Al-Nabi Yunus Mosque

The Al-Nabi Yunus Mosque (Arabic: جَامِع ٱلنَّبِي يُوْنُس‎, romanized: Jāmiʿ An-Nabī Yūnus), also known as the Mosque of the Prophet Jonah, the Mosque of the Prophet Yunus, and the Shrine of Nabi Yunis,^[a] was a historic Sunni congregational mosque and shrine, partially^{[citation needed]} destroyed in 2014, that was located in Mosul, in the Nineveh Governorate of Iraq. It contained a tomb believed to be that of the Biblical prophet Jonah, known as Yunus by Muslims.^[b]

Al-Nabi Yunus Mosque
جَامِع ٱلنَّبِي يُوْنُس
The destroyed mosque and shrine in 2019
Religion
Affiliation	Sunni Islam (former)
Ecclesiastical or organisational status	Congregational mosque Shrine (1365–2014)
Status	Destroyed (2014) (under reconstruction)[citation needed]
Location
Location	Mosul, Mosul District, Nineveh Governorate
Country	Iraq
Location of the destroyed mosque in Iraq
Geographic coordinates	36°20′53″N 43°9′34″E
Architecture
Type	Islamic architecture
Date established	1365 CE
Destroyed	24 July 2014
Specifications
Dome(s)	One: (destroyed)
Minaret(s)	One: (destroyed)
Shrine(s)	Two: Jonah/Yunus (disputed) Shaykh Rashid Lolan
Materials	Alabaster

History

See also: Islam in Iraq, History of Iraq, and Mesopotamia

The alleged grave of the Prophet Yunus was discovered by Jalal al-Din Ibrahim al-Khatni during his reconstruction of the site as a congregational mosque in 1365 CE.^[3] However, the mosque was also built over a demolished Assyrian Christian church that marked Jonah's grave.^[4][5]

In 1924, the minaret was added to the mosque building by a Turkish architect. During Saddam Hussein's rule, the mosque was renovated and expanded.^[1]

The mosque had one minaret and a conical ribbed dome. The floors of the mosque were built out of Alabaster and the prayer rooms had arched entrances that were inscribed with Quranic verses.^[5]

The alleged tomb of Jonah^[1] was located at a corner of the mosque. The sarcophagus believed to be that of Jonah had a wooden zarih built around it.

In addition to Jonah's tomb, a modern shrine which contains the tomb of Shaykh Rashid Lolan is present next to the mosque.^[6] This shrine dates from the 1960s.^[6]

2014 destruction

On 24 July 2014, the building was blown up by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant,^[7][8] damaging several nearby houses. ISIL stated that "the mosque had become a place for apostasy, not prayer."^[7]

Archeological discovery

In March 2017, after ISIL was driven out, a system of tunnels, approximately one-kilometre-long (zero-point-six-two-mile) were found under the mosque. Although all moveable items had been removed, there were still Assyrian reliefs, structures and carvings along the walls.^[1]

Gallery

• 
  Mosque ruins in 2017
• 
  The mosque and shrine in 2011, prior to its 2014 demolition by ISIL
• 
  The mosque and shrine in 1999
• 
  Steps leading to the mosque in 1999
• 
  The mosque and shrine in 1932

See also

• Iraq portal
• Islam portal

• Destruction of cultural heritage by the Islamic State
• Islam in Iraq
• List of mosques in Iraq
• List of Islamic structures in Mosul

Notes

1. Other names include the Tell Nabī Yūnus, the Nabī Yūnus, the Nabi Yunus, and the Tell Nebi Yunus.
2. Academic research suggests that Yunus was not buried there.^[1][2]