The initial building was simple. Al-Bakri, an Andalusian geographer who lived in the 12th century, claimed that the mosque had a hypostyle hall with six aisles (or seven, according to al-Jazna’i), each constructed by parallel rows of horseshoe arches that were supported by stone columns. A walnut tree and several other trees were planted in a tiny sahn (courtyard) that it had. The rows of arches went east to west, parallel to the southern qibla wall rather than perpendicular to it, unlike many later Moroccan mosques. The mosque had easy access to plenty of water from the Oued Masmuda artificial water channel.

initial additions (10th century)

Fez was entangled in the conflict between the Fatimid Caliphate and the Umayyads of Cordoba throughout the tenth century. The Al-Andalusiyyin and Al-Qarawiyyin mosques, however, which both gained support from opposing factions during this time, benefited from this. The khutbah (the religious sermon during Friday prayers) was moved to this Mosque of the Andalusians in 933 by the new Zenata governor of Fez, Hamid ibn Hamdan al-Hamdani, a vassal of the Fatimid ruler Ubayd Allah, replacing the older Mosque of Al-Ashyakh, the first mosque built in Madinat Fas by Idris I, as the main mosque of the Andalusian Quarter The khutbah was moved from the Shurafa Mosque to the Qarawiyyin Mosque on the same day.

Abd al-Rahman III, the Umayyad caliph in Cordoba, supported the mosque’s minaret’s construction in 956, and it is still standing today. [5] [3] According to Henri Terrasse, the mosque’s northwest corner was where the original minaret stood (before its later expansion). [5]: 9 It has a square base with a single main shaft, tiny merlons on top, and a dome on top. Though slightly smaller and more straightforward, it resembles the minaret of the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque, which was also constructed at the same period. [3] [5] It is believed that both were connected to the larger minaret Abd ar-Rahman III had constructed earlier in the same decade.

A new minbar (pulpit) for the mosque was ordered by Buluggin, a Zirid amir who ruled on behalf of the Fatimids (whose base had moved further east to Cairo), in 980 after northern Morocco had come under their control. This act symbolized the victory of the Shi’a Fatimids over other factions like the Sunni Umayyads of Cordoba. Henri Terrasse unearthed an inscription with this date (369 AH) during restorations in the 20th century on one of the minbar’s original panels. However, the new Fatimid Domination episode was short-lived. Ibn ‘Abi Amir, vizier of Caliph Hisham II and de facto governor of Cordoba (also known as Almanzor in Christian chronicles), despatched his cousin Askalaja with an army to recover the city in 985.

Ibn ‘Abi Amir, the de facto ruler of Cordoba and the vizier of Caliph Hisham II (also known as Almanzor in Christian sources), despatched his cousin Askalaja with an army to directly reclaim Fez and northern Morocco in 985.

The minbar was partially remade within a few months of the successful conquest of Fez with new components in an artistic style very similar to the original, including an upper section (the backrest) with an inscription recording the year 375 AH (985 or 986 CE) and the names of Ibn ‘Abi Amir and Hisham II. It is assumed that the Umayyad components were intentionally added to the minbar in place of the Fatimid components. Terrasse asserts that the previous.

Terrasse thinks that the reason the previous, nameless inscription from 369 AH was left in place at the time was that the local craftsmen, who may not have been proficient in reading Kufic, might not have understood its importance.

-A recreation of Almohad

Currently, the mosque’s monumental gate is also visible from a distance due to its height, in addition to the minaret (left), in the skyline perspective.

Not until the early 13th century, during the Almohad era, was the mosque modified once more.

The fourth Almohad caliph, Muhammad al-Nasir (reigned 1199–2123), showed more interest in Fez than his predecessors, especially by strengthening the city.

Al-Jazna’i claims that the caliph ordered the restoration and extension of the Mosque of the Andalusians after learning that it required repairs. Between 1203 and 1207, the mosque was built, and 1209 saw the installation of its anaza.

According to Terrasse, this lengthy period and the very uniform construction of the current structure (which has brick pillars instead of stone columns) indicate that the mosque was virtually completely rebuilt at this time. The qibla alignment of the mosque also seems to be distinct from the direction of its 10th-century minaret, which suggests that the latter is still in line with the mosque’s earlier orientation.

The Almohad rebuilding not only changed the mosque’s plan but also included a fountain, a new entrance for the women’s prayer hall, and an apartment for the imam on the floor above the women’s prayer hall. [5]: 10 [4] Along with the ablutions house, or dar al-wudu, another dar al-wudu was constructed across the street for the Qarawiyyin Mosque. [5] [4] Al-Nasir also built a new water channel to bring water from outside the city directly to the mosque in order to supply water for this ablutions facility and possibly because the water of the Oued Masmouda was thought to be too polluted (since it crossed a significant portion of the city before reaching the mosque).

Although these were probably renovated at a later date and little of the Almohad artwork yet exists today, the towering northern gate’s façade is embellished with zellij tiles and an exquisite canopy of carved wood. Georges Marçais, a scholar, regarded the building as a masterpiece of Moroccan architecture.

The mosque’s original minbar was also renovated by Al- Nasir’s. Once more, the Almohads chose to repair and reuse the existing minbar rather than completely replacing it. The majority of the minbar was covered with brand-new wooden panels decorated in this era’s Moorish style, which was heavily influenced by Andalusi artistry, notably its sides. However, the upper back panel, which bore inscriptions from the 10th-century Umayyad restoration, had been retained. This may have shown that the Almohads had some respect for the previous Caliphate of Cordoba.

-Later restorations and embellishments

Terrasse notes that the masonry used in the Almohad building was of poor quality, necessitating its repair and restoration in the latter half of the 13th century under the Marinids. The Marinid ruler Abu Ya’qub Yusuf granted the mosque’s khatib, Abu Abdallah Muhammad ibn Abd al-Qasim ibn Hassuna, permission to request renovations. Repairs were made between 1295 and 1296. (695 AH).  At this period, the building’s pillars and ceilings were mostly restored. [4] [5] The mosque’s Almohad water canals were fixed by the following sultan, Abu Thabit, who reigned between 1307 and 1308. He also built the elaborate fountain in the mosque’s courtyard’s north wall. Despite being omitted from historical sources, According to Terrasse, Abu Thabit may have also been responsible for the construction or decoration of the mosque’s eastern gate, which is close to the minaret. [5]: 12 It is also likely that the Dar al-Muwaqqit, a timekeeper’s residence built on the second floor, southeast of the minaret, originates from the Marinid period, when similar additions to mosques first appeared. One of the final Marinid sultans, Abu Sa’id Uthman III, is credited with founding a sizable storage area at the back of the mosque that appears to have acted as a library and has a cursive inscription panel over its double doors in 1415. (816 AH).

The Funerary Mosque (Jama’ al-Gna’iz) at the back of the mosque and other carved wood features in this region, including those in and around the imam’s door, were also dated by Terrasse to Abu Sa’id Uthman III.

Similar to the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque, the mosque offered seven educational courses and had two libraries, making it the second-most significant mosque in the Fez Medina.

The Sahrij Madrasa and Sba’iyyin Madrasa were at least two other adjacent madrasas that the Marinids constructed in the early 14th century. Similar to the madrasas close to the Qarawiyyin Mosque, they provided instruction in addition to housing for students from outside the city who came to the mosque to study.The mosque itself has undergone numerous restorations over the years, allowing it to maintain its shape. The mosque’s imposing gate presumably underwent a refurbishment during the Alaouite era to achieve its current aspect.  Moulay Isma’il (1672–1727), whose name may still be seen, repaired the Marinid fountain in the mosque’s courtyard. The carved stucco design on the mihrab was also recently redone and is only a few centuries old.

The French researcher Henri Terrasse, who worked on numerous sites during the French Protectorate period (1912–1956), did a thorough study of the mosque and its minbar, which was published in 1942, among other more contemporary restorations.