The mosques in Jeddah's historical area are famous for their distinctive architectural features as well as for their age. There are six mosques considered very important in Jeddah with the Al-Shafee Mosque, or Al-Gama Al Ateeq, located in the Al-Mazloom area in the historical area, the oldest building in Jeddah still in use. Strolling through the historical area are many interesting and attractive buildings - Beit Naseef, Beit Baeshen, Souk Al-Badu, Falah School and the Souk Al-Alawi. In the heart of the souk, however, is the Al-Shafee Mosque with its magnificent white, brown and green minaret.
To get additional information about these famous historical sites, one should visit the office of the Historical Area Preservation Department and meet its director, Mr. Sami Nawar. Speaking about the Al Shafee Mosque - or Al-Gama Al Ateeq (Antique) or the Mosque of Omar - Nawar said that the Mosque was built in honor of the Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab who ruled from 632 to 644. With a large carved gate on the right hand side of Shaykh Lane and Souk Al-Alawi is the mosque, reputed to be the oldest in Jeddah, with its famous minaret. According to some local historians, the mosque was built by a Yemeni king, Al-Muzhafer, who died in 1228 (649 H). Others, however, maintain that in 1519 (940 H), an Indian merchant rebuilt the mosque but kept the minaret as it was.
Nawar said, "The mosque is considered one of the oldest in Saudi Arabia. It is still used by many worshipers and visited by both local and international tourists. The mosque has been used not only as a place for prayers and worship but also for teaching religion with Islamic classes available to worshipers. The interior of the mosque is pure Arabian design and remains much as it has been since it was built. In the heart of Al-Balad, it is worth seeing for its original form and outstanding architecture."
Nawar explained, "The construction was begun in the 7th century by order of Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab. It originally had a single minaret rising from the southeast corner of the prayer hall with steps inside the eastern portal. The present minaret was not built until the 1200's and is still standing as solid as ever." He noted that the minaret had been repaired and repainted but that no other changes had been been made. Nawar pointed out that the mosque's sole minaret is made of old Arabian bricks. "Its octagonal base is two meters high with a square stone foundation." The mosque also has a 500-year-old underground water storage tank. Sixty-six years old, Abdul Aziz Al-Harithy who has been gatekeeper of the mosque for some 30 years said that it still draws numbers of visitors from all over the world. "With its old design and architecture, worshipers still come and perform daily prayers. On the other hand, tour guides include a visit to the mosque in their trips; we get a lot of tourists who want to take pictures of the mosque but we only allow Muslim tourists to enter."
Other famous Jeddah mosques include the largest in the city, King Saud Mosque on northbound Madinah Road, just south of Palestine Street and the simple but stunning 'Mosque on Stilts' on the North Corniche.