Umm al-Naser Mosque
Encyclopedia
Umm al-Naser Mosque or Beit Hanoun Mosque is the oldest mosque
in the Palestinian
city of Beit Hanoun
in the Gaza Strip
, located in the center of the city.
s. The Ayyubids were victorious, hence the name Umm al-Nasr ("Mother of Victories"). The inscription on the wall above the mosque entrance attributes the construction to Ayyubid sultan al-Adil II
.
The battle that is commemorated was not a major one, but in the history of later Crusades
it was significant. Egyptian historian Al-Maqrizi
mentions that the battle occurred on September 13, 1239 and ended in an Egyptian (Ayyubid) victory. Crusader reports confirm al-Maqrizi's claim that Henry the Count of Bar
, together with 1,000 of his men were killed in the hostilities, and 600 were taken prisoner, most of whom were killed by their captors on the way to Egypt
.
On November 3, 2006, Israel
i forces and Palestinian militants holed up inside the mosque exchanged gunfire. The mosque was virtually destroyed by Israeli shells, the only structure untouched being the southern portico
a shallow dome
in the mosque center. Nearly 40 women marching to protect the mosque were shot at by Israelis, resulting in the deaths of two. The damage to the mosque was condemned by the United Nations
.
with its roof—which consists of fan vaults and shallow dome in the center. The prayer hall ends with a room to the east roofed with a dome supported on spherical triangles. The foundation plate is inscribed in Ayyubid nashki script.
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in the Palestinian
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
city of Beit Hanoun
Beit Hanoun
Beit Hanoun is a city on the north-east edge of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, the town had a population of 32,187 in mid-year 2006. It is administered by the Palestinian Authority...
in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
, located in the center of the city.
History
The Umm al-Nasr Mosque was built 1239 by the Ayyubids to commemorate their soldiers who had died in the battle on the mosque site between them and the CrusaderCrusader states
The Crusader states were a number of mostly 12th- and 13th-century feudal states created by Western European crusaders in Asia Minor, Greece and the Holy Land , and during the Northern Crusades in the eastern Baltic area...
s. The Ayyubids were victorious, hence the name Umm al-Nasr ("Mother of Victories"). The inscription on the wall above the mosque entrance attributes the construction to Ayyubid sultan al-Adil II
Al-Adil II
Saif ad-Dīn al-Malik al-ʿĀdil Abū Bakr b. Nāṣir ad-Dīn Muḥammad was the Ayyubid sultan of Egypt from 1238 to 1240.When his father al-Kamil, nephew of Saladin, died in 1238, al-Adil II followed him somewhat unprepared. When the country plunged into anarchy, his exiled half-brother, as-Salih Ayyub,...
.
The battle that is commemorated was not a major one, but in the history of later Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
it was significant. Egyptian historian Al-Maqrizi
Al-Maqrizi
Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn 'Ali ibn 'Abd al-Qadir ibn Muhammad al-Maqrizi ; Arabic: , was an Egyptian historian more commonly known as al-Maqrizi or Makrizi...
mentions that the battle occurred on September 13, 1239 and ended in an Egyptian (Ayyubid) victory. Crusader reports confirm al-Maqrizi's claim that Henry the Count of Bar
Henry II of Bar
Henry II of Bar alternately Henri II of Bar was a Count of Bar who reigned from 1214 to 1239. He died in Gaza while on Crusade.-Spouse and children:In 1219 he married Philippa de Dreux , the daughter of Robert II of Dreux....
, together with 1,000 of his men were killed in the hostilities, and 600 were taken prisoner, most of whom were killed by their captors on the way to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
On November 3, 2006, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i forces and Palestinian militants holed up inside the mosque exchanged gunfire. The mosque was virtually destroyed by Israeli shells, the only structure untouched being the southern portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
a shallow dome
Dome
A dome is a structural element of architecture that resembles the hollow upper half of a sphere. Dome structures made of various materials have a long architectural lineage extending into prehistory....
in the mosque center. Nearly 40 women marching to protect the mosque were shot at by Israelis, resulting in the deaths of two. The damage to the mosque was condemned by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
Architecture
The original mosque consisted of one large room, with a simple dome, built from crude and worn-out stones. Nothing is left of the original mosque apart from the southern porticoPortico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
with its roof—which consists of fan vaults and shallow dome in the center. The prayer hall ends with a room to the east roofed with a dome supported on spherical triangles. The foundation plate is inscribed in Ayyubid nashki script.