According to an account by Muhammad Sadiq al-Hakim in his documentation, the shrine dated back to the year 772, and it was established by the descendant of Islamic prophet Muhammad and the eighth Shia imam Ali al-Ridha when he visited Basra from Medina.

It was among the largest mosques during the time, with the area size of 600 square metres (6,500 sq ft) and the haram having capacity of 500 worshipers.

The building is made of brick and constructed in the older Islamic architectural style.

There are two libraries adjacent to the mosque, one on the first floor which stores Quran and books for dawah, and another on the second floor which was newly founded and named as the Library of Imam Ali bin Musa al-Ridha.

This article about a mosque or other Islamic place of worship in Iraq is a stub.