Construction began in 990 under Caliph al-ʿAziz, and al-Ḥākim resumed and completed it, with inauguration in 1013. It is Fatimid in style and was about 394 by 371 feet (120 by 113 m) when finished. The facades and minarets are stone, and the rest is brick. The northern minaret is 111 feet (33.7 m) high and the southern 81 feet (24.7 m).
The mosque has been put to other uses over time, including a prison for captured Crusaders, a stable under Saladin, a fortress under Napoleon, an Islamic arts museum from 1890 and a boys' school in the 20th century. An earthquake damaged it in 1303.
The Dawoodi Bohra community led a major restoration, reopened on November 24, 1980. A new restoration began in 2017 and reopened in February 2023. Scholars note that anyone can visit.
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