Atiq Mosque, Awjila

The Atiq Mosque (المسجد العتيق) is a mosque in the oasis village of Awjila, in the Sahara desert of the Cyrenaica region of eastern Libya. The mosque is located in the old city area of Awjila. It dates from the 12th century and has unusual conical domes made of mudbrick and limestone.

History
The region around Awjila was conquered by Arab Muslims under the leadership of Sidi 'Abdullāh ibn Sa'ad ibn Abī as-Sarḥ. His tomb was established in Awjila around 650. The Arab chronicler Al-Bakri says that there were already several mosques around the oasis by the 11th century. The present Atiq Mosque dates to the 12th century. It was restored in the 1980s.

Structure
The unusual mud brick building covers an area of 400 m2 and is roofed by 21 conical domes made of mud brick and limestone. Each dome has small openings so that light can enter the building.

The walls are 40 cm thick. Nine doors lead into the interior of the building, where the many pillars and arches create a spacious, light, cool and calm environment. Beside the mihrab there is a recessed niche for the minbar, where the prayer leader stands. Mosques in Arabia and East Africa have similar minbar niches, which may indicate that the mosque builders followed the Ibadi school of Islam.