| Mashhad Radd al-Shams | |
|---|---|
مشهد رد الشمس | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Shia Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Hillah,Babylon Governorate |
| Country | Iraq |
  Location of the mosque inIraq | |
 Interactive map of Mashhad Radd al-Shams | |
| Coordinates | 32°29′34″N44°25′51″E / 32.492824734754066°N 44.430766260744115°E /32.492824734754066; 44.430766260744115 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | Seljuk |
| Completed | 14th century |
| Specifications | |
| Domes | One (initially two) |
| Dome height (outer) | 22 m (72 ft) |
| Minaret | One |
| Minaret height | 15 m (49 ft) |
TheMashhad Radd al-Shams (Arabic:مشهد رد الشمس,romanized: Mashhad Radd al-Shams,lit. 'Shrine of the Return of the Sun') is aShi'itemosque located inHillah, in theBabylon Governorate ofIraq. It marks the spot where, according to local tradition, thesun stopped forAli ibn Abi Talib when his followers missed the obligatoryAsr prayer.[1][2][3][4]
Originally on the site of the present mosque, there was aBabylonian temple dedicated to worshipping the sun.[3] In the 14th century, during theBuyid era, it was converted into a mosque and the dome and minaret were built in theSeljuk period.[3] The mosque was attributed toAli ibn Abi Talib, and it became a place that was revered by Shi'ites.
In 2022, it was reported that the conical dome of the mosque was in danger of collapsing.[3] Cracks had started appearing on the dome, and this threatened the stability of the dome.[3] The factors were said to have been erosion, as well as a lack of maintenance.[3]
The mosque is divided into two parts. The first section leads into an open courtyard with corridors. The second section of the building comprises the mosque itself.[4] A small cemetery is located next to the entrance of the second section, and one of the tombs is located next to a staircase which allows one to access the roof of the mosque.[4]
The 22-metre-high (72 ft) dome is conical, similar to the domes found in theMausoleum of Umar Suhrawardi and theZumurrud Khatun Mosque. The dome was built during the Seljuk period, over the original Buyid-era mosque. The mosque also has a single 15-metre-high (49 ft)minaret, also completed in theSeljuk style,[2] that is topped by a blue dome. The minaret does not contain a staircase for themuezzin; the balcony is only for display purposes.[2]
The mosque used to have a golden dome. It was even described by Al-Sayyid Kamal al-Din in his book "Fuqaha al-Fayha" and it was said to be famous for this feature. But this dome does not exist in present day.[4]
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