Masjid al-Qiblatayn

[Zak12]

According to some, Zayla's Masjid al-Qiblatayn was built in the 7th century. The problem with this is that the structure has never been dated before so the age is completely unknown. Are there any sources proving the mosque is that old?

Masjid al-Qiblatayn, Zeila - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Internet Nomad]

The two qibla show that it was built before the qibla switched from Jerusalem to Mecca.

 

[Almis]

I have honestly not found any source stating that Zaila had the two qiblatayn masjid other than that Wikipedia page and threads from Somali forums which begs the question, did Somalis make up that story? Because we should at least have one Islamic source confirming that given how famous and known zaila was.

 

[Internet Nomad]

Seeing the condition it is in is tragic people are willing to spend hundreds thousands building random mosques yet our greatest mosque lies in ruins.

We should rebuild it 15x the original size with the same regional style with locally sourced materials that stay true to the culture and history of the region.

Before some random country says they will rebuild but use their own mosque style basically amounting to cultural cleansing.

I would love to see it being made out of bleach coral.

 

[Laser]

I have honestly not found any source stating that Zaila had the two qiblatayn masjid other than that Wikipedia page and threads from Somali forums which begs the question, did Somalis make up that story? Because we should at least have one Islamic source confirming that given how famous and known zaila was.

No, they didn't make a story.
Some french archeologicalists who went to zeila confirmed that the 2 qiblas existed.
Now, no one carbon date it. But why would they make a 2 direction qibla if it wasn't for the known purpose?

 

[Yami]

No, they didn't make a story.
Some french archeologicalists who went to zeila confirmed that the 2 qiblas existed.
Now, no one carbon date it. But why would they make a 2 direction qibla if it wasn't for the known purpose? View attachment 333943

Random sidetrack but does anyone have an idea as to who Sheikh Babu Dena is?

 

[Maakhri from dhahar]

The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta did not talk about the Zeila Mosque, nor do we find it in Arabic Islamic references.

According to the Somalis, the mosque had two qiblas, as the first qibla was directed towards Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem) and the second qibla was directed towards Mecca.

If the story is true and proven by archaeological excavations, I suggest that perhaps the Zeila Mosque was a Jewish synagogue or a Christian church.
The first qibla of the place of worship would be oriented towards Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem), then, after the inhabitants of the city of Zeila converted to Islam, the qibla of the mosque would be oriented towards Mecca.

 

[Internet Nomad]

The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta did not talk about the Zeila Mosque, nor do we find it in Arabic Islamic references.

According to the Somalis, the mosque had two qiblas, as the first qibla was directed towards Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem) and the second qibla was directed towards Mecca.

If the story is true and proven by archaeological excavations, I suggest that perhaps the Zeila Mosque was a Jewish synagogue or a Christian church.
The first qibla of the place of worship would be oriented towards Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem), then, after the inhabitants of the city of Zeila converted to Islam, the qibla of the mosque would be oriented towards Mecca.

Warya amuss do you want Netanyahu to turn his attention onto us. Soon you will see settler colonialism on zeila’s beach

 

[Idilinaa]

I asked someone who has communication with those that do surveying and investigation of sites in Waaqoyi. And he said that the bottom layers of the mosque are very old and it has signs of it being rebuilt over it, so it may support those traditions.

It's really a shame the state it's been reduced to, and Zayla in general after Italians bombed the city in competition for it with the British and then the french rail road system dismantling urban society by undermining it's importance as a commercial outlet by redirecting it's trade, leading people to abandon it.

Before that some old districts, gates/walls and buildings in Zayla was still standing even after its decline/impoverishment 1600s-1700s and the brief revival in the late 1800s.

Now the only solid building standing fully intact is the patron saint Shayk Saylici's tomb and shrine.

 

[Three Moons]

Zayla once had a landbridge with the Sa’ad ad-Din Islands, all of those old houses and mosques (and perhaps more ancient ruins are now under water). It would be interesting if researchers in the future found more Mosques facing towards Jerusalem.

 

[Maakhri from dhahar]

Warya amuss do you want Netanyahu to turn his attention onto us. Soon you will see settler colonialism on zeila’s beach

There are many places of worship that were converted into mosques.

The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria was an Aramaic temple to worship the god Hadad, then a Roman temple to worship the god Jupiter, then it became a Christian church known as the Church of “St. John the Baptist”, then became an Islamic mosque since the Umayyad period .

 

[Riftvalley]

Some of the Sahaba stayed behind and settled in Habasha land. It is strange there is no record of early Muslims or documents relating to early muslim migrants building mosques zeila. I am sceptical about this like some other users here.’

 

[Internet Nomad]

I asked someone who has communication with those that do surveying and investigation of sites in Waaqoyi. And he said that the bottom layers of the mosque are very old and it has signs of it being rebuilt over it, so it may support those traditions.

It's really a shame the state it's been reduced to, and Zayla in general after Italians bombed the city in competition for it with the British and then the french rail road system dismantling urban society by undermining it's importance as a commercial outlet by redirecting it's trade, leading people to abandon it.

Before that some old districts, gates/walls and buildings in Zayla was still standing even after its decline/impoverishment 1600s-1700s and the brief revival in the late 1800s.

Now the only solid building standing fully intact is the patron saint Shayk Saylici's tomb and shrine.

Crazy how these costal cities go from places of massive trade to desolate with only a couple buildings and rubble to show for it.

 

[Three Moons]

Crazy how these costal cities go from places of massive trade to desolate with only a couple buildings and rubble to show for it.
View attachment 333983View attachment 333984View attachment 333985

I blame the successive Somali governments of the last 50 years for that reality. Look at the North African coastal cities, many of them enjoyed a second renaissance post-1960s when they attracted tons of seaborne trade and saw modern factories and ports built in their vicinity, which made their populations boom.

For example look at Merca and Barawa today, they are languishing, with no modern ports, can’t benefit from their road linkages to the rest of the country (for obvious reasons), and people from the Shabelle and Juba Valley regions aren’t flocking to those cities en mass for opportunities, and better living standards, which is how cities grow around the world. You can observe the same dynamic of negligence and dereliction in Yemen’s coastal cities, while those in Oman are thriving.

The good news is that all of the coastal Somali cities could be revitalised and they would still have their ancient pedigree. $10 billion in infrastructure would be sufficient to bring them back, which Somalia could easily commit over the span of a decade with a combination of taxes, investments and loans. The likes of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Oman probably invested 100 times that figure over the last 50 years in their coastal zones.

 

[Internet Nomad]

I blame the successive Somali governments of the last 50 years for that reality. Look at the North African coastal cities, many of them enjoyed a second renaissance post-1960s when they attracted tons of seaborne trade and saw modern factories and ports built in their vicinity, which made their populations boom.

For example look at Merca and Barawa today, they are languishing, with no modern ports, can’t benefit from their road linkages to the rest of the country (for obvious reasons), and people from the Shabelle and Juba Valley regions aren’t flocking to those cities en mass for opportunities, and better living standards, which is how cities grow around the world. You can observe the same dynamic of negligence and dereliction in Yemen’s coastal cities, while those in Oman are thriving.

The good news is that all of the coastal Somali cities could be revitalised and they would still have their ancient pedigree. $10 billion in infrastructure would be sufficient to bring them back, which Somalia could easily commit over the span of a decade with a combination of taxes, investments and loans. The likes of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Oman probably invested 100 times that figure over the last 50 years in their coastal zones.

Yeah he have a plethora of energy options to chose and rich deep sea waters to market from.

The pristine beaches are also another perfect tourist attraction.

we have everything but leadership

 

[killerxsmoke]

The two qibla show that it was built before the qibla switched from Jerusalem to Mecca.

Mecca and Jerusalem are literally in the same direction from zeila its impossible to have 2 qiblas

 

[Guure⁸]

Warya amuss do you want Netanyahu to turn his attention onto us. Soon you will see settler colonialism on zeila’s beach

No joke but some Jewish historian classified zayla as havillah (a holy city for jews but they don't know where it is) also I heard some elders say a Jewish ship bombed the city once but I'm not sure if it's true