Çorumlu Ali Pasha Mosque H:1119

Çorumlu Ali Pasha Mosque was built in the year 1119 AH (1707 AD). As its name suggests, the structure was gifted to Medina by Ali Pasha, who was of Çorum origin and served under the Ottoman administration. After the Ottomans took control of Mecca and Medina in 1517 during Yavuz Sultan Selim's campaign in Egypt, they assumed the responsibility of protecting and developing the two holy cities (Haramayn). Ottoman sultans and high-ranking state officials fulfilled their religious obligations by constructing mosques, prayer houses, madrasas, fountains, and inns in this sacred geography, thereby strengthening their spiritual influence over the Islamic world. The year H. 1119 (A.D. 1707), when Ali Pasha of Çorum commissioned this mosque, corresponds to a period when the Ottomans still exhibited a strong presence in the region; however, the Wahhabi movement had not yet gained strength in the Arabian Peninsula. Such charitable constructions are concrete expressions of the respect that Ottoman rulers had for Medina and their desire to leave a lasting mark on these lands. Although many of the Ottoman period structures in Medina were destroyed or underwent significant renovations after the establishment of Saudi rule in the 20th century, some examples have managed to survive. [Source: TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, "Medina" article, islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/medine; Ottoman architectural sources]