Ibn Hisham's mausoleum in Gamalia to be retained

The Standing Antiquities Committee has decided to retain the mausoleum of Sedi Abdallah Ibn Hisham Al Kanassi situated at Gamalia district bout 25 metres from the northern wall of old Cairo.

The ad-hoc committee assigned with determining the precincts of old Cairo had outlined a 20 metre precincts and that the buildings opposite the wall would not be higher than the wall itself.

The committee has therefore agreed to retain the mosque as it goes with the line of the street while the street itself functions as a natural precinct.

Head of the Islamic and Coptic Antiquities, Dr Abdallah Al Attar said that Ibn Hisham was born in Cairo in 708 Hijra and was buried in the sufists cemetery outside Al Nasser gate.

Ibn Hisham received secular education at Al Azhar and was known for his eloquence, intelligence and humbleness.

Ibn Hisham joined the sufist sect and was versatile in Arabic grammar. He was matchless in his knowledge of the rules of grammar.

Dr. Al Attar added that Ibn Hisham had written about l25 books, the most famous perhaps is Al Tazkara (Prescription) which falls in l5 volumes.