The Shrine of Sheikh Musallam
The shrine and corner are associated with Sheikh Musallam Al-Smadi, the builder. Located in the northeastern part of Al-Habala neighborhood, the largest area within the historic city of Nablus, the shrine is bordered on the east by the ruins of an ancient building thought to be a Mamluk Khan, and on the south by the remnants of the Khan and the House of the Al-Masri family. To the west lies Sheikh Musallam Road, and to the north is a street connecting Al-Habala neighborhood to Al-Anbiya' Street.
According to an inscription above the western facade, the shrine and corner are attributed to Sheikh Musallam Al-Smadi, a notable figure who left his village of Samad in southern Syria to join Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi's army. The inscription on the tomb indicates that the Sheikh passed away in Jumada I in 1226 AD.
The corner is composed of three sections. The southern section, a chamber, is accessible through a low-rise door on the western facade, which descends about 30 cm from the street level. Small decorative benches are positioned on either side of the entrance.
The chamber is a rectangular hall, measuring 7 x 6 meters, and is supported by intersecting arches. The southern facade features a niche flanked by two stone columns, adorned with Mamluk muqarnas motifs. A small door next to the niche leads to the Khan's courtyard.
Originally a small mosque, the chamber was later converted into a Kuttab (school) and a place for prayer and Qur'anic teaching associated with the Sufis. To the north of the chamber is a hall containing three tombs believed to belong to the Sheikh's sons. A narrow hallway on the western facade leads to a room with the Sheikh's tomb, which is significantly larger than those of his sons.
In 2008, the Municipality of Nablus and the Ministry of Awqaf conducted restoration and rehabilitation work on the corner. Today, it serves as the headquarters of the Qadiriyya Naqshbandi Sufi order, which celebrates religious occasions such as the Prophet's birthday and the Islamic New Year with processions through the old town of Nablus, carrying flags, drums, and wands.