Abu al-'Ila Mosque

The Abu al-'Ila Mosque is a late Mamluk-period mosque in the Bulaq district of Cairo. It is dedicated to the Sufi saint Shaykh Husayn Abu 'Ali, from whose name the title Abu al-'Ila derives, and his tomb lies in a mausoleum attached to the building. The mosque was heavily remodelled in the early twentieth century, and of the original Mamluk structure only the minaret, the mausoleum, part of the entrance and a section of the east wall survive. The tomb is still visited by local Muslims seeking baraka (blessing), so the site retains its religious significance.

The mosque is dated to 1485. Its construction was sponsored by a merchant named Nur al-Din 'Ali ibn Qanish al-Burullusi. It was dedicated to Shaykh Husayn Abu 'Ali, a Sufi saint who died in the same year and was buried in the adjoining mausoleum. Sufi accounts attribute many miracles and spiritual insights to the shaykh.

Between 1915 and 1920 the building underwent major modifications. After this work, only the minaret, the mausoleum, part of the entrance and part of the east wall remained of the original Mamluk construction.