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Draft:Pillars of the Prophet's Mosque

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Pillars of the Prophet's Mosque refers to a specific collection of columns within al-Masjid al-Nabawi that date back to the era of Prophet Muhammad (s). Each of these pillars bears a distinct name and possesses unique historical significance. During the time of the Prophet of Islam, these pillars were originally constructed from palm trunks; however, subsequent renovations saw them replaced by stone columns positioned in the exact same locations. Prominent among these is the Pillar of Repentance, where Abu Lubaba al-Ansari, a companion of the Prophet, tied himself until his repentance was accepted. Historical sources recommend seeking repentance beside this pillar. The Pillar of the Guard (Ustuwanat al-Haras), also known as the Pillar of Imam Ali (a), is situated near the Prophet's Chamber; it marks the spot where Imam Ali (a) would stand guard at night to ensure no harm befell the Prophet. The Pillar of Delegations (Ustuwanat al-Wufud) served as the location where the Prophet of Islam received delegations sent by various Arab tribes. The Pillars of the Lot (al-Qur'a), the Couch (al-Sarir), and the Perfumed Pillar (al-Mukhallaqa) are other notable columns located within the Rawda al-Nabi in the Prophet's Mosque.

As al-Masjid al-Nabawi underwent expansion, the number of pillars increased correspondingly. During the significant renovation under the Saudi reign in 1404/1983-84, the mosque was greatly enlarged, and a total of 2,104 pillars were erected within the structure.

The Pillar of Repentance (center) and the Pillar of the Couch, which is attached to the Prophet's shrine.

Introduction

During the time of the Prophet of Islam, al-Masjid al-Nabawi featured pillars made of palm trunks, several of which—located in the Noble Rawda—gained historical prominence.[1] Each possesses a specific name[2] and is associated with a unique historical narrative.[3] These original trunks were replaced with stone columns during various renovations of the Prophet's Mosque.[4] Despite numerous reconstructions, efforts were maintained to preserve the mosque's original layout, ensuring the new pillars were erected in the exact locations of their predecessors.[5]

The names of the pillars are inscribed upon them on green tablets in golden script.[6] During the renovation of 1404/1983-84, these specific historical pillars were clad in white marble to distinguish them from other columns.[7] This renovation significantly expanded the mosque, resulting in the addition of many new pillars and bringing the total count to 2,104.[8]

Pillar of Repentance

Main article: Pillar of Repentance

Following the commission of a sin, Abu Lubaba al-Ansari, a companion of the Prophet (s), tied himself to one of the pillars of al-Masjid al-Nabawi. After a period of time, his repentance was accepted. Consequently, this column became known as the Pillar of Repentance or the Pillar of Abu Lubaba.[9] Traditions recommend performing two rak'as of prayer near the Pillar of Repentance, as well as reciting specific supplications, petitioning for one's needs, and seeking forgiveness.[10] According to one narration, the Prophet (s) performed the majority of his supererogatory prayers beside this pillar. He would also sit by it following the morning prayer, where the underprivileged and destitute—who had no shelter other than the Mosque—would gather around him.[11]

Pillar of the Guard

Main article: Pillar of the Guard
The Pillar of the Guard, located next to the Pillar of Delegations and attached to the Prophet's shrine.

The Pillar of the Guard (Ustuwanat al-Haras), also referred to as the Pillar of Imam Ali (a),[12] is situated near the Prophet's Chamber in al-Masjid al-Nabawi.[13] Imam Ali (a) would stand guard by this pillar at night to protect the Prophet.[14] Toward the end of the Prophet's life, guards were notably assigned for his protection.[15] This pillar also marked the location where Imam Ali (a) performed his prayers, and it thus became known as the Musalla of Ali b. Abi Talib. This association led the Sadat of Medina to gather near the pillar for prayer during certain historical periods.[16] In the current layout, the Pillar of the Guard is positioned adjacent to the shrine of the Prophet of Islam.[17]

Pillar of al-Hannana

Main article: Ustuwanat al-Hannana

The Pillar of al-Hannana (meaning "the moaning one") is a notable pillar in al-Masjid al-Nabawi. It stands on the site of a palm tree trunk that, according to historical reports, let out a moan of grief due to its separation from the Prophet (s).[18]

Pillar of Delegations

The Pillar of Delegations (Ustuwanat al-Wufud) is located to the north, behind the Pillar of the Guard.[19] In Arabic, the term wufud denotes delegations or deputations.[20] The Prophet of Islam would receive delegations sent by Arab tribes at this pillar.[21] It is also known as "Majlis al-Qilada" (the Assembly of the Necklace), a name derived from the gathering of the senior companions there.[22] The term "Qilada" (necklace) signifies the noble status and prestige of the individuals who sat beside it.[23]

Pillar of Tahajjud

The Pillar of Tahajjud (Ustuwanat al-Tahajjud) was situated on the northern side, behind the House of Lady Fatima (a).[24] The Messenger of God (s) would perform the Night Prayer at this spot on certain nights.[25] During the Prophet's lifetime, this location was outside the mosque proper.[26] Jafarian, a Shia historian, posits that the Prophet's observance of the night prayer in this specific location was not a constant practice, but occurred only on select nights.[27]

Pillar of the Lot

The Pillar of the Lot (Ustuwanat al-Qur'a), also known as the Pillar of the Muhajirun,[28] is separated from the Prophet's grave by two pillars and from the Prophet's pulpit by two pillars on the opposite side.[29] 'A'isha, the Prophet's wife, narrated a tradition in which the Prophet stated that adjacent to this pillar lies a spot of such merit that, were people aware of its significance, they would cast lots (qur'a) for the opportunity to pray there. It is for this reason that the pillar was named al-Qur'a.[30] It is also referred to as the Pillar of 'A'isha because she narrated this tradition.[31] Furthermore, due to the frequent gathering of the Muhajirun near it, it bears the name Pillar of the Muhajirun.[32]

The Pillar of al-Mukhallaqa next to the Mihrab of the Prophet

Pillar of al-Mukhallaqa

The Pillar of al-Mukhallaqa (the Perfumed Pillar) stood next to the spot where the Prophet performed his prayers, serving as a marker for that location.[33] Some scholars have reported that the location of the Prophet's prayer near this pillar is established through tawatur (widely transmitted and undeniable chains of narration).[34] The name al-Mukhallaqa was bestowed because a pleasant fragrance emanated from the pillar.[35]

Pillar of al-Sarir

The Pillar of the Couch (Ustuwanat al-Sarir) is located to the east of the Pillar of Repentance[36] and is adjacent to the Prophet's shrine.[37] Beside this column, the Prophet (s) would rest within the mosque upon a mat of palm leaves.[38] The term Sarir translates to couch or bed.[39]

Notes

  1. ↑ al-Qurashī, Ḥāmid, "Mā hiya 'al-Asāṭīn' al-latī irtabaṭat bi-tārīkh al-Masjid al-Nabawī?", Al Arabiya.
  2. ↑ "Asāṭīn al-Masjid al-Nabawī min shawāhid al-Sīrat al-Nabawiyya", Saudi Press Agency.
  3. ↑ al-Qurashī, Ḥāmid, "Mā hiya 'al-Asāṭīn' al-latī irtabaṭat bi-tārīkh al-Masjid al-Nabawī?", Al Arabiya.
  4. ↑ "8 Asāṭīn fī al-Rawḍat al-Sharīfa", al-Watan.
  5. ↑ al-Anṣārī, Nājī Muḥammad, 'Imārat wa tawsī'at al-Masjid al-Nabawī al-Sharīf 'abra al-tārīkh, 1996, p. 68.
  6. ↑ al-Ḥarbī, Muḥammad, "Qiṣaṣ wa ṣuwar li-8 asāṭīn baynahā 'buq'at min al-Janna'", Al Arabiya.
  7. ↑ al-Qurashī, Ḥāmid, "Mā hiya 'al-Asāṭīn' al-latī irtabaṭat bi-tārīkh al-Masjid al-Nabawī?", Al Arabiya.
  8. ↑ Ja'fariyān, Rasūl, Āthār-i Islāmī-yi Makka wa Madīna, 1387 Sh, vol. 1, p. 223.
  9. ↑ Muhrī, Muḥammad Jawād, Aḥsan al-qiṣaṣ, 1391 Sh, p. 469.
  10. ↑ Gulpāyigānī, Sayyid Muḥammad Riḍā, Ādāb wa aḥkām-i ḥajj, 1413 AH, pp. 559–561.
  11. ↑ Shurāb, Muḥammad Muḥammad Ḥasan, Farhang-i a'lām-i jughrāfiyāyī - tārīkhī dar ḥadīth wa sīra-yi nabawī, 1383 Sh, p. 42.
  12. ↑ al-Munqarī, Naṣر b. Muzāḥim, Wafā' al-wafā, vol. 2, p. 45.
  13. ↑ Ṣabrī Bāshā, Ayyūb, Mawsū'at Mir'āt al-Ḥaramayn al-Sharīfayn wa Jazīrat al-'Arab, 2004, vol. 3, p. 236.
  14. ↑ Ṣabrī Bāshā, Ayyūb, Mawsū'at Mir'āt al-Ḥaramayn al-Sharīfayn wa Jazīrat al-'Arab, 2004, vol. 3, p. 236.
  15. ↑ Qarā'atī, Muḥsin, Dars-hāyī az Qur'ān, vol. 1, p. 1814.
  16. ↑ Ṣabrī Bāshā, Ayyūb, Mawsū'at Mir'āt al-Ḥaramayn al-Sharīfayn wa Jazīrat al-'Arab, 2004, vol. 3, p. 236.
  17. ↑ "8 Asāṭīn fī al-Rawḍat al-Sharīfa", al-Watan.
  18. ↑ Iṣfahānī, Abū Nu'aym, Dalā'il al-nubuwwa, 1950, pp. 340–345.
  19. ↑ al-Anṣārī, Nājī Muḥammad, 'Imārat wa tawsī'at al-Masjid al-Nabawī al-Sharīf 'abra al-tārīkh, 1996, p. 72.
  20. ↑ Shurāb, Muḥammad Muḥammad Ḥasan, Farhang-i a'lām-i jughrāfiyāyī - tārīkhī dar ḥadīth wa sīra-yi nabawī, 1383 Sh, vol. 1, p. 42.
  21. ↑ Ṣabrī Bāshā, Ayyūb, Mawsū'at Mir'āt al-Ḥaramayn al-Sharīfayn wa Jazīrat al-'Arab, 2004, vol. 3, p. 236.
  22. ↑ al-Munqarī, Naṣr b. Muzāḥim, Wafā' al-wafā, vol. 2, p. 45.
  23. ↑ al-Munqarī, Naṣr b. Muzāḥim, Wafā' al-wafā, vol. 2, p. 45.
  24. ↑ al-Anṣārī, Nājī Muḥammad, 'Imārat wa tawsī'at al-Masjid al-Nabawī al-Sharīf 'abra al-tārīkh, 1996, p. 73.
  25. ↑ Ja'fariyān, Rasūl, Āthār-i Islāmī-yi Makka wa Madīna, 1387 Sh, vol. 1, p. 222.
  26. ↑ Ja'fariyān, Rasūl, Āthār-i Islāmī-yi Makka wa Madīna, 1387 Sh, vol. 1, p. 229.
  27. ↑ Ja'fariyān, Rasūl, Āthār-i Islāmī-yi Makka wa Madīna, 1387 Sh, vol. 1, p. 229.
  28. ↑ Ṣabrī Bāshā, Ayyūb, Mawsū'at Mir'āt al-Ḥaramayn al-Sharīfayn wa Jazīrat al-'Arab, 2004, vol. 3, pp. 230–231.
  29. ↑ al-Munqarī, Naṣr b. Muzāḥim, Wafā' al-wafā, vol. 2, p. 39.
  30. ↑ Sharī'at, Muḥsin, Mī'ād-i nūr, 1384 Sh, vol. 1, p. 76.
  31. ↑ Ja'fariyān, Rasūl, Āthār-i Islāmī-yi Makka wa Madīna, 1387 Sh, vol. 1, p. 226.
  32. ↑ Ja'fariyān, Rasūl, Āthār-i Islāmī-yi Makka wa Madīna, 1387 Sh, vol. 1, p. 226.
  33. ↑ Ṣabrī Bāshā, Ayyūb, Mawsū'at Mir'āt al-Ḥaramayn al-Sharīfayn wa Jazīrat al-'Arab, 2004, vol. 3, p. 230.
  34. ↑ al-Ḥarbī, Muḥammad, "Qiṣaṣ wa ṣuwar li-8 asāṭīn baynahā 'buq'at min al-Janna'", Al Arabiya.
  35. ↑ Ṣabrī Bāshā, Ayyūb, Mawsū'at Mir'āt al-Ḥaramayn al-Sharīfayn wa Jazīrat al-'Arab, 2004, vol. 3, p. 230.
  36. ↑ al-Anṣārī, Nājī Muḥammad, 'Imārat wa tawsī'at al-Masjid al-Nabawī al-Sharīf 'abra al-tārīkh, 1996, p. 71.
  37. ↑ al-Ḥarbī, Muḥammad, "Qiṣaṣ wa ṣuwar li-8 asāṭīn baynahā 'buq'at min al-Janna'", Al Arabiya.
  38. ↑ al-Anṣārī, Nājī Muḥammad, 'Imārat wa tawsī'at al-Masjid al-Nabawī al-Sharīf 'abra al-tārīkh, 1996, p. 71.
  39. ↑ Qurashī, 'Alī Akbar, Qāmūs-i Qur'ān, 1412 AH, vol. 3, p. 254.

References

  • al-Anṣārī, Nājī Muḥammad, 'Imārat wa tawsī'at al-Masjid al-Nabawī al-Sharīf 'abra al-tārīkh, Medina, Nādī al-Madīnat al-Munawwara, 1996.
  • al-Ḥarbī, Muḥammad, "Qiṣaṣ wa ṣuwar li-8 asāṭīn baynahā 'buq'at min al-Janna'", Al Arabiya, Published: September 13, 2019, Accessed: Dey 23, 1403 Sh.
  • al-Munqarī, Naṣr b. Muzāḥim, Wafā' al-wafā bi-akhbār dār al-Muṣṭafā, Qom, Maktabat Āyat Allāh al-Mar'ashī al-Najafī, n.d.
  • al-Qurashī, Ḥāmid, "Mā hiya 'al-Asāṭīn' al-latī irtabaṭat bi-tārīkh al-Masjid al-Nabawī?", Al Arabiya, Published: March 2, 2021, Accessed: Dey 23, 1403 Sh.
  • Gulpāyigānī, Sayyid Muḥammad Riḍā, Ādāb wa aḥkām-i ḥajj, Qom, Dār al-Qur'ān al-Karīm, first edition, 1413 AH.
  • Iṣfahānī, Abū Nu'aym, Dalā'il al-nubuwwa, Hyderabad, Deccan, 1950.
  • Ja'fariyān, Rasūl, Āthār-i Islāmī-yi Makka wa Madīna, Tehran, Mash'ar, 1387 Sh.
  • Muhrī, Muḥammad Jawād, Aḥsan al-qiṣaṣ, Qom, Makth-i Andīsha, 1399 Sh.
  • Qarā'atī, Muḥsin, Dars-hāyī az Qur'ān, Tehran, Mu'assisat-i Farhangī-yi Dars-hāyī az Qur'ān, n.d.
  • Qurashī, 'Alī Akbar, Qāmūs-i Qur'ān, Tehran, Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmiyya, 1412 AH.
  • Ṣabrī Bāshā, Ayyūb, Mawsū'at Mir'āt al-Ḥaramayn al-Sharīfayn wa Jazīrat al-'Arab, trans. Mājida Ma'rūf, Ḥusayn Mujīb al-Miṣrī, and 'Abd al-'Azīz 'Awaḍ, Cairo, Dār al-Āfāq al-'Arabiyya, 2004.
  • Sharī'at, Muḥsin, Mī'ād-i nūr, Qom, Nahād-i Namāyandigī-yi Maqām-i Mu'aẓẓam-i Rahbarī dar Dānishgāh-hā, 1384 Sh.
  • Shurāb, Muḥammad Muḥammad Ḥasan, Farhang-i a'lām-i jughrāfiyāyī - tārīkhī dar ḥadīth wa sīra-yi nabawī, trans. Ḥamīd Riḍā Shaykhī, Tehran, Mash'ar, 1383 Sh.
  • "Asāṭīn al-Masjid al-Nabawī min shawāhid al-Sīrat al-Nabawiyya", Saudi Press Agency, Published: March 5, 2021, Accessed: Isfand 14, 1403 AH.
  • "8 Asāṭīn fī al-Rawḍat al-Sharīfa", al-Watan, Accessed: Dey 22, 1403 AH.
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