Claim: Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman, an Arab ruler who was a member of the Mahdali dynasty, ordered the demolition of the Great Mosque of Kilwa, which was supported by nine pillars and was entirely roofed.
Evidence: Sultan al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman, often referred to as "Abu'l-Muwahib" ("father of gifts"), was an Arab ruler of Kilwa Kisiwani, in present-day Tanzania, from 1310 until 1333. Al-Hasan ibn Sulaiman was a member of the Mahdali dynasty, and oversaw a period of great prosperity in his capital city of Kilwa. He built the extensive Palace of Husuni Kubwa outside of the city and added a significant extension to the Great Mosque of Kilwa. It contained a total of 16 bays, supported by nine pillars, originally carved from coral but later replaced by timber. The structure, which was entirely roofed, was perhaps one of the first mosques to have been originally built without a courtyard.