Mosque Alnwr Qryt Alrkhmat

Within the quiet Tunisian village of Bir al Hufay in the governorate of Sidi Bu Zayd, Masjid al Nur Qariyat al Rukhamat takes its beautiful name from al Nur, the Light, one of the most beloved of God's names, mentioned in the Qur'an as the light of the heavens and the earth. Sidi Bu Zayd itself is a governorate in central Tunisia whose olive groves, almond trees, and prickly pear plantations spread across a semi arid plateau with a deep Islamic heritage reaching back to the first Arab conquests of the seventh century. The Islamic historian Ibn Khaldun himself was born in Tunis in 1332 and spent parts of his career traversing these central Tunisian plains.
The village is named al Rukhamat, which may refer to marble quarries historically found in the region. Beneath this humble village mosque, however, beats the same faith that produced the great Zaytuna mosque university in Tunis, founded in 737 and counted among the oldest universities in the world, sending scholars across North Africa, Andalusia, and the Sahel for more than a millennium. The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, taught that a small deed done with sincerity weighs more on the scales of God than a great deed done for show, and village mosques such as this one embody that teaching, gathering shepherds, farmers, teachers, and students into humble devotion.
Architecturally the mosque reflects traditional Tunisian rural style. Whitewashed walls, a low pitched tiled roof, a square minaret with a small green cap, and arched windows opening onto courtyards planted with pomegranate trees all mark the building as thoroughly Tunisian. The interior is cooled by thick walls, and woven mats cover the floor beneath a modest mihrab of carved plaster. Jumu'ah khutbahs are delivered in Arabic and draw the village men from fields and workshops, while Ramadan brings evening gatherings over harira, brik, and pistachio sweets. Accurate daily prayer times for Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha at the mosque of Bir al Hufay are published on this page to assist every worshipper, every Tunisian traveller, and every pilgrim exploring the quiet villages of the central steppe.