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Building the city of Kairouan
The city of Kairouan was built in 670 AD by Uqba ibn Nafeh, who is one of the Arab leaders, and the companion of the Prophet Muhammad, may God bless him and grant him peace. The city was built at the site of the Byzantine Castle (Kamuya), and it is reported that the city of Kairouan was the seat of the Arab rulers in the West African region, and it continued Accordingly, until the year 800, the city of Kairouan is located in the north-central side of Tunisia, which is one of the holy Islamic cities.
The city is located between a longitude of 10.10 degrees and a latitude of 35.68 degrees, and its height above the sea level is a distance of 65 meters, and its population reaches about 119,794 inhabitants.
Motives to build Kairouan city
It is noteworthy that the reason that prompted Uqba ibn Nafeh to build the city of Kairouan is the retreat of large numbers of Berbers from Islam, the abrogation of the covenants, and the certainty that the only way to preserve the Islamic religion in Africa is to build a city that will be a place for the descent of Muslims in it. Uqba ibn Nafi` founding the city of Kairouan, and built a mosque in it, and it was an obstacle that paved the way for its soldiers before building the city, as he used to say: (If an African enters an imam, they answer him to Islam, and if he comes out of it, those who answered to God’s religion will return to unbelief, so I see for you oh Muharram Muslims that you take a city that is the honor of Islam until the end of time).
What is Kairouan famous for?
The city of Kairouan is famous for the minaret of Kairouan, and it is one of the most wonderful ancient minarets in the whole world, as there is the Mosque of Sayyid Aqabah, which is known as the (Great Mosque). Ceramics, and the production of local handicrafts such as carpets, it is worth noting here that the city’s economy relies mainly on agriculture, especially grain cultivation, which is the main source of the country’s revenue.
