 Initially built as a prayer hall with five aisles and a modest central courtyard , the mosque has since been expanded multiple times with additional installations completely surrounding the original structure . Many of Egypt 's rulers have shaped the art and architecture of al @-@ Azhar , from the minarets added by the Mamluks and the gates added during Ottoman rule to more recent renovations such as the installation of a new mihrab . None of the original minarets or domes have survived , with some of the current minarets having been rebuilt several times . 
