147. Irbid / Arbela | إربد (أربيلا)

Irbid Governorate

Masjid Abū Dhār al-Ghafārī

JADIS no. 2221002

MEGA no. 2811, mosque: 16633.

Coordinates: 32°33'24.0"N 35°50'46.0"E

32.556667, 35.846111

Plan: broad rectangular with one decentralized door and staircase in the N; the main door faces the miḥrāb. Six free standing columns divide the interior into two naves parallel to the qibla wall. The two aisles are organized into 12 square bays with cross vaulted ceilings, of whose the E ones are later additions (fig. 147.2). At the N exterior façade also the minaret of octagonal cross section has been added in a later construction phase.

Measurements: total area 207m² (Ghawanimeh 1986b)

Exterior: 20 x 13.9-14.5 m (Ghawanimeh 1986b)

Interior: 11.5 x 18 m (Ghawanimeh 1986b)

Building Materials: limestone and basalt.

Construction details: The dark basalt and light limestone blocks are set in altering courses to produce a decorative black-and-white pattern at the exterior elevation (fig. 147.3); in the interior reused columns with Tuscian capitals or cubic blocks, all from limestone and of Roman date, as imposts of the cross vaults.

Preservation: intact, variously renovated in the Ottoman periods, still used for Muslim prayer.

Inscription(s): none known.

Date(s): Mamluk (Dwekat 2003)

Traveler Reports: “In the interior of the city is a well preserved and ancient mosque. A fine spiral staircase is still standing in it, and several basalt sarcophagi with wreath and lion head ornamentations lie about in the courtyard, where some ancient cisterns are to be seen. Above the entrance of the Makâm (or shrine) of the Mohammedan Saint, Sheikh Sa’ad, several ancient lintels of the Haurân character are noticeable, with wreath ornamentation, rosettes and animal’s heads: These, however, have all been more or less defaced by fanatic hands.” (Schumacher 1890 [reprint 2010]).

Bibliography: Schumacher 1890 (reprint 2010) 151-152; Steuernagel 1927, A. 137; Ghawanimeh 1986b, 36-48: Dwekat 2003, 44-58; Salem 2005, 70 figs. 14-15; Walker 2011, 153 note 111; Sqour – Abu Ghanimeh 2014, 3 with note 10 fig. 2; Hattab 2015, 182-185; Ta ‘an 2019, 90-92 figs. 3. 61-65.