This artwork depicts craftsmen at work on the minbar Nur ad-Din Zangi commissioned for Masjid al-Aqsa. The carved wooden pulpit built in Aleppo in the 1160s, designed for a mosque he had not yet liberated.
Nur ad-Din commissioned the minbar decades before Jerusalem was in Muslim hands. He ordered it built in anticipation, an act of faith in the eventual outcome. When Saladin finally recaptured Jerusalem in 1187, the minbar was transported from Damascus and installed in al-Aqsa, exactly as Nur ad-Din had planned. It stood in the mosque for eight hundred years.
It was destroyed by arson in 1969. A reconstruction, based on original designs, now stands in its place. The original act of commissioning it, the certainty required to build something for a future you might not live to see, is what this print commemorates.
Every artwork in the Riwayah collection is available in four premium display formats, crafted to suit every home and interior style. Our canvas prints offer a rich, textured finish that brings depth and character to each piece, stretched on FSC-certified wooden bars for a refined gallery feel. For a minimalist and versatile look, our magnetic hangers use durable pine wood to hold your print securely without marking it, making it easy to change artwork whenever you like. Those seeking a classic, museum-style presentation can choose our premium wooden frames, crafted from responsibly sourced oak or ash with visible natural grain and protected with shatterproof plexiglass. And for a sleek, contemporary finish, our aluminium frames pair clean black metal with heavyweight matte paper for a polished, modern aesthetic. All prints use FSC-certified paper and high-quality inks, arrive ready to hang or assemble, and are produced on demand in the UK to reduce waste and ensure the highest standard of craftsmanship.
