The Shi‘a origins of the 12th century ‘Uyunid Madrasah Abu Zaidan (Suq al-Khamis Mosque) on Bahrain

This study examines the history of what has traditionally been regarded as the oldest mosque on Bahrain. In addition to reviewing the available scholarship on the architectural history of the building, particular attention is paid to the epigraphic evidence, published a quarter of a century ago by Ludvik Kalus, which demonstrates conclusively the Shi‘a nature of the mosque. These texts, in turn, clearly indicate the Shi‘a character of the ‘Uyunid dynasty which reigned in what is today eastern Saudi Arabia