Istanbul, Turkey
Coordinates: 41.022021, 28.941471
Hırka-i Şerif Mosque is a historic mosque in Istanbul, Turkey. It takes its name from a relic, the blessed mantle (Khirqa) of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is preserved in the mosque.
Hırka-i Şerif Mosque (Mosque of the Blessed Mantle) is situated at Hırkaişerif quarter’s Muhtesip İskender neighborhood in Fatih district of Istanbul, Turkey.
It was commissioned by Ottoman sultan Abdulmejid I (reigned 1839–1861). Its construction began in 1847 after expropriation of buildings in the near neighborhood to make place, and it was completed in 1851.
Blessed mantle relic
The mosque is associated with a relic, a mantle of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which was given as a gift to Hz. Uwais al-Qarani رضي الله عنه, known as Veysel Karani in Turkish, a 7th-century Islamic figure from Yemen highly respected by the Turks.
The relic, in the possession of the Hz. Uwais al-Qarani’s رضي الله عنه descendants, came first to Western Anatolia, and was brought later to ıstanbul in the beginning of the 17th century following a decree of Sultan Ahmed I (r. 1603–1617).
It was preserved in the residence of the descendant family.
It is known that the relic was exhibited in a specially-built stone cell during Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, from the beginning of the 18th century.
Ottoman sultans of the 18th and 19th century showed great respect to the relic, and built stone cells to ease the exhibition of the relic to the religious visitors.
During the Qadr night, a holy night in Ramadan, visiting of the relic is offered from the Tarawih, the extra night prayer in Ramadan, to the Fajr prayer, the dawn prayer.
The relic is still being displayed to the public during the four weeks from the first Friday of the holy month on until the eve of Ramadan festivities.
