Places to see in Cairo

1. Masjid Al Husayn

It is imperative to put this first as this is both Hamzah and Fida's favorite place in all of Cairo. The head of Imam Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ, is in this mosque. The Prophet ﷺ said that "I am from Husayn, and Husayn is from me."(Narrated in Bukhari's Adab Al-Mufrad, Tirmidhi and the Musnad of Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal)

This is a very beautiful and historic mosque and a very blessed place.

2. The Pyramids of Giza

These are one of the Seven Wonders of the World. There is a light show at the pyramids in the evenings, when it is less hot.

3. The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities

Located in Tahrir Square, this is the largest museum in Africa. It includes the tombs of many of the pharaohs of history.

4. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization

Located in Moqattam, this is a new museum that was inaugurated in 2021. It houses over 50,000 artifacts from Ancient Egypt to the Ottoman era to the present day. It also is where Ramsees II is buried. He is the most well-known pharoah and also believed to be the pharoah in the Quranic story of Pharoah and Moses ﷺ.

5. Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo

This is the world's largest Islamic art museum. It has over 100,000 artifacts from over 1400 years of Islamic history.

6. Khan Al-Khalili

This is a famous and historic bazaar in the heart of old Cairo, right next to the Masjid of Imam Husayn. It is home to an amazing set of artisans that sell great souvenirs. Be prepared to get ripped off.

7. The Castle of Salahuddin

Built by the Salahuddin Al-Ayubi, the former Sultan of Egypt and great conqueror of Palestine, this castle was the seat of rule for Salahuddin and all subsequent rulers of Egypt for 700 years after him. It is an extremely magnificent architectural sight.

Housed within it is also the famous Muhammad Ali Mosque. This is where you can find the iconic picture of Malcolm X praying when he visited Egypt after his pilgrimage to Mecca.

8. Al-Azhar Mosque

Located in Old Cairo, Al-Azhar Mosque is one of the first mosques built in the city that would eventually be known as "The City of a Thousand Minarets." It is also originally where the world's second oldest and currently oldest continously running university in the world was run. For more on this, read George Makdisi's book "The Rise of Colleges."

9. Masjid Imam Shaafi

Located in the historic Moqattam area, this is where the great Islamic jurist, Imam Shaafi, is buried. The great jurist, Mawlana Zakariyya Ansari is also buried in this masjid.

A walking distance from this masjid is also a graveyard that houses many important Sahaba and Islamic scholars including Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani, Abdullah b. Amr b. Al-Aas, and his father, Amr b. Al-Aas.

10. Masjid Sayyida Nafisa and Masjid Ibn Ata Allah

Also in Moqattam, close to the Masjid of Imam Shaafi is the Masjid of Sayyida Nafisa, who was the murshida and teacher of Imam Shaafi. She was the daughter of Hasan Al-Anwar, who was the son of Zayd, who was the son of Imam Hasan, who was the grandson of the Prophet ﷺ, thereby making her the great-great-great granddaughter of the Prophet ﷺ.

Ibn Ata Allah, the author of the famous Hikam, is also buried in this masjid close to that of Sayyida Nafisa. Across the street from Masjid Ibn Ata Allah is Sayyida Nafisa's place of Khalwa. And next to the masjid is the grave of the famous Hanafi jurist, Kamal b. Humam.

11. Masjid Amr b. Al-Aas

This is the first masjid built in Egypt. It was done so in the time of Umar b. Al-Khattab's caliphate, by the great Sahabi, Amr b. Al-Aas.

12. Masjid Sayyida Zainab

This is a masjid that was recently renovated. It is a very famous and historic mosque. Buried in it is Sayyida Zainab b. Ali, the sister of Imam Husayn, and granddaughter of the Prophet ﷺ.

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