Islam in Egypt: How It Arrived in 639 AD, How It Spread, and Where to See It Today

By Essam Ali, Egyptologist and founder of Egypt Best Vacations, Luxor. Updated October 2026.

Islam in Egypt began in December 639 AD, when an Arab army crossed the Sinai, and in less than three years Egypt had become a province of the new Islamic state. The faith then spread slowly over several centuries, until it became the religion of most Egyptians. Today Islam shapes the country’s calendar, its law and the skyline of Cairo, the “city of a thousand minarets”, where you can still walk through more than a thousand years of Islamic history in a single day.

This guide explains how Islam came to Egypt, how it spread, how each dynasty left its mark on Cairo, and how to visit the great mosques respectfully.

Islam in Egypt at a Glance

• When did Islam come to Egypt? In December 639 AD, when Amr ibn al-As led an Arab army into Egypt. Alexandria, the last Byzantine stronghold, was handed over in 642.
• How did Islam spread? Gradually. Egypt’s Christian majority converted over several centuries, under the pressure of taxation, the spread of the Arabic language and intermarriage, not in a single wave.
• Is Egypt a Muslim country? Yes. About 90% of Egyptians are Muslim, and the constitution names Islam as the religion of the state. Around 10% are Christian, most of them Coptic Orthodox.
• Is Egypt Sunni or Shia? Sunni. Almost all Egyptian Muslims are Sunni, even though Egypt was ruled by the Shia Fatimid caliphs for two centuries.
• Where can you see Islamic Egypt today? In Historic Cairo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from the Mosque of Amr ibn al-As to the Citadel of Saladin.

How Islam Came to Egypt (639–642 AD)

In December 639, the Arab commander Amr ibn al-As crossed from Palestine into Egypt with a few thousand men, during the reign of the second caliph, Umar. Egypt was then a province of the Byzantine Empire, and most Egyptians were Coptic Christians who had long been at odds with the Church of Constantinople.

The Arab army took Pelusium in early 640, defeated the Byzantines at Heliopolis that summer, and in April 641 captured the fortress of Babylon, whose walls still stand beside the Hanging Church in Old Cairo. A treaty signed in November 641 handed over Alexandria, and the last Byzantine troops left in September 642.

Next to the fortress, Amr founded a new capital, Fustat, and in 641–642 built its first mosque. The Mosque of Amr ibn al-As, rebuilt many times since, stands on the same site and is often described as the first mosque in Africa.

How Islam Spread in Egypt

The conquest made Egypt part of the Islamic state, but it did not make Egyptians Muslim. For generations the Arabs were a small ruling class, and Christians and Jews kept their churches, synagogues and courts as protected communities, paying a poll tax called the jizya.

Conversion came slowly, through several pressures working together. Converts no longer paid the jizya, which mattered as taxes rose. From about 706 Arabic replaced Greek and Coptic as the language of government, so careers depended on it. Arab tribes settled in the countryside and married into Egyptian families. After failed Coptic revolts in the 8th and 9th centuries, the last in the 830s, conversion gathered pace.

Historians still disagree about when Muslims became the majority. Estimates range from the 10th century to the Mamluk period in the 14th century. What is certain is that Coptic survived as a spoken language in the villages for centuries, and that Egypt has kept a large Christian community to this day.

The Dynasties That Shaped Islamic Egypt

Umayyads, Abbasids and Ibn Tulun (661–905)

For two centuries Egypt was governed from Damascus by the Umayyad caliphs, and from 750 from Baghdad by the Abbasids. The Nilometer on Roda Island, built in 861 to measure the Nile flood, survives from this period. In 868 the governor Ahmad ibn Tulun made Egypt effectively independent, and in 879 he completed the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, the oldest mosque in Cairo to survive largely in its original form, with a vast courtyard and a spiral minaret you can climb.

The Fatimids and the Founding of Cairo (969–1171)

In 969 the Fatimids, a Shia dynasty from North Africa, conquered Egypt and founded a new royal city north of Fustat: al-Qahira, Cairo. In 970–972 they built the Al-Azhar Mosque, which became a centre of learning in the late 10th century and is today one of the oldest universities in the world still running. The main street of their city is still named after the caliph al-Mu’izz.

Saladin and the Ayyubids (1171–1250)

In 1171 Saladin ended the Fatimid caliphate and restored Sunni Islam in Egypt. Al-Azhar became a Sunni institution, as it remains today. In 1176 Saladin began the Citadel on the Muqattam hills, which was the seat of Egypt’s rulers for almost 700 years.

The Mamluks: Cairo’s Golden Age (1250–1517)

The Mamluks, soldier-sultans who had been brought to Egypt as slaves, turned Cairo into the greatest city of the Islamic world. Their mosques, madrasas and mausoleums line al-Mu’izz Street, from the complex of Sultan Qalawun (1284–1285) to the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan (1356–1363) below the Citadel.

Ottomans, Muhammad Ali and Modern Egypt (1517–Today)

In 1517 the Ottomans conquered Egypt, and Cairo became a provincial capital of their empire. In 1805 Muhammad Ali took power and began to modernise the country. His Alabaster Mosque, built between 1830 and 1848, still crowns the Citadel. Today Article 2 of Egypt’s 2014 constitution names Islam as the religion of the state and the principles of Islamic law as the main source of legislation, while Article 3 lets Christians and Jews follow their own laws in personal and religious matters.

Islamic Egypt, Dynasty by Dynasty: The Monuments You Can Still Visit

Period	Dates (AD)	Rulers	Monument you can visit	Where in Cairo
Arab conquest	639–661	Amr ibn al-As, under the caliphs of Medina	Mosque of Amr ibn al-As (641–642, rebuilt)	Old Cairo (Fustat)
Umayyad and Abbasid	661–868	Governors for Damascus, then Baghdad	Nilometer (861)	Roda Island
Tulunid	868–905	Ahmad ibn Tulun	Mosque of Ibn Tulun (879)	Sayyida Zeinab
Fatimid	969–1171	Shia Fatimid caliphs	Al-Azhar Mosque (970–972); Bab Zuweila (1092)	Fatimid Cairo, al-Mu’izz Street
Ayyubid	1171–1250	Saladin and his heirs	Citadel of Saladin (begun 1176)	Muqattam hills
Mamluk	1250–1517	Mamluk sultans	Qalawun complex (1284–1285); Sultan Hassan (1356–1363)	Al-Mu’izz Street; below the Citadel
Ottoman	1517–1805	Ottoman governors and Mamluk beys	Mosque of Muhammad Bey Abu al-Dhahab (1774)	Opposite Al-Azhar
Muhammad Ali dynasty	1805–1952	Muhammad Ali and his successors	Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali (1830–1848); Al-Rifa’i Mosque (1869–1912)	The Citadel; opposite Sultan Hassan

All of these monuments lie within Historic Cairo, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. You are welcome to use this table with a link back to this page.

Is Egypt Sunni or Shia?

Egypt is overwhelmingly Sunni. The split between Sunni and Shia Muslims goes back to a dispute after the Prophet Muhammad’s death in 632 over who should lead the community. Sunnis accepted the elected caliphs; Shia Muslims believed leadership belonged to the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali, and his descendants. Worldwide, Shia Muslims make up roughly 10 to 13% of all Muslims.

Egypt’s Shia chapter was the Fatimid period (969–1171), when the ruling dynasty was Ismaili Shia but most of the population was not. Saladin restored Sunni Islam in 1171, and Al-Azhar has been a leading centre of Sunni learning ever since. Many Egyptians nevertheless honour the Prophet’s family: the shrines of al-Husayn and Sayyida Zeinab are among the most visited in Cairo.

What Muslims Believe: The Five Pillars

Islam rests on the belief in one God and in Muhammad as his final prophet, with the Qur’an as the word of God. Muslim practice is built on five pillars:

• Shahada: the declaration of faith, “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God”.
• Salat: prayer five times a day, facing Mecca, announced by the call to prayer from the minarets.
• Zakat: giving a share of one’s wealth to those in need.
• Sawm: fasting from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan.
• Hajj: the pilgrimage to Mecca, once in a lifetime for those who are able.

Islamic Holidays in Egypt

Islamic holidays follow the lunar calendar, so they move about 11 days earlier each year. These are public holidays in Egypt:

• Eid al-Fitr: the festival that ends Ramadan, usually three days off work.
• Eid al-Adha: the Feast of the Sacrifice, at the time of the Hajj, usually four days.
• Islamic New Year: the first day of the month of Muharram.
• Mawlid al-Nabi: the Prophet’s birthday, when shops sell sugar dolls and horses.

Coptic Christmas on 7 January is also a national holiday.

Muslims and Christians in Egypt

About one Egyptian in ten is Christian, most of them members of the Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest churches in the world. Muslims and Christians live side by side in every city, share the same language and food, and greet each other on their holidays, although tensions have flared at times. In Old Cairo the Mosque of Amr ibn al-As, the Hanging Church and the Ben Ezra Synagogue stand a short walk apart. Read more about Christianity in Egypt and Judaism in Egypt.

Islamic Words You Will Hear in Egypt

• Assalamu alaikum: “peace be upon you”, the everyday greeting. The reply is wa alaikum assalam.
• Insha’Allah: “if God wills”, used for anything planned in the future.
• Masjid: a mosque. A large congregational mosque is a jami’.
• Minaret: the tower from which the call to prayer is made.
• Madrasa: a school of religious learning, often built into a mosque.
• Caliph: a successor of the Prophet as leader of the Muslim community.
• Fatwa: a formal religious opinion given by a qualified scholar.
• Hijab: the headscarf worn by many Muslim women, and more broadly modest dress.
• Jihad: literally “striving”. Muslim scholars use it above all for the personal struggle to live a good life; historically it also referred to warfare under strict rules.
• Ramadan: the month of fasting, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

Visiting Islamic Cairo: Mosques, Dress Code and Etiquette

Historic Cairo holds one of the largest collections of medieval Islamic buildings anywhere, and you can see its highlights in a single day. Non-Muslim visitors are welcome in the main historic mosques outside prayer times.

The Mosques to See

• Mosque of Amr ibn al-As: the site of Egypt’s first mosque, next to Coptic Cairo.
• Mosque of Ibn Tulun: the vast courtyard and the spiral minaret, with the Gayer-Anderson Museum next door.
• Al-Azhar Mosque: a working mosque and university in the heart of Fatimid Cairo.
• Al-Mu’izz Street: the main street of medieval Cairo, with the Qalawun complex and Bab Zuweila, ending at Khan el-Khalili.
• Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa’i: two great mosques facing each other below the Citadel.
• Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali: inside the Citadel of Saladin, with the best view over the city.

What to Wear

• Women: cover shoulders, arms and legs to the ankle, and bring a light scarf for your hair inside mosques.
• Men: long trousers and a shirt with sleeves. Shorts and vests are not appropriate.
• Shoes: take them off before the prayer hall. Carry them in a bag or leave them with the attendant, who will expect a small tip.

Some tourist mosques lend robes at the entrance, but do not rely on it. Loose, long clothing is also the most comfortable choice in Cairo’s heat.

How to Behave

• Avoid prayer times, especially the Friday noon prayer, when some mosques close to visitors.
• Keep your voice low and never walk directly in front of someone praying.
• Photography is usually allowed in the main tourist mosques, but ask before photographing people.
• During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in the street in daylight. Hotels and tourist restaurants serve as usual, and the evenings around Al-Hussein and Khan el-Khalili are the liveliest of the year. In 2027 Ramadan is expected to begin around 8 February.

See Islamic Cairo with an Egyptologist

Our guides read the inscriptions and explain how each dynasty built on the last, from Ibn Tulun’s courtyard to the domes of the Citadel. Join our Saladin Citadel and Khan el-Khalili tour, or browse all our Cairo day tours.

Islam in Egypt: Frequently Asked Questions

When did Islam come to Egypt?

In December 639 AD, when the Arab commander Amr ibn al-As led an army into Egypt. The conquest was complete when the last Byzantine troops left Alexandria in September 642.

How did Islam spread in Egypt?

Gradually, over several centuries. Converts were freed from the jizya tax, Arabic became the language of government from about 706, and Arab settlers married into Egyptian families. Historians place the Muslim majority somewhere between the 10th and 14th centuries.

Is Egypt a Muslim country?

Yes. About 90% of Egyptians are Muslim, and the 2014 constitution names Islam as the religion of the state. Around 10% of Egyptians are Christian, most of them Coptic Orthodox.

Is Egypt Sunni or Shia?

Sunni. Almost all Egyptian Muslims are Sunni. Egypt was ruled by the Shia Fatimid dynasty from 969 to 1171, but Saladin restored Sunni Islam, and Al-Azhar has been a leading centre of Sunni learning ever since.

What is Al-Azhar?

A mosque built in Cairo in 970–972 that became a centre of learning in the late 10th century. Today Al-Azhar is both a working mosque and one of the oldest universities in the world still running, with students from across the Muslim world.

Can non-Muslims visit mosques in Cairo?

Yes. The main historic mosques, such as Ibn Tulun, Sultan Hassan, Al-Azhar and the Alabaster Mosque, welcome visitors outside prayer times. Dress modestly and take off your shoes before the prayer hall.

What should I wear to visit a mosque in Egypt?

Cover your shoulders, arms and legs. Women should also bring a scarf to cover their hair. You remove your shoes before entering the prayer hall.

Is it a good idea to visit Egypt during Ramadan?

Yes, with a little planning. Sites stay open, sometimes with shorter hours, and hotels and tourist restaurants serve food as usual. Avoid eating or drinking in the street in daylight, and enjoy the evenings, when the streets fill with lanterns and families breaking the fast.

Sources

• CIA World Factbook, Egypt: People and Society (religion figures)
• Pew Research Center, Mapping the Global Muslim Population (Sunni and Shia shares)
• UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Historic Cairo
• Constitute Project, Egypt’s Constitution of 2014 (Articles 2 and 3)