تختلف المصادر التاريخية حول منارة عَدَن، حيث يسود رأيان ، الرأي الأول أنها منارة باقية لمسجد قديم تهدم في مرحلة تاريخية معنية ، والرأي الثاني يرى أنها فناراً أو برجا لمراقبة الشواطئ والمرجع صحة أنصار الرأي الأول ، وهم عديدون حيث إن منظرها العام الخارجي ـ وكذلك الداخلي ـ يدل بأنها منارة باقية لمسجد تهدم ، وهي تقع في منطقة كريتر بالقرب من ملعب كرة القدم ( ملعب الحبيشي ) باتجاه الغرب ، والمنارة تحيط بها حديقة صغيرة مغلقة ، وهي تقع ضمن سور بمبني البريد العام بالقرب من شارع الملكة أروى . تختلف المصادر التاريخية حول بناء عَدن ومسجدها ،فهناك رأي يعيد تاريخ بنائها الى عهد الخلبفة الاموي عمر بن عبدالعزيز خامس الخلفاء الراشدين ومصدر اخر يرى بأن بانيها هو وزير الدولة الزيادية الحسين بن سلامة ،ومصدر ثالث يرى بأنها تعود الى عهد السلطان الطاهري عامر بن عبدالوهاب، ومن المرجح انها موغلة في القدم وتعود الى العصور الاولى للإسلام ،وذلك حسبما يفيد بعض المؤرخين الذين يرون انها تعود الى حوالي 1200عام ،وماسبق يدعو الى القول بإمكانية بنأئها في زمن الخليفة عمر بن عبدالعزيز وأعيد تجديدها في زمن صاحب المآثر الحسن بن سلامة الزيادي وعامر بن عبدالوهاب قد قام بترميمها ، والمنارة تقوم على قاعدة مضلعة وتأخذ شكلاً مخروطياً ذا أبعاد (ثماني الاضلاع ) ،ويبلغ عدد أدوارها (طوابقها ) ستة ، ويقدر طولها كاملاً بحوالي 21 متراً ،وتؤدي الى آخر طابق فيها مكان الآذان (المئذنة) ، ويوجد فيها نوافذ عدة أكثرها اتساعاً في الطابق الأعلى ، وقد شوهدت المنارة مع مسجدها في رسومات البرتغاليين ابان غزوهم لعدن خلال الفترة من (918هـ - 921هـ) ،(1513م-1516م).
Manara Mosque
Up | Aidrous Mosque | Borah Mosque | Manara Mosque
There is nothing left of this mosque today except the minaret which stood next to it. Later the Court & Treasury buildings were built next to it. Views differ on the builder of the mosque and its minaret. Some say the huge mosque was built at great cost by a woman of the Bani-Ghassan between AD 1397- 1597.
Nevertheless, it is generally agreed in some history books that the minaret once formed part of this important mosque in Aden. The Portugese invasion pictures of for Aden show that the minaret was part of the mosque.
This minaret once used for calling the faithful to prayer is situated opposite the basketball stadium at the far end of a small park adjacent to Crater's Post Office. It has a zig-zag staircase made of 86 steps that lead to the level where the muezzin stood for azan, five times each day.
Some recent scholars expressed their thoughts that the surrounding base was not built till after the 1940's. However, the greyscale photo lower down in this page was taken c. 1935 and it clearly shows the base. There was concern that the minaret was liable to fall so no one was able till then to ascend it on foot.
Local research affirms the possibility that the foundation of the basement structure is related to the era before the birth of Islam. Many of the findings affirmed that this minaret is the only remnant of the "Big Mosque" that had once been erected in the location, but was demolished due to its age, and other natural occurrences which affected it.
It might be that the Mosque's wings and halls once stretched from the front of, what is now, the Board of Commerce building, right up to the newly built basketball stadium or Al-Hubaishi football ground. During the 1960's during some civil-works diggings, four arched-pillars of an Islamic decorated pattern were found in the location of the football stadium. This indicates that the demolished "Big Mosque" was located very close to the space occupied now by Al-Hubaishi Stadium.
1963
The minaret has a slight tilt and is sometimes known as the Pisa of Aden.
Circa 2003
It was mentioned in Islamic resources that the first generation of Yemeni Muslim believers used to bury their dead around the area of constructed mosques. Three tombs were clearly visible in a Portuguese drawing of Aden made in the year 512. The Mosque and the minaret were also shown in these early drawings.
Thus, with the preceding evidence, it is possible to say that the Manarah Mosque had been occupying a large area extending to the new basket-ball ground and ending in the building of the Board of Commerce. Upon this assumption, it could be considered at that time one of the largest mosques built in the district of Crater.
Many researchers state the builder of the Manarah Mosque was the Ummayah Ruler/Caliph Omar ibn Abdul Aziz, while one scholar called Ibn Al-Magawer pointed that its construction was attributed to the Persians who were living in Aden. What is known for sure is that most history books agree that this mosque relates to the city of Aden, and its full name is "Aden Jame-Al-Manarah".
Minaret next to the Court of Justice (aka Court of the Resident or Court & Treasury Building)
Many Yemeni historians agree that Prince Hussain bin Salamah, who died in the Year 426 Hijria, renovated the Manarah Mosque. It was then known either as Hussain Masjid or Salamah Masjid. The Prince ordered the addition of two west wings for the Mosque .
As for the minaret that is left standing today, it has gone through several repairs, one of which was conducted in 1950. This is noted on a plaque at the base. Later, during the expansion of Al-Hubaishi football ground facing the minaret, some old walls were discovered. These were thought to be either the foundations or some remaining sectors of the former Mosque's wings.
To add perhaps further confusion to the foregoing, Abul Feda states that a large jami' masjid (mosque) was built some time before AD 718 by Omar bin Abdul Aziz, the 8th Caliph of the Bani Amaya. This mosque was built on the Crater foreshore where the regimental barracks later stood, and was repaired and enlarged by Abu Abdalla al Hussain ba Salâma a former Nubian slave who rose to become ruler of Yemen. This mosque was clearly quite a separate entity yet it's relatively close proximity might be the reason for Omar bin Abdul Aziz being credited as builder of the Al-Manara Mosque.
