The Story of Jamal Al Din Shiiha

Jamal Al Din Shiiha was born in a village in Syria in 1259 AD. He was an orphan who joined one of the guerrilla organizations in Syria. He then moved to Cairo after Al Zahir Baibars summoned him to continue his journey as a consultant for the Sultan for secretive Fedayeen matters. He was known as the “Master of Tricks”, so they assigned him military tasks that were crowned with victory of Al Zahir Baibars over the crusaders.

Shiiha enforced many secretive military duties while repelling the crusaders attacks. His mission was to save Damietta, specifically the Mosque of Amr Ibn Al Aas, that is why he settled in the governorate. He defeated Louis IX and protected Damietta from the crusaders. The achievements of Shiiha in Damietta, specifically the city of Faraskour, made everyone praise him till this day.

He died in Damietta in 1330 AD. The people were devastated, so they built a shrine in his name to honor him and keep his memory alive. The shrine contained several ancient weapons; such as spears and leather sheaths, which were used by Jamal Al Din against his battle with

Louis IX.

During our research in the governorate, we discovered that all the weapons have been stolen throughout the years and the shrine has been abandoned completely. However, this didn’t deprive the people of Damietta from honoring his name and memory. They built a school and this mosque accompanied with a cemetery, all named after him.

When you visit Damietta, make sure you stop by the Mosque of Jamal Al Din Shiiha.

Trust us, you don’t want to miss the magic this place holds. It’s so elegant and tranquil, it just gives you a relaxing vibe.