It’s a typical Friday morning at the Al-Mohsen House. The food is being prepared with much love and enthusiasm as a nafha (gift) for the Imam's visitors. Sadly, two weeks ago, Cairo municipality officials requested a meeting with a representative of the family to discuss “compensation,” which, by default, means the house is at risk of being demolished, like many houses in the same district, as part of the Cairo Government’s development plan.
Who is the Al-Mohsen Family?
The Al-Mohsen family was the official overseer (Nazirs) of Saladin and Abdel Rahman Katkhoda’s endowments, as recorded in official 18th-century documents of the Dome of Shafii, explained the sign hanging at the Dwelling al-Imam: Families of al-Imam al –Shafaií Museum. However, in the 1880s, after the establishment of Diwan Al-waqf (Endowment), the government took responsibility for all endowments, and the post could no longer be inherited. Al-Mohsen retained the honorary title of Sheikh Khidmat Al-Imam Al-Shafii and Al-Leithi (The Sheikhs of Serving the Two Imams Al-Shafii and Al-Leithi) since then.
The Architectural and Cultural History of the House
The House of Al-Mohsen is located at the gated premises of the mausoleum and mosque of Imam Al-Shafii (767-820 AD), the founder of the eponymous Shafii school of Islamic jurisprudence.
The house was mentioned in the Ali Pasha Mubarak New Tawfiqia Plans for Egypt and Cairo in 1306 Hijri (1888 AD), which means it's a 138-year-old house when the book was issued.
The design and architecture of the house represents the link between the typical Cairarian houses with the internal courtyard, Haramlek (Women's head quarters), Salamlek (Socialising and lounge area) and the beginning of the European style architecture. The mélange of both styles gives it its own charm.
Photo of King Farouk's visit to the house. Courtesy of The Ali Mohsen Family
Iconic Visitors of the House
The House stands witness to great historic moments of Egyptian History. Sheikh Ali Mohsen received high-profile foreign delegations as well as Egyptian icons such as Late Egyptian King Farouk, Queen Nariman, late prime minister Al-Nahas Pasha, and Late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, to name but a few.
The social history of the Al-Mohsen House
" We call it The Imam House, not Beit Mohsen, " explained Nefisa Mohsen, one of the daughters of Sheikh Ali Mohsen, to Ahram Online. She remembered life inside the house back in the day, recounting how the family house was built to host the extended families, how it was divided into big apartments that were socially close.
"The families used to cook together in El Masrouqa (an open kitchen) in the corridor outside the apartments to ensure that no cooking smells got indoors; it was also the place where they kept all the pantry," Noted Nafisa Mohsen.
" I was named Shafeia after Imam El Shafii," smiled Shafiia Mohsen as she explained to Ahram Online the positive impact of such a unique name on her life. She started sharing some of the iconic figures that visited their house back in the day. " Kings Fouad, and Farouk, and El Nahas Pasha visited the house, during the Mulid of Imam Shafii, they all used to come and join the banquet that used to be held at our house. Ministers.
" I personally saw King Farouk with my father inside our house, during the festivity of Mulid Al-Imam Al-Shafii," noted Shafiia Mohsen, adding that after the 1952 revolution, she saw Abdel Nasser's visit to the Shafii Dome from the window of the house.
The Unique Architecture of the House
The architecture of the house is quite remarkable, with its stained glass and hand-painted tiles and the way the courtyard hosts a wooden decorative terrace that stood the test of time, is quite enchanting.
"It has high ceilings and windows that ensure good ventilation, and you can never feel the heat in our Imam House, " explained Farida Mohsen, the third daughter of Ali Mohsen, to Ahram online.
"It was a 9-room apartment and the living room had a stained glass Shokhshekha (Wooden shaped dome to create air currents and ventilation) which made an air current better than any air condition," added Shafeia Mohsen, who remembered how the olla (clay water container) had a special place by the window which made it as cold as ice. The bathroom had glass holes that allowed light in the dome-shaped ceiling and had a small room attached to it so people could rest and readjust to the room temperature. However, the old-style Hammam had its own shower that was attached to water pipes. They used the small gas burners to heat the pipes, hence the water way before the usage of heaters.
The Burial Grounds of the Al-Mohsen Family
Till this day, the Al-Mohsen family are the supervisor for al Imam Al-Shafii’s Dome Mosque and Imam Al Leithi; they are closely associated to the extent that the Mohsen Burial grounds are located inside the mausoleum of Imam Al-Shafii with wooden windows that directly overlook the tomb of the Imam.
Every Friday
Every Friday, the yellow house opens its ancient doors and serves with much love and piety around 700 free, fresh, hot meals for the community. During the holy month of Ramadan, this generous gesture stretches for 30 days of Iftar and Suhour.
“At the End of the day, this house is heritage, and heritage is priceless, and with time it becomes even more valuable. So it’s a pity to waste it instead of making use of it and revitalising it.” Mennat Allah Hegazi, granddaughter of Sheikh Ali Mohsen.
The Place is not mere walls, it's more about the interaction of People with it,” she concluded.
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