Masjid al-‘Ali

Masjid al-‘Ali

Masjid al-‘Ali probably underwent rebuilding in the late-fifteenth century CE, followed by the installation of a decorated prayer niche (mihrab) in the early-sixteenth century. This mihrab from 1503 CE has the earliest known Chinese porcelain bowl insert into the decorative scheme.  The only entrance to the mosque is from the main street, Ka‘b al-Bilad, while narrow lanes on the three sides separate the building from dwellings, giving it an island-like character. The entrance is through the ablution (wudu) area with its own water well (tawi), located on the southern edge of the complex. The terrace (sahn/ barrah), rectangular in shape, has a high parapet along the western edge with an accentuated mihrab niche at its centre. Two double-leafed doors provide access to the prayer hall from the south, with four high-level, narrow ventilation openings, two over each doorway. The central focus of the arcaded prayer hall interior is the decorated mihrab located on the wall facing the direction of prayer (qibla). This is the earliest decorated mihrab created by ‘Abdallah bin Qasim bin Muhammad al-Humaymi, an early-sixteenth century CE artisan from Harat al-Bilad who crafted several prayer niches across central Oman.