Al-Tubani Corner (Al-Sheikh Nazmi Okal’s Corner)
The Sufi corner in Nablus is one of the city's well-known Sufi sites, with a long history of association with Sufi rituals and practices. The last sheikh to serve and hold prayer sessions at the corner was Sheikh Nazmi Okal, who continued this tradition until his passing in 1970 AD. After his death, the Sufi followers revived the rituals and ceremonies at the corner.
The corner is used for the restoration of Mawaled (the birthday of a holy figure), remembrances, and the celebration of religious seasons such as the anniversary of the Prophet's birthday, the Hijri New Year, Laylat al-Qadr, and other occasions. During these events, the members of the Sufi group gather in their distinctive uniforms, carrying flags, drums, tambourines, and other instruments, and perform marches through the streets of the old town. These rituals are derived from the Naqshbandi Sufi order, and the local community welcomes and participates in these practices.
The corner itself is a rectangular hall measuring 9 x 4 meters, with a rare architectural feature - a vaulted barrel arch ceiling reaching a height of approximately 3 meters. The floor of the corner has been re-paved with locally made colored tiles.
The entrance to the corner is located on the eastern side, with a small, low-height facade. The door is topped by a lintel containing an inscription, and above it, there is an arch and another four-line inscription. These inscriptions were analyzed during a visit to the city in 1925 AD, revealing that the oldest inscription dates back to the construction of the Al-Tawbah Mosque, on whose ruins the corner was later built.
The second inscription indicates that the corner was constructed on the same site as the mosque in 1705 AD, during the Ottoman period. In 2018, the Nablus Municipality and the Taawon Organization undertook the restoration of the corner and its surrounding area.