Al-Masjid al-Nabawi: Difference between revisions

  | minaret height = 104 meter

  | features = Second to [[Masjid al-Haram]], al-Masjid al-Nabawi is the holiest Mosque for Muslims, The burial place and the house of Prophet Muhammad (s).  

'''Al-Masjid al-Nabawi''' (Arabic: {{ia|المسجد النبوي}}) is a mosque in [[Medina]], Saudi Arabia where [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] is buried. Second to [[al-Masjid al-Haram]], al-Masjid al-Nabawi is the holiest mosque in the world of Islam which was built by Prophet Muhammad (s) in the first year after [[Hijra]]; it was later expanded in different eras. The houses of Prophet Muhammad (s) and [['Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]] and [[Lady Fatima (a)]] were built next to this mosque, which were later added to the mosque. Al-Masjid al-Nabawi is among the most important shrines for Muslims, which is highly revered by [[Shi'as]].

This mosque is called al-Masjid al-Nabawi, the Grand Mosque of Medina, Masjid al-Rasul, Masjid Rasul Allah, al-Masjid al-Nabi and the mosque of Medina. The most famous name of the mosque is "al-Masjid al-Nabawi". [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] used to say daily [[congregational prayers]] in this mosque and he promoted political and social frameworks in this mosque,<ref>See: Pūrḥusayn, "Qānūnmandī dar ḥukūmat-i nabawī", p. 153.</ref> as a result it was called as al-Masjid al-Nabi in its early days. In addition, as the house of Prophet Muhammad (s) was added to the mosque and he was buried there, it was named as the mosque of Prophet Muhammad (s), al-Masjid al-Nabawi.<ref>See: Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', 1410 AH, vol. 2, p. 234.</ref> Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad (s) called this mosque "masjidi" (my mosque) in a narration.<ref>Kulaynī, ''al-Kāfī'', vol. 4, p. 556.</ref>

When [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] entered [[Yathrib]], he let his camel to stop wherever it wanted and the place was supposed to be where Prophet (s) would live, the camel finally stopped in the current place of al-Masjid al-Nabawi. Then [[Muslims]] began to build a house for Prophet Muhammad (s) and a mosque there. Also other Muslims, built houses around the mosque with their doors which were opened to the mosque.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī-yi Mecca wa Medina'', p. 202.</ref> The first structure of the mosque was built by sun-dried mud bricks in an area of 1050 square meters. [[Ashab Suffa]] (people of al-Suffa) where started living in the northern side of the mosque which had a ceiling made of palm leaves.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 203-204.</ref> When [[Qibla]] of Muslims was changed from [[Masjid al-Aqsa]] toward [[Masjid al-Haram]], it changed from north of al-Masjid al-Nabawi to its southern side, as a result the southern doors of the mosque were closed and new doors were made in northern side; also the roofed part was moved from the north to the south of the mosque.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 204.</ref> In the seventh/thirteenth century it became necessary to expand the mosque as the number of Muslims increased. Then the mosque was expanded to 2475 square meters and it changed to a square shaped area.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina, p. 204.</ref>

===In the Time of 'Umar b. Khattab and 'Uthman b. 'Affan===

[['Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz]] the governor of Medina vastly expanded al-Masjid al-Nabawi between 88/707 to 91/710. It is said the area of the mosque was expanded to 6400 or 7500 square meters.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 207.</ref> He was also ordered by Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik, the [[caliph]] of the time, to build a wall around the grave of Prophet Muhammad (s) and the houses of Prophet's (s) wives were added to the mosque.  

[[Al-Mahdi al-'Abbasi]], the [[Abbasid caliph]] expanded al-Masjid al-Nabawi 2450 square meters in 161/777-8 or 162/778-9. He also ordered to increase the number of the columns and gates of the mosque. In that time al-Masjid al-Nabawi had twenty gates, four in northern side, eight in western side and eight in eastern side. Meanwhile most of the houses around al-Masjid al-Nabawi which were occupied by famous [[companions of Prophet Muhammad (s)]] were destroyed and were added to the mosque, including the houses of [['Abd Allah b. Mas'ud]], [[Shurahbil b. Hasana]] and Miswar b. Makhrama.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 209.</ref>

In 886/1481-2 the mosque was hit by a lightning and it was on fire. Again Egyptian Mamluks sent workers to repair al-Masjid al-Nabawi. They also built a ribat (hostel), a school and kitchens for it. In that time the area of the mosque was increased to 9010 square meters.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 210.</ref>

It took thirteen years for Sultan 'Abd al-Hamid I to reconstruct al-Masjid al-Nabawi in a firm and beautiful way which finished in 1265/1848-9. Some believe the structure built in that time was the strongest structure the mosque had until that time.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 210.</ref>

===In Saudi era===

The last expansion of al-Masjid al-Nabawi took place in 1405/1984-5 by Malik Fahad b. 'Abd al-'Aziz in which the area of the mosque was increased to 82000 square meters. The vast floor of the ground mosque of the mosque could contain 137000 people to say prayer plus 90000 people could say prayer on the roof parts. Accordingly the capacity of the mosque was increased up to 257000 people to say prayer.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 211-213.</ref> Also numerous places were built for Muslims to perform [[Wudu']] (ablution) and a lot of spotlights were set on the stone columns of the mosque. In addition, large-scale convertible umbrellas were built in some of the courtyards of al-Masjid al-Nabawi which protect people from the sunlight. Also six minarets were added to the mosque with the height of 104 meters; today the mosque has ten minarets.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 213-214.</ref>

==The Significance of the Mosque==

Second to Masjid al-Haram, al-Masjid al-Nabawi is the holiest Mosque for Muslims and it has its own special jurisprudential rulings. Also having special places in the mosque and around it increased the significance of the mosque, including the burial place and the house of [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] and [[al-Baqi' Cemetery]] where grand figures of Islam are buried.<ref>See: Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 239.</ref> Muslims usually pay a visit to al-Masjid al-Nabawi before performing [[Hajj]], as they believe it will complete their spiritual journey of Hajj.<ref>Amīnī, ''al-Ghadīr'', vol. 5, p. 165-169.</ref> al-Masjid al-Nabawi is significantly important among Muslims, here are a number of the reasons:

* [[Sadd al-Abwab]] event, in which Prophet Muhammad (s) was ordered by God, to close all the doors which opened to al-Masjid al-Nabawi except for the door of [['Ali b. Abi Talib (a)]]'s house.

From the early years of [[Islam]], Muslims came to al-Masjid al-Nabawi in order to say prayers and worship, furthermore it has been a place that Muslims gathered together which played a huge role in representing unity of Muslims. Significant political decisions related to Muslims community were made in this mosque. Also [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] managed Muslims territory in al-Masjid al-Nabawi and he held military, political and social meetings there.<ref>See: Pūrḥusayn, "Qānūnmandī dar ḥukūmat-i nabawī", p. 153.</ref>

The house and the burial place of [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] were located out of the mosque when it was not expanded. But later they were added to the area of the mosque and a pentagon-shape wall was built around them; it is said the wall was not built in a square shape so that it would not look like [[Ka'ba]].<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 217-218.</ref> As it was likely for the Crusades to attack [[Medina]] and destroy the burial place of Prophet Muhammad (s), hence for protection a wall of stone and molten lead metal was constructed around the burial place of Prophet (s). Later in 668/1269-70 and 694/1294-5 a number of Sultans built wooden maqsuras for the house in the mosque.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 218.</ref>

The house of [[Lady Fatima (a)]] was located behind the house of [['Aisha]], Prophet Muhammad's (s) wife. The door of her house was on the western side of the house which led to Prophet(s)'s  house. Today the house is gone and it was added to the mosque, which is now located in the shrine and the house of Prophet Muhammad (s).<ref>Qāʾidān, ''Tārīkh wa āthār-i Islāmī-yi Mecca wa Medina'', p. 255.</ref> Sunni scholars believe she was buried in [[al-Baqi' cemetery]],<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 219.</ref> while the majority of Shi'ite scholars believe she was buried in her house, today it is located in al-Masjid al-Nabawi.<ref>Ibn Shabba, ''Tārīkh al-Medina'', vol. 1, p. 107.</ref> However Shi'ite scholars are not sure about the burial place of Lady Fatima (s), but they believed that she was most likely buried in al-Masjid al-Nabawi.<ref>Ṣadūq, ''Man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh'', vol. 2, p. 572.</ref>

==The Doors of the Mosque==

The books on Medina studies largely talk about the doors of al-Masjid al-Nabawi. The number of the doors of the mosque have always been changed from the first century after [[Hijra]] until now.

al-Masjid al-Nabawi had three doors in the beginning:

# The door in the western side called "Bab 'Atika" which is now known as "Bab al-Rahma".<ref>Ḥāfiẓ, ''Fuṣūl min tārīkh al-Medina'', p. 66.</ref> It was called 'Atika as it was opened to the house of 'Atika the daughter of 'Abd Allah b. Yazid b. Mu'awiya.<ref>ʿAbd al-Ghinā, ''Tārīkh al-masjid al-nabawī'', p. 141.</ref> Later it was called Rahma, based on a narration from [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]] that one day a person came from this door to Prophet (s) and he asked him to pray to God to rain and it happened, then after seven days rain stopped because that man had asked for it.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 236.</ref>

# The door on the eastern side known as "Bab 'Uthman", "Bab al-Nabi" and "Bab al-Jabra'il"<ref>Ḥāfiẓ, ''Fuṣūl min tārīkh al-Medina'', p. 66.</ref> because this door was opened to the house of [['Uthman b. 'Affan]], also Prophet Muhammad (s) used to enter the mosque from this door and [[Gabriel]] (Jabra'il) came to Prophet Muhammad (s) from this door in the time of the [[battle of Banu Qurayza]].<ref>ʿAbd al-Ghinā, ''Tārīkh al-masjid al-nabawī'', p. 138-141.</ref>

In early days of Islam, whenever Prophet Muhammad (s)] wanted to give a speech or sermon, he used to lean against a palm tree. Then in 7/628-9 or 8/629-30 a [[minbar]] (pulpit) was built for him.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 3, p. 22.</ref> It had two steps and a seat.<ref>Ibn Saʿd, al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā, vol. 1, p. 235.</ref> In some narrations, merits of the pulpit are mentioned from Prophet Muhammad (s).<ref>Bayhaqī, ''Dalāʾil al-nubuwwa'', p. 197.</ref> After the demise of Prophet (s), the pulpit was used until the time of [[Mu'awiya]]. But then Mu'awiya tried to bring the minbar from [[Medina]] to [[Syria]] and to his palace in order to gain respect and authority which was opposed by people and it remained in the mosque. When al-Masjid al-Nabawi was on fire in 654/1256 the minbar was burnt as well. Later the Sultan of Egypt sent another minbar to al-Masjid al-Nabawi. It was replaced a number of times in the next centuries. The current minbar in al-Masjid al-Nabawi was sent by Sultan Murad, an Ottoman king, in 998/1589-90.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 221.</ref>

*'''Mihrab of Prophet Muhammad (s):''' There is a [[Mihrab]] in al-Masjid al-Nabawi which is attributed to Prophet Muhammad (s), but it did not did exist during the lifetime of Prophet (s). It was built later, apparently in the time of [['Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz]] on the place where Prophet (s) used to say [[prayer]]s; which is regarded sacred to Muslims.<ref>Samhūdī, ''Wafāʾ al-Wafā'', vol. 1, p. 282.</ref>

*'''Mihrab of Tahajjud:''' This Mihrab does not exist now, it was located near the pillar of the same name. Prophet Muhammad (s) used to stand next to this pillar when he kept vigil and worshiped God at nights. In following centuries a commemorative Mihrab was built there which became famous as Mihrab of Tahajjud (worship and vigil); however it was later removed by Saudi government.<ref>Najafī, ''Medina shināsī'', p. 100.</ref>

*'''Mihrab of Lady Fatima (a):''' This Mihrab is located in the south of Mihrab of Tahajjud inside maqsura or the house of [[Lady Fatima (a)]] which was added to the mosque; it can be seen from the current windows in the mosque. This Mihrab was mentioned in some narrations: for example [[Imam al-Hasan (a)]] said, "I saw my mother on a Thursday night saying [[prayers]] in [[Mihrab]] until morning and she prayed for all the believers. I told her why didn't you pray for yourself? And she said, oh my son, our neighbors have priority over our family".<ref>Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 86, p. 313.</ref>

The first dome of al-Masjid al-Nabawi was built by Sultan Al-Mansur Qalawun al-Mamluki in 678/1279-80. Later Sultan Qaitbay repaired the dome in 887/1482-3 as it was damaged by fire. Also it was rebuilt in the time of Sultan Mahmud the Ottoman king in 1233/1817-8. In the time Sultan 'Abd al-Hamid, the Ottoman king, the color of the dome was changed to green which became famous as [[Qubbat al-Khazra']] (the Green Dome). It has become a tradition to repaint the dome green once a couple of years.<ref>Jaʿfarīyān, ''Āthār-i Islāmī Mecca wa Medina'', p. 235.</ref>

• ''Akhbar al-Madina'' written by Muhammad b. Hasan al-Makhzumi, known as Ibn Zabala (d. 200 A.H.) appears to be the first book which had some parts about al-Masjid al-Nabawi. He also discussed the area of the mosque and explained the places and houses in the mosque.

• ''Tarikh al-Madina al-Munawwara'' written by Abu Zeyd 'Amr b. Shu'ba al-Numayri, known as Ibn Shu'ba (d. 262 A.H.); its manuscript has been found in recent decades. The book has been published a number of times. The author discussed Medina in three parts, the time of [[Prophet Muhammad (s)]], the time of [['Umar b. Khattab]] and the time of [['Uthman b. 'Affan]]. Ibn Shu'ba talked about al-Masjid al-Nabawi and its related traditions as well.