Editing Urfa (section)

====Halil ür-Rahman Cami====
[[File:Halil Ür-Rahman Camii 9397.jpg|thumb|The Halil ür-Rahman Cami]]
The Halil ür-Rahman Cami, also called simply the Halil Cami, is a mosque and medrese located on the south side of the pool.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|18}} Just south of the mosque is a cave which according to legend is where the prophet Abraham was born.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|18}} Another tradition says that Abraham intended to sacrifice his son Isaac here, but sacrificed a goat instead; when he did, a spring gushed out, feeding the fish pool.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|18}}

The earliest part of the complex is the minaret, which was built in 1211–12 under Ayyubid rule.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|18}} There was presumably a mosque with a prayer hall on the site of the present one, which was completely rebuilt in 1819–20 (but probably similar to the original one).<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|18–9}} The other major component is a series of medrese "cells", fronted by a portico, which were built in 1808–09 and then renovated in 1871–72.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} The original Ayyubid complex may have been built to serve as a medrese, but by Ottoman times it was being used as a [[khanqah|tekke]] with kitchens, reception rooms, and guest rooms, which may have been on the same site as the medrese cells.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} The tekke complex was converted into a medrese in the 1800s, possibly as soon as the medrese cells were built.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}}

The mosque itself now serves as an antechamber where prayers can be said before entering the cave through a door on the south side.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} The mosque is entered through a domed vestibule on the west side.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} The prayer hall is a small squarish room with three aisles; two of them have groin-vaulted ceilings, while the middle one is topped with a dome.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} The mihrab is surrounded by an arch with [[squinch]]es that seem to imitate [[Artukid]] style.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}}

The minaret is a square tower that is visually divided into thirds by three molded [[cornice]]s, one of which is at the very top.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} The upper level has pairs of [[mullion]]ed windows on all four sides.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} The tops of the windows form horseshoe-shaped arches.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}}

The medrese cells, now used as a Qur'an school, are elevated from the surrounding pavement.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} The cells are fronted by a portico with simple rounded arches.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} A [[balustrade]] with zigzag posts runs along the front of the portico.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} At the northwest corner of the pool is a five-sided room that projects out into the water on three sides.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}} A restoration in the late 20th century extended the balustrade onto the top of the five-sided room.<ref name="Sinclair 1990"/>{{rp|19}}