وَمَقَامُ ال
- Surat — Dargah of Syedna Taher Saifuddin (RA) Surat (Raudat Tahera, Bhendi Bazaar) Duat Mutlaqeen سُورَت
- Surat — Dargah of Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin (RA) Surat (Raudat Tahera, Bhendi Bazaar) Duat Mutlaqeen سُورَت
- Navsari — Dargahs of the Duat Mutlaqeen Navsari Duat Mutlaqeen نَوسَارِي