 Though the mosque had regained its standing in Cairo , repairs and additional work were carried out by those in positions lower than sultan . This changed under the rule of al @-@ Zahir Barquq , the first sultan of the Burji dynasty . The resumption of direct patronage by those in the highest positions of government continued through to the end of Mamluk rule . Improvements and additions were made by the sultans Qaytbay and Qansuh al @-@ Ghuri , each of whom oversaw numerous repairs and erected minarets . It was common practice among the Mamluk sultans to build minarets , perceived as symbols of power and the most effective way of cementing one 's position in the Cairo cityscape . The sultans wished to have a noticeable association with the prestigious al @-@ Azhar . 
