It is situated about equidistant from the sea to the east and to the south; the floor of the mosques is (as estimated by eye) two metres or a little less below the level of the ground outside.

[3] The mosque is currently lies 2m under the current ground level and stair access is needed to get into the main prayer hall[4] Following Sheikh Uways Al-Barawi's return from Arabia he would visit Mogadishu and this famous story involving the Jama'a Hamarweyn and of his meeting with the Hirab Imam Mahmud with Asharaf leaders in the city recorded by Scott Reese.

Each was a powerful party being composed of people from Hamarweyn and Shangani [the two principal quarters of the town].

Among them were the Asharaaf, merchants, notables, clan elders, rulers, patrons and people of the ships.

All of them assisted and participated in this abominable practice until the hearts of the ulama contracted [with anguish] but they were incapable of stopping the custom ...[However], when [the participants in this practice] heard of his arrival in Mogadishu and his presence in the house of the Imam they took counsel in their meeting place and said: Tomorrow, God willing, we will meet in the Friday mosque in Shangani and face Shaykh Uways al-Qadiri so that we may repent before him this abomination.