Al-Shabkhun family completes reconstruction of historic Mosul mosque destroyed by ISIS

MOSUL— The Al-Shabkhun family has completed the reconstruction of the historic Al-Abbas bin Mirdas Al-Sulami Mosque at their own expense, following its destruction by ISIS in 2014. The mosque, located in the middle of Al-Najafi Street in Mosul, dates back more than 400 years, according to Mosul historians. It covers an area of 146 square meters, with a facade and walls made of Mosul marble and a minaret constructed from iron.

Once a bustling metropolis, Mosul was severely impacted during the ISIS occupation and the subsequent battle for liberation. The city fell to ISIS in June 2014 and was liberated in July 2017 by Iraqi forces supported by a U.S.-led coalition.

Ahmad Al-Shabkhun, the supervisor of the mosque’s reconstruction, told 964media, “When it was first established, this mosque was just a shrine. It was renovated in 305 AH (917 AD). My grandfather, Abdulbaqi Al-Shabkhun, demolished and rebuilt it in 1927 during the expansion of Al-Najafi Street. He built a small school for religious sciences and a prayer hall on top of it due to its small size, which is 146 square meters.”

The mosque’s minaret, made of iron, was the first of its kind in Mosul at the time and remains the only one in the city. After its destruction, a local kept the minaret in his home until his death, after which his children returned it to the Al-Shabkhun family.

“During the Mosul crisis, ISIS demolished the mosque, and debris covered the shrine. However, the damage was not severe, so we, the Al-Shabkhun family, decided to rebuild it. We began the reconstruction from scratch in 2022 at our own expense,” Ahmad Al-Shabkhun added.

The reconstruction of the Al-Abbas bin Mirdas Al-Sulami Mosque has been completed, and it will be handed over to the Sunni Endowment Office in the coming days to commence prayers.

The mosque has been restored to its original heritage style, with Mosul marble used on its facade and walls. A drinking water fountain has been added, and it is currently the only mosque on Al-Najafi Street. The Al-Shabkhun family previously restored the Omar Al-Aswad Mosque and the Al-Khulafa Mosque, also known as the Souk Al-Hinta Mosque, in Souk Bab Al-Saray, a historic mosque they rebuilt in the 1980s and renovated again after the liberation of the city from ISIS.

During its occupation, ISIS declared Mosul the capital of their self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq, imposing a regime of violence, cultural devastation, and repression. The battle to reclaim Mosul was one of the most intense urban conflicts since World War II, leaving much of the city’s infrastructure in ruins.

Upon rehabilitation, the names of the ten companions promised paradise were inscribed on the walls of the prayer hall, including the four Rightly Guided Caliphs- Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, Umar ibn Al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan and Ali ibn Abi Talib. Alongside with  Talha bin Ubaid Allah, Al-Zubair bin Al-Awam, Abdulrahman bin Awf, Saad bin Abi Waqqas, Said bin Zayd, and Abu Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah, alongside Imams Hassan and Hussein.

The Islamic State terror group demolished many mosques and other religious sites for several reasons that align with its extremist ideology. Most importantly, ISIS viewed the veneration of shrines, tombs, and mausoleums, even those associated with Islamic saints or figures, as idolatry, which contradicts their strict interpretation of monotheism. ISIS also aimed to eliminate any cultural or religious diversity in areas under its control, creating a climate of terror.

Additionally, the historic Nabi Yunus Mosque in Mosul, is another significant religious and historical landmark for residents, was destroyed by the Islamic State terror group on July 24, 2014. Now reconstruction efforts reached  70% complete.

Though ISIS was territorially defeated in Iraq in 2017 and Syria in 2019, the group’s remnants still pose a security threat. Mosul residents continue to struggle with the long-term impact of the conflict and the slow pace of reconstruction. In August, residents of the Al-Malain neighborhood protested over the lack of basic services, citing issues such as unpaved roads, missing sidewalks, and a malfunctioning water and sewage system. The neighborhood, home to about 5,000 families, remains in dire need of infrastructure improvements.