The Prophet's Mosque

The Prophet's Mosque is the mosque of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Madinah. He built it in the first year of the Hijrah after his migration to the city from Makkah, and its first structure covered an area of 1,050 square meters. [1]

Several constructions followed in the Islamic eras, from the fifth construction in the era of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mahdi to the seventh in the era of Sultan Abdulmejid I, and the mosque then saw its widest expansions in the Saudi era. [1][2] The Prophetic Chamber lies on its eastern side, and within it are the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and those of his two companions Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and Umar Al-Faruq, may God be pleased with them. [5]

The fifth construction of the mosque was carried out in the era of the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mahdi, adding to its northern side only an extent of one hundred cubits; work began in 161 AH and continued for four years until it was completed in 165 AH. [2] In the era of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay the sixth construction was carried out, giving the mosque a single roof twenty-two cubits high, and the roofing of the mosque was completed in 888 AH. [2]

The seventh construction came in the era of Sultan Abdulmejid I between about 1265 AH and 1277 AH, when the mosque was rebuilt and domes, chambers and schools were added at its rear, and these remain to this day. [2]

The Prophetic Chamber stands out on the eastern side of the mosque. It is the house of the Prophet ﷺ, in which he lived with the Mother of the Believers Aisha bint Abi Bakr As-Siddiq, may God be pleased with her, and God placed in her room the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and those of his two companions Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and Umar Al-Faruq, may God be pleased with them. [5]

From the era of King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud through the era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, care for the noble chamber and the Green Dome has continued: the historic structure of the mosque is preserved, reinforced and restored whenever needed, the noble chamber is inspected and maintained, and the dome is repainted whenever weather conditions fade its colour. [5] This care of the chamber is entrusted to those trusted for their religious commitment and integrity. [5]

King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud made his first visit to Madinah in Sha'ban 1345 AH to pray in the Mosque of the Messenger of God ﷺ and to look into the affairs of the Prophet's Mosque. He noticed cracks in some of the northern arcades and the crumbling of some pillar stones, and ordered the repair and restoration of the mosque in 1348 AH. [2]

In an official address in 1368 AH he announced his intention to expand the Prophet's Mosque, and work on the first Saudi expansion began with preparing the area surrounding the mosque and compensating the owners of the buildings adjacent to it. [1]

The construction and expansion were completed in the era of King Saud bin Abdulaziz in 1375 AH: 12,270 square meters were added to the floor area of the mosque on top of the 4,057 square meters retained from the old mosque, bringing the total structure in that period to 16,326 square meters. [1]

King Faisal bin Abdulaziz ordered the expansion of the Prophet's Mosque on its western side. The area was added to the mosque's land without touching the mosque building itself, and was prepared for a large shaded prayer area holding a number of worshippers equal to those inside the mosque; a further area was then added and shaded, which allowed larger numbers of worshippers to be accommodated. [3]

In the era of King Khalid bin Abdulaziz, a fire broke out in Suq Al-Qumashah in 1397 AH on the south-western side of the mosque; the owners of the houses and property in that area were compensated, and its area was added to the mosque's canopies introduced in the era of King Faisal. [1]

The foundation stone of the grand Saudi expansion was laid on Friday, the ninth of Safar 1405 AH, and it surpassed all previous expansions in area. [2]

A new building was added alongside the mosque building, surrounding it and connected to it from the north, east and west, with an area of 82,000 square meters accommodating 167,000 worshippers, so that the total area of the Prophet's Mosque became 98,500 square meters. The roof of the expansion was clad in marble over an area of 67,000 square meters to accommodate 90,000 worshippers, and the capacity of the mosque after the expansion reached more than 257,000 worshippers within a total area of 165,500 square meters. [3]

The second Saudi expansion began in 1406 AH (1985) and continued until 1414 AH (1994), covering the main building, the roof and the courtyards surrounding the mosque, raising the total area after its completion to about 300,000 square meters and its capacity to about 698,000 worshippers. [4]

In 1433 AH (2012) the largest expansion since the beginning of the Saudi era was launched, within the third Saudi expansion of the Two Holy Mosques, which is the largest in the history of the expansions of Al-Masjid Al-Haram and the Prophet's Mosque, and it covered the expansion of the Prophet's Mosque, raising its capacity after the completion of the works. [4]

The courtyards of the Prophet's Mosque were expanded on the western side, prepared and linked directly to the courtyards of the mosque in 1440 AH (2019), which contributes to the smooth flow of movement, the accommodation of crowd density and the rise in the numbers of pilgrims and visitors, and keeps pace with Saudi Vision 2030. [6]

The project comes within the Kingdom's approach to developing and expanding the Two Holy Mosques and providing what serves the care of those who visit them. [6]

Q: When was the Prophet's Mosque built and over what area? A: It was built in the first year of the Hijrah after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ came to Madinah migrating from Makkah, and its first structure covered an area of 1,050 square meters.

Q: Where is the Prophetic Chamber located and what does it contain? A: It is located on the eastern side of the mosque; it is the house of the Prophet ﷺ in which he lived with the Mother of the Believers Aisha bint Abi Bakr As-Siddiq, and in her room are the grave of the Prophet ﷺ and those of his two companions Abu Bakr and Umar.

Q: What are the most prominent milestones in the care of the mosque in the Saudi era? A: The restoration of the mosque by order of King Abdulaziz in 1348 AH, then the announcement of the expansion in 1368 AH and the completion of the first Saudi expansion in 1375 AH, followed by King Faisal's expansion from the western side, King Khalid's additions after the Suq Al-Qumashah fire in 1397 AH, then the grand Saudi expansion whose foundation stone was laid in 1405 AH, then the second and third expansions, up to the expansion of the western courtyards in 1440 AH.

Q: What was the total area of the mosque after the grand Saudi expansion? A: 98,500 square meters, after the addition of a new building of 82,000 square meters accommodating 167,000 worshippers.

Q: What is the capacity of the mosque after the second Saudi expansion? A: About 698,000 worshippers, after the total area rose to about 300,000 square meters.