Al-Khayf Mosque

Al-Khayf Mosque

Location	Mecca, Arabia
Coordinates	21.415463°N 39.878183°E / 21.415463; 39.878183
Architectural information
Area	Twenty-five thousand square meter
Minaret(s)	Four
Renovation	In different periods
Current Status	Active during Hajj ritual
Features	Prophet Muhammad (s) delivered one of his speeches of Hajjat al-Wada' there.

Al-Khayf Mosque (Arabic:مسجد الخيف) is the most important mosque in the land of Mina in Mecca where the Prophet (s) performed prayer and delivered one of the speeches of Hajjat al-Wada' there. The name of this mosque has also been mentioned in al-Simat supplication. Today, this mosque which has been reconstructed in twenty five thousand square meter is open to those who make prayer only during the time of hajj.

Meaning of the Name

"Khayf",refers to the feet of the mountain, the land between two mountains or the land higher than its neighboring lands. Therefore, the mosque built at the feet of Safa'ih (Sabih) mountain in Mina is called al-Khayf.

Importance

In a hadith from Imam al-Baqir (a), seven hundred prophets (a) and in another hadith, a thousand prophets (a) have been mentioned to have made prayer in this mosque. In some hadiths from Sunnis, this number has been reported as seventy. The Prophet of Islam (s) also performed prayer in this mosque and made one of his speeches in Hajjat al-Wada' in this mosque.

In al-Simat Supplication, it is mentioned that God made a manifestation for the Prophet Ibrahim (a) in this place. Also, the second time Gabriel delivered the mission of the Prophet (s) to announce the succession of Imam Ali (a) and taking allegiance of the people for him was in this mosque.

The place of the noble Prophet's (s) prayer is in front of the current minaret where there was a big dome over it in the past. Imam al-Sadiq (a) has advised to make prayer in this mosque and hundred times of Tasbih, Tahlil, and Tahmid has been mentioned to have great rewards. Collecting stones from this mosque for Ramy al-Jamarat has been prohibited.

In a Sunni narration, this place has been mentioned as the graves of Prophet Adam (a) together with seventy other prophets (a).

History

In 5/626-7, polytheists of Mecca were invoked by Jews and signed a pact of allegiance with some Arab tribes to attack Medina and uproot Islam. This attack became famous as the Battle of Khandaq. The place they chose for signing the contract was the place later called al-Khayf mosque and its area was 1500 square meter.

In 240/854-5, it was destroyed by flood and then a mosque was built in its place and an embankment was built to protect the mosque. The length of this mosque until then was 120 meters and its width was fifty five meters and its whole area was more than 6380 square meters which made it among the biggest mosques of the peninsula and was even bigger than al-Masjid al-Haram at that time.

After great damages were made to it by Sultan Qaytabay, one of the Mamluk kings of Egypt, this mosque was reconstructed in 874/1469-70 and its walls were made of stone and plaster. Also, a big and high dome was built over its Mihrab, as well as another dome which was made in the middle of the mosque. The old great building of the mosque was still standing until recent decades, but out of it, only four colorless walls and a dome in the middle had remained which also had a minaret called Maqam of Ibrahim. During its reconstruction in 1392/1972, many Rawaqs were made for it and its total area reached 23660 square meters.

In 1407/1986-7, the plan for expansion of the mosque began and its area reached about twenty five thousand square meters. Today, four minarets which are very distant from each other have given a beautiful look to this mosque on the way to the three Jamaras. The door of this mosque is only open during the time of Staying in Mina and is closed almost the rest of the year.