Al-Fustat and the beginnings of Islamic Egypt
Al-Fustat and the beginnings of Islamic Egypt
Al Fustat, the first Islamic capital of Egypt, was founded in 641 C.E. It established the beginning of Islam in ancient Egypt, and it was the point of beginning of cultural and historical evolution. In this blog, we are going to learn more about the city’s history, cultural importance, and what it looks like in the current day.
1. History of El-Fustat
• The rise of Islam
About 1500 years the world was forever changed as the last revelation and religion was established. Islam has changed the whole world and influenced many things in this world. And 1384 years ago, Islam reached Egypt after the Arab conquest, and it was chosen to be the capital of Islam by Amr ibn Al’as, more precisely El Fustat in Old Cairo. The place where chosen by Amr ibn Al’as and named “El Fustat,” and it was the place where the Prophet’s companions and followers lived. Before Islam, the region was part of a Roman-Byzantine stronghold known as the Babylon Fortress.
• Islamic Cairo
The first building in the city was the Amr Ibn Al’as mosque, followed by the Emirate’s place where the rulers meet and live.
• First Church in Old Cairo
The first church built was the Hanging church, as it was built on the top of a Roman fortress, with the center suspended over the ground level to protect the church from floods. This gave the church a unique, breathtaking appearance.
2. Life in El-Fustat
• Architecture and city building
According to historians Amr Ibn Al’as mosque was the first building in El-Fustat, and it was Egypt’s first mosque. El-Fustat was an open city with no walls, unlike many other cities, and it was built like this to show confidence in the new Islamic government.
• Trade and agriculture
It didn’t take much time for the city to prosper, and markets appeared to surround the whole city, reflecting the prosperity of the economy in the capital. As for the alleys and streets, it was narrow, influenced by the Islamic architecture, which protects the people from the sun by allowing shade.
Due to its unique location near the Nile, El El-Fustat was a center for trade and goods as well as agriculture due to the city’s proximity to the Nile River and having fertile ground. All this has contributed greatly to the capital and its development.
3. Decline and destruction of El-Fustat
• The Crusaders' invasion
Mid the 12th century, El-Fustat city had fallen during the Fatimid caliphate at there end of ruling as they have played a significant role in Islamic history but at the end of their ruling Egypt due to the city suffering from burning for fifty four days, as the crusaders had entered Egypt and the Fatimi minister has made a drastic decision to save Egypt, which was burning the whole city to prevent the crusaders from reaching there and ordered the people to evacuate their houses and the city. The whole city was burned except the Amr Ibn El’As mosque.
4. El Fustat today
• The Eastern part
Where the fire happened, the only building remaining is the Amr Ibn Al’as mosque.
• The western part
Called Old Cairo, which is adjacent to the Nile, contains the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the excavations of the ruins of Fustat, the Nilometer on Rhoda Island, the Manasterly Palace, and the Muhammad Ali Palace.
