Where is the mosque of the prophet muhammed located. Muslim shrines: Prophet's Mosque in Medina (Masjid an-Nabi). Gaining knowledge in the Prophetic Mosque is like fighting in the path of Allah

The Prophet's Mosque in the Radiant Medina can, without a doubt, be called one of the “wonders of the world.” It is the second largest Islamic place of worship in the world, and deserves to be called one of the masterpieces of architecture in terms of aesthetics.

The mosque was founded by the Prophet himself, shortly after the Hijra to Medina in 622 AD. The first mosque was a kind of open veranda with a canopy of palm leaves, in the middle of which there was a raised platform for reading the Koran. The structure was rectangular with sides 30x35 meters and a height of more than two meters with three doors called “bab-ar-Rahman”. Wab Jibril and Bab an-Nisa. Inside there was also a raised platform known as a suffa. It is still here, just outside the fence of the Prophet’s grave. In those years, a group of companions of the Prophet was formed who devoted themselves exclusively to the study of Islam and the prophetic tradition, spent all their time with the Prophet and subsequently spread Islam. They gathered for their meetings, sitting on the “suffa.” The members of this peculiar brotherhood did not even have families, and if one of them acquired one, then, according to an unspoken rule, he had to leave this jamaat. Among the “sahaba of the suffa” was the famous transmitter of hadiths Abu Hurayrah, who knew about 8 thousand of these edifying stories. The others probably knew no less.

Seven years later, the mosque's area had doubled, and the roof had risen to 3.5 meters, supported by 35 wooden columns. During the time of the righteous caliph Umar bin Khattab, the area of the mosque increased to 3500 square meters, and the number of columns also increased.

In the center of the Prophet’s Mosque there is a very small but very significant place called “Riyadh al-Janna” (Garden of Eden). It extends from the Prophet's tomb (“rawdah”) to his minbar. Pilgrims certainly try to enter the boundaries of this place - after all, according to tradition, it is considered part of paradise here on Earth. Abu Hurayrah reports in one of the hadiths: “The place between my house and my minbar is one of the heavenly gardens. He who prays and reads the Quran here receives blessings as if he were praying in the gardens of paradise.”

Under Caliph Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik from the Umayyad dynasty (707-715), the structure of the building was completely changed and expanded, which also included the tomb of the Prophet. Now the mosque occupied an area of 84X100 sq.m., had a stone foundation, and the roof was supported by stone columns. 4 minarets were also attached to the building. The Abbasid Caliph Mahdi further expanded the area of the mosque by adding twenty new doors, eight each on the east and west sides and four on the north.

During the Ottoman Empire, under Sultan Abdul Majid, the Prophet's Mosque was completely reconstructed. The area of the prayer hall was doubled, expanding to the south and including a new mihrab for the imam. The wall indicating the qibla was inlaid with glazed calligraphic quotations from the Koran. Also, the floor of the mosque was covered with granite and marble, and another, fifth minaret, called “al-Majidiyya,” was added to the west.

King Abdul Aziz (1932-1953) ordered the demolition of the buildings around the mosque to make way for the construction of new wings to the east and west of the prayer hall, which were based on a system of concrete columns and pointed arches. The structure's older columns were reinforced with concrete and reinforced with copper rings at the top. Two open courtyards were formed in the extensions, over which a mechanically controlled Teflon covering later appeared. The courtyards have terraces fenced off by columns in the eastern and western parts, the upper part of the columns is covered with golden paint, and, when illuminated by electric bulbs, a wonderful effect is created.

A library was attached to the western wall of the mosque, storing unique manuscripts of the Koran and other historical books. Two more minarets appeared on the north-eastern and north-western sides.

A master plan to significantly expand the mosque was adopted under King Fahd in 1985.

This grand expansion began to the north of the old Ottoman mosque, expanding the entire structure in a western and eastern direction. Another grandiose architectural decision was the new entrances with escalators on the east and west sides. In total, the mosque expanded by 400,327 sq.m. Thus, after expansion in the northern, eastern and western directions, the mosque can accommodate up to 1 million believers at the same time.

The mosque is a real masterpiece of architecture and engineering. The rectangular bases of its thousands of columns contain iron bars. The column system is connected to an air conditioning station located 7 km away. from the mosque. The columns seem to “radiate” cold air, and this allows you to maintain coolness inside the mosque even in the hottest months. The floors and walls of the mosque are decorated with marble and multi-colored stones.

Today, the mosque complex includes 27 main platforms, each of which is covered with an opening moving dome, and the moment of their opening or closing does not create any noise.

When the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) moved to Medina (performed the hijra), every resident wanted the Messenger of Allah to stay with him. However, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Let my camel pass, for she is coming by divine command.”

After some time, the camel sank to the ground in the place where there was a stall belonging to two orphans. It was in this place that a mosque would later be built, but since the place itself had owners, the Prophet (ﷺ) wanted to buy it. The two boys who owned this land refused: “No, we will give it to you, Messenger of Allah!”

However, the Prophet (ﷺ) did not accept such a gift and paid them ten dinars. (al-Bukhari no. 3906).

This mosque is based on piety

The fact that the Prophet’s mosque was built on the foundation of piety was said by Allah Almighty in the Qur’an: “The mosque that was founded on piety from the first day deserves more that you stand in it (Sura 9, “Repentance”, verse 108).

Abu Salama ibn Abdurrahman said: “Once Abdurrahman ibn Abu Saeed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) passed near me, and I asked him: “What did you hear from your father about the mosque, which is based on fear of God?” He replied: “My father said: “I went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in one of the houses of his wives, and asked: “O Messenger of Allah, which of the two mosques was founded on piety?” Then the Prophet took small stones in his hand, threw them forcefully to the ground and said: “This is your mosque, the mosque of Medina!” Then Abu Salama said: “I testify that I heard your father tell this (story) in this way” (Sahih Muslim, no. 1398).

Prayer in the Prophetic Mosque is like 1000 prayers in other mosques

The reward for performing prayer in this great mosque increases many times over. No mosque has such dignity, with the exception of the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, which surpasses it a hundred times. As Imam Muslim quotes in his collection, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“Prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque is better than a thousand prayers performed in other mosques except the Kaaba Mosque” (Sahih al-Bukhari, No. 1190, Sahih Muslim, No. 1394).

One of the worst sinners is the one who uttered a false oath at the minbar of the Prophetic Mosque.

A person who takes a false oath near the minbar of this mosque incurs a great sin and deserves severe punishment. This is reported in an authentic hadith, reported from the words of Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Any slave or slave who swore falsely near this minbar, even about fresh siwak, let him prepare to take his place in Hell” (“Musnad of Imam Ahmad”, 2/329, No. 518).

The Prophet's Mosque is the first building on the Arabian Peninsula to have electricity

During Ottoman rule, electricity was installed in the Prophet's Mosque in 1910. It was she who became the first building on the Arabian Peninsula where electric light appeared, and only ten years after that the Sacred Mosque in Mecca was illuminated. (Source: Tarikh al-masjid al-haram, Hussein Basalama)

The mosque has one of the best places on Earth

In the middle of the Prophet’s Mosque (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) there is one of the best places in the world - Riyadh al-Janna (Arabic: “Gardens of Paradise”). This is the most honorable place in the mosque of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), which is surrounded from the east by the room of the wife of Muhammad (ﷺ) Aisha (r.a.), from the west by the minbar of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), from the south by the wall of the mosque with the mihrab and from the north by the passage for movements from the edge of the house of Aisha (r.a.). It is believed that this place will become one of the places in Paradise in the future life. This word translates as “Garden of Eden.”

It is reported in an authentic hadith:

“Between my grave and the minbar is Rawdah, one of the Gardens of Eden” (this hadith was reported by al-Bukhari, No. 1196, and Muslim, No. 1391).

Throughout the history of Islam, the mosque has been expanded nine times.

The first expansion occurred during the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), after the battle of Khaybar. When the number of Muslims in Medina increased, and the worshipers no longer fit in it, the Prophet decided to increase its territory. It has become 20 meters wider and 15 meters longer.

During the Abbasid era, the mosque was destroyed by fire, some ceilings collapsed, and the fire engulfed all the premises. Within a year, recovery began. Later there was a second fire, which also caused enormous damage to the mosque. The mosque was reconstructed by Sultan Qaitbey.

At the present time, the area of the mosque, together with the territory around it intended for prayers, occupies the area of almost 56 football fields! And just recently, the tenth expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque began. This project should bring a significant increase in the territory of the mosque.

The dome over the mosque was erected only in the thirteenth century

The dome over the Prophetic Mosque was built only in the thirteenth century by a ruler named Qalaun al-Mansur. At first, the dome had a quadrangular shape at the bottom and an octagonal shape at the top, was made of wood and covered with thick fabric. However, many Muslims expressed their disagreement with this act, since in Islam it is an innovation alien to the religion. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Whoever introduces an innovation in this cause of ours (Islam) that does not belong to it, it will be rejected.” (al-Bukhari and Muslim).

The Prophet (ﷺ), as well as Abu Bakr and Umar, are not buried in the mosque

As stated above, three people (the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with them) were buried in Aisha’s room, which from the very beginning was separate from the mosque. Indeed, after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) died, his companions buried him in a small room that belonged to his wife Aisha, next to the mosque. The mosque was separated from this room by a wall with a door.

Many years later (more precisely, in 88 AH), during the reign of al-Walid ibn Abdul-Malik, the emir of Medina, Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz, significantly expanded the territory of the mosque, and Aisha’s room was located inside the new territory. But despite this, the emir of Medina built two huge walls to separate Aisha’s room from the mosque. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that the grave of the Prophet (ﷺ) is inside the mosque. She, as before, is in Aisha's room, and Aisha's room is separated from the Prophetic Mosque on all sides.

The first minbar of the mosque was a palm stump

After the mosque was built, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) began to conduct sermons (khutbas) in it. At first, the function of a minbar was performed by a palm tree stump, onto which the Prophet climbed during his sermons. This is reported in the hadith cited by Imam al-Bukhari: Jabir ibn Abdullah said:

“Previously, the mosque rested on palm supports, and when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) pronounced khutbas, he stood on one of its stumps. Then a large minbar was made for him. One day he climbed it, and we heard a voice similar to the voice of a camel in foal. It continued until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to a palm tree stump and put his hand on it, and only then did it calm down.”

There are tens of thousands of mosques around the world. However, the greatest significance for Muslim believers around the world are three mosques, which played a serious role in the history of Islam, and are revered by all Muslims without exception. These mosques are: Al-Haram (Forbidden Mosque) in Mecca, Al-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet) in Medina and Al-Aqsa (Remote Mosque) in Jerusalem.

It is reported from the words of Abu ad-Darda that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

“Prayer at Masjid al-Haram is equal to 100 thousand prayers; prayer in my mosque (in Medina) is equal to a thousand prayers; prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis (i.e. in the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem) is equal to five hundred ordinary prayers” (Al-Bayhaqi).

We offer you an overview of the most important mosques in the world!

Al-Haram Mosque (Forbidden Mosque), Mecca

Mosque al-Haram is the largest mosque in the whole world. It is also called Haram Beit-Ullah (“Forbidden House of Allah” or “Sacred House of Allah”). Located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It surrounds the most important and valuable shrine of Islam - the Kaaba. This is where millions of pilgrims gather during the Hajj. At the time of performing namaz (prayer), Muslims, wherever they are, face towards the Kaaba. And those who pray in Mecca itself perform a prayer built around the Kaaba. Any Muslim should come to this blessed place at least once in his life. Because Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam.

The beautiful Al-Haram Mosque (Mecca, Saudi Arabia)

Masha Allah.

al-Masjid al-Haram (Forbidden Mosque), Mecca (Saudi Arabia)

This mosque has a huge area of more than 400 thousand square meters. During the Hajj period, the mosque can accommodate about 4 million pilgrims. You will not see such a large-scale and mesmerizing spectacle anywhere else. It has nine minarets, the height of which is 95 meters. There are 7 escalators inside the building. All rooms are equipped with air conditioning. Not far from the entrance to the Al-Haram Mosque, the Abraj al-Bayt complex is located, which surpasses others in its massiveness and is considered the second tallest skyscraper in the world.

Abraj al-Bayt complex in Mecca

Mosque an-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet), Medina

The second most important mosque (after the Forbidden Mosque) is considered Al-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet). It is located in Medina, Saudi Arabia. In the very center of the mosque there is a Green Dome, where the grave of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is located. Also, the first two righteous caliphs Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Umar ibn al-Khattab (peace be upon them both) are buried in this mosque.
It was built
Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and his companions, after the hijra (migration) of Muslims from Mecca to Medina.
Today it is one of the largest mosques, as subsequent Islamic rulers expanded and embellished the shrine. The mosque has ten minarets, each with a height of 105 meters. The walls and floors of the mosque are covered with marble and stones of various colors. The mosque premises are cool and comfortable even in the hottest weather, as there are special air conditioners. The entire first floor is occupied by a prayer hall. The largest prayer hall in the whole world. The mosque can accommodate up to 1 million pilgrims during the Hajj period.

Mosque of the Prophet, peace be upon him, an-Nabawi in Medina

The Prophet's Mosque in Medina is not only ancient, but also very beautiful

Al-Aqsa (Remote Mosque), Jerusalem

Al-Aqsa means remote mosque in Arabic. The mosque is the third holiest shrine of Islam after the Forbidden Mosque in Noble Mecca and the Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in the Holy Medina. It is located in the old part of Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. At first it was a small house of prayer, which was built by order of the righteous caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab. Then the mosque was expanded and completed by other rulers. The basis of the structure is considered to be 7 galleries: central, 3 western, 3 eastern. The first gallery is different from the others, as it is located on an elevated platform and is wider. Up to 5,000 believers can perform namaz at the same time in the mosque.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is located on the Temple Mount of Jerusalem

The center of the building is decorated with an unusual dome, decorated on the inside with mosaics, and on the outside with special lead plates and has a grayish color. It is assumed that as a result of the work carried out, the dome will be decorated with copper sheets with gilding. Various precious materials such as gold, white marble, stalactite, and limestone were used in the construction of the mosque. This gives the structure an ancient appearance and makes visitors wonder about its history. There is a spacious basement under the Al-Aqsa building. During the time when the Crusaders owned the mosque building, they kept horses in the basements, hence the name - Solomon's stables.

Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem

This blessed mosque should occupy an important place in the heart of a righteous Muslim. This is the only mosque whose name is mentioned in the Holy Quran. It is also the first qibla in Islam before it was transferred to Mecca. Al-Bara is reported to have said:

“For sixteen or seventeen months we, together with the Messenger of Allah, prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis, and then changed (the direction of our faces in prayer) towards the Kaaba” (Al-Bukhari).

This place is associated with the night movement (isra) of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa salam) from Mecca to al-Aqsa (Jerusalem) and his ascension.

Ayat from the Qur'an

Even during the era of Caliph Abd Al-Malik, another mosque was built, not far from Al-Aqsa. It was named Qubbat As-Sakhra (Dome of the Rock). Al-Aqsa Mosque is often confused with the Dome of the Rock Mosque.

Have you visited any of these mosques? Share your impressions!

Heritage of humanity.

The Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the Holy Medina is one of the centers of pilgrimage for Muslims, which has formed into the largest architectural complex of its kind after the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. As a result of extensive reconstruction of the territory adjacent to the ancient monument, carried out in the 1990s. under the patronage of the current king of Saudi Arabia, Fahd ibn Abdul Aziz, the Muslim shrine acquired a brilliant frame.

Thousands and thousands of pilgrims arriving here during the Hajj flock in endless streams to the protected area, surrounded by a majestic and monumental outer wall, which now encloses the entire ensemble. Six new, unusually tall and slender minarets with many balconies emphasize the grandiose scale of the monument. Prayer halls quietly absorb huge numbers of worshipers. These new halls-courtyards, over which sliding domes glide - the invasion of modern construction technology - only mark the approaches to the shrine itself, as if carefully swaddled with rows of arcades and prayer halls. During the day, the bright sun neutralizes all the buildings of the complex, which acquire a monotonous sand color, and only the green dome over the grave of the Prophet (PBUH) reveals its main axis; in the evening, in the rays of the solemn illumination, the four historical minarets in the corners of the Prophet’s Mosque (PBUH), which has been attracting the eyes of Muslims of the world for fourteen centuries, shine brighter than others.

An illustrious shrine that determined the development of mosque architecture for many centuries, the Mosque of the Prophet (PBUH) was not conceived by Muhammad (PBUH) as a religious building. This fact, paradoxical at first glance, is confirmed by numerous legends about the life of the Prophet (PBUH).

According to tradition, the Prophet (PBUH) rode into Medina on a camel led by Abu Bakr, surrounded by the Banu Najar tribe. The camel of the Prophet (PBUH) stopped at the site opposite the house of Abu Ayub al-Ansari. in the Banu Najar quarter. The Prophet (PBUH) shared shelter with Abu Ayub for seven months after arriving in Medina. Almost immediately he decided to buy a piece of land across the street and build a house here.

The land belonged to two orphans, Sahl and Suhayl, and Muhammad (pbuh) bought it for 10 dinars, refusing to accept the gift. Covered with graves and ruins, the area was desolate, palm trees grew here, and it was used to keep camels and smaller domestic animals. First, the construction site of the future house of the Prophet (PBUH) was well cleared, and the palm trees were uprooted - their trunks and branches were used as building material. The construction of a house for Muhammad (PBUH) and his family is traditionally attributed to the Prophet (PBUH) himself and his closest companions. The walls of the spacious courtyard were made of sun-baked bricks, placed on a stone foundation. On the north side, originally left open, a canopy was built: the trunks of uprooted palm trees became supports for a roof made of palm leaves coated with clay. On the outside of the eastern wall, rooms (hujras) were built from the same materials for the wives of the Prophet (PBUH). The entrances to these modest dwellings opened onto the courtyard and were curtained with cloth or carpet. A certain Abdullah ibn Yazid saw these rooms before they were destroyed by order of al-Walid, and he left this description: “There were four houses made of mud brick, with rooms divided by palm branches, and five houses made of palm branches, bonded (coated) with clay and not divided into rooms. The doors were closed with black curtains. You could reach the roof with your hand.”

Let us recall that it was in Medina, several months after the arrival of the Prophet (PBUH), that the true qibla of Muslims was discovered. It is known that for the first 16 or 17 months of the Prophet's (PBUH) stay in Medina, the Muslims' qiblah was towards Jerusalem. However, in one of the suras of the Medina period it was said: “We see the turning of your face across the sky, and We will turn you to the qibla with which you will be pleased. Turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque. And wherever you are, turn your faces towards her” (2:139). In the arrangement of the courtyard of the house of the Prophet (PBUH), which became a place of collective prayers, the change in the qibla was reflected in the following way: the arcade along the northern wall, called the suffa, was preserved - under it the companions (ahl us-suffa) of the Prophet (PBUH) found shelter ); on the southern wall, oriented towards Mecca, a deeper canopy was built, forming a vast shaded space - zulla. Here the Prophet (PBUH) preached while leaning on a palm trunk.

In fact, the earliest mosque (masjid) was the courtyard of the house of the Prophet (PBUH) and did not have the features of a sacred building. Travelers who were looking for the Prophet (PBUH) came here freely - one of them even rode in on a camel; tents and huts were built here, and many poor people lived in the suffa; business conversations were taking place here, and people behaved very freely. But most importantly, it was a meeting place for believers and a place of common prayer, so from the very beginning it became something more than just the personal courtyard of the Prophet (PBUH).

Built in the first year of the Hijra, the Prophet's Mosque (PBUH) subsequently underwent a series of renovations and expansions. It is believed that in the 7th year of the Hijra, the Prophet (PBUH), returning after a clash with the Arab tribes, decided to renovate his home. As a result of the changes, the site acquired the outline of a square with a side of 50 m, its area was approximately 2475 sq. m. m. The house of the Prophet (PBUH) was surrounded by the houses of his companions: from the east lived Abu Ayub and Usman bin Affan; from the south lived Umar (PBUH), to the west lived the uncle of the Prophet (PBUH) Abbas and Abu Bakr, to the north lived Abdurrahman ibn Auf. As a result of later expansions of the mosque, these houses were lost. The sick Prophet (PBUH) remained in Aisha's room and was buried there after his death. Two years and three months later, Abu Bakr passed away, ten years later, Umar died; their bodies were buried there.

The renovation of the mosque, undertaken in the first years after the death of the Prophet (PBUH), under the caliphs Umar and Uthman, was due to the fact that Medina remained the main city of the Caliphate, its community was growing, and the old mosque within its former boundaries could no longer accommodate everyone. , especially since the Mosque of the Prophet (PBUH) was the social and political center of the community, where Muslims discussed important issues and made common decisions. It was also an educational center. Caliph Umar, when expanding the Prophet's Mosque (PBUH), was guided primarily by this need, and the nature of the construction was almost not disturbed. The hujras of the wives of the Prophet (PBUH), adjacent to the eastern wall, were not affected, the courtyard was expanded to the west, and shaded arcades - revaks - were added to the south and north, so that Abbas's house was added to the mosque territory from the south. There were two entrances in three walls, so people could quickly fill the mosque at the call of the imam. In addition, under Umar, the same materials were used as during the time of the Prophet (pbuh). Considerations of necessity and practicality clearly prevailed in construction during this period, and this is the saying of Umar himself, who is said to have said: “Give the people shelter from the rain, but take care not to make it red or yellow, so as not to lead them astray.” " After 12 years, Caliph Uthman expands the mosque by almost 500 square meters. m., using other materials: the arcades surrounding the courtyard are closed by a wall of stone; palm trunks are replaced with stone supports, and a roof is erected from durable teak wood imported from India. For the first time, a mihrab was built in the wall of the qibla, and it is still known today as the mihrab of Uthman.

The reign of the caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty, Abdul-Malik and his son al-Walid (705-715), was marked by the creation of great architectural monuments, which for a long time became models for Muslim architects. The desire to rival the splendor of the Christian churches in Jerusalem and other conquered territories prompted the Umayyads to seek the help of Byzantine architects and decorators. It was they who built the Great Mosque in Damascus, decorating it with smalt mosaics. The Prophet's Mosque (PBUH) in Medina did not remain aloof from these innovations. It is known that during its reconstruction under the first Umayyads, Christian artisans were invited who richly decorated the interiors of the mosque with marble and mosaics, mother-of-pearl and gold. The contrast with the previous simplicity was striking, and al-Walid, visiting the Mosque of the Prophet (PBUH) he renovated in 93/712, even remarked: “We built in the style of mosques, you built in the style of churches.” In addition, four minarets were built at the corners of the mosque building.

Perhaps the main transformation of the mosque under the Umayyads was the inclusion of Aisha’s room in its territory, which was called the hujra of the Prophet (PBUH). The dwellings of the wives of the Prophet (PBUH) were preserved in their original form until the reconstruction of the mosque by al-Walid. Aisha protected the burial in every possible way, erecting a wall in front of it, thus preventing the desire of visitors to take some soil from the grave of the Prophet (PBUH) as a souvenir. Al-Walid bought all the surviving buildings adjacent to the mosque, demolished them and built new houses at a distance. A pentagonal structure was erected over the burial place of the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions, called ar-Rauda - “Garden”, which was later covered with a dome. With the growth of veneration of the Prophet (PBUH), the tradition of pilgrimage to Medina was established. The hadith that has come down to us says: “You can saddle up to visit three mosques: the Sacred Mosque, the Mosque of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Outermost Mosque”; it reflects the practice established at the end of Umayyad rule.

At the very beginning of the reign of the Mamluk dynasty (1250-1517), the ancient mosque experienced difficult trials. On Friday, at the beginning of Ramadan 654/1256, a fire broke out in the mosque, engulfing the entire building - almost all of it burned down. During the Hajj of 655/1257, the Abbasid Caliph Musta'sim sent craftsmen, tools and materials to begin the restoration of the mosque. Wood and other building materials were sent from Yemen and Egypt, and the construction of the mosque was completed under Sultan Baybars. During the long period of Mamluk patronage in Arabia, the Prophet's Mosque (PBUH) was repaired and renovated more than once. The Sultans of Kalaun, Barsbey, Qaitbey did not strive to increase the area of the prayer space, but with the help of expensive and rare decorative materials to give it the appearance of a jewel. The mosque was decorated, special attention was paid to the territory of ar-Rauda al-Mutahhara (“The Blessed Garden”) - this was the name of the area between the Prophet’s hudjra (PBUH) and his minbar, which was associated in Muslim tradition with the place where Muhammad preached and stood in prayer (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). The second time much of the mosque was damaged by fire was when lightning struck the top of the main minaret in 886/1481. Everything burned down, except for the hujra of the Prophet (PBUH) - the mihrab, minbar, handwritten books and ancient copies of the Koran. 100 craftsmen sent from Egypt by Sultan Qaitbey first restored the minarets and the wall of the qibla. For the first time, an extensive dome was erected over the hudjra of the Prophet (PBUH). It is noteworthy that the mosque preserved the memory of the former, from the time of the Prophet (PBUH), the qibla wall, in the form of a fence about a meter high, in which several passages were arranged. Near the fence there was a minbar, between it and the hudjra of the Prophet (PBUH) the mihrab of the Prophet (PBUH) was erected; In the middle of the significantly enlarged hall, a marble platform was built for the muezzins.

The later period in the history of the Medina mosque is the longest: it spans four centuries and is associated with the history of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish sultans became famous as the organizers of charitable institutions in the vast territory under their control. Historian of the 16th century Bidlisi, for example, characterizing the pious deeds of Sultan Mehmet (beginning of the 15th century), writes: “For both revered shrines - may the Lord increase their veneration and exaltation! “They determined the waqf, so that annually the income from them would be sent there and spent at the discretion of the holder of the waqf.” In 1517, the Ottoman conquest reached Egypt, and the Turkish Sultan Selim Yavuz received in Cairo the keys to Mecca and Medina, as well as sacred relics that now belonged to the Ottoman house. The Sultan proclaimed himself the servant of the Two Holy Mosques (Khadim ul-Haramain), and the court’s attention to the mosques of Mecca and Medina, which had long become a tradition, was redoubled. The needs and expenses of the servants looking after the mosque were carefully provided for by the services of the Sultan's court. The famous builder Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, taking care of the needs of pilgrims visiting the Mosque of the Prophet (PBUH), according to the same Bidlisi, erected “in the Holy Medina a monastery full of grace and appointed enough waqfs to provide food for the poor there every morning and evening.” Representatives of the Ottoman nobility also made donations to the Prophet's Mosque (PBUH). Until the first decades of the 20th century. In Istanbul, “Surre Alaya” took place annually - a procession gathering to Mecca and Medina with gifts from the Ottoman sultans and a celebration on this occasion. Several new inclusions have been preserved in the mosque from the 15th–16th centuries. For example, the so-called mihrab of Suleiman was created in 860/1455 to the west of the minbar of the Prophet (pbuh), and at first it bore the name of the Hanafi mihrab. In 938/1531, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent ordered it to be renovated in white and black marble, and in 980/1572 Selim II decorated it with gilded tiles. In 1233/1817 Mehmet II erected a dome over the hudjra of the Prophet (PBUH), and in 1255/1839 he repaired it and painted it green. Under him, the repair procedure, dispatch and training of technical personnel, payment of expenses were adjusted and carried out strictly.

The most extensive work in Ottoman times was carried out already in the 19th century. under Sultan Abdul Majid. Sheikh of the Prophet's Mosque (PBUH) Davut Pasha reported to the Sultan that the mosque had not been fully repaired for about 400 years, and every new day added new destruction. The Sultan orders to send specialists who should study the matter; After receiving the corresponding report, he ordered repairs to begin. He himself chose among his circle the officials who were to oversee and direct the progress of the work, thus giving the upcoming work the highest status. For repairs 1265/1848-1277/1860. The best craftsmen and artists were involved, the most expensive and high-quality materials were used. This extensive renovation and expansion, which lasted about 12 years, was not done in a hurry: everything testifies to the great attention to the quality of the work, corresponding to the greatness of the monument itself, and the respect for it on the part of Muslims. In order not to interfere with believers’ prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque (PBUH), repairs were carried out sequentially in separate areas. In place of the old walls, new ones were erected, with a new quality and finish. With the exception of some walls and the hujra of the Prophet (PBUH), the foundation of which turned out to be strong and the construction itself was of high quality, the entire mosque was rebuilt. The minbar and mihrab of the Prophet (PBUH) were repaired and preserved. The northern and western walls, with the exception of the area near the Medjidiyya minaret, were not collapsed. The mihrab of Usman (alayhi-salalahu-alaihi-wasallam), as durable and beautiful, was preserved. The old supports of the revaks were replaced with new monolithic ones, with the exception of the columns in al-Rawda al-Mutahhara, decorated with white and red marble with painting and returned to their original place. The windows were protected by copper bars, and multi-colored stained glass windows, a common feature of Ottoman mosques, colored the light that penetrated the interior. All internal galleries have been expanded; Now the Prophet's Mosque (PBUH) occupied an area of 10,303 square meters. m. As a result of this expansion, a vast covered space was formed between the main minaret and the eastern wall. The western gate of the main minaret was lined with red carved stone. At the outer wall of the mosque, between the Bab us-Said gate and the women's gate (Bab un-Nisa), a place for ablution was arranged in the form of a row of water taps.

At the end of the renovation work, the entire floor and half-height wall of the qibla were lined with marble. The ceiling, in turn, was painted with various images of trees, flowers, and water streams. It seemed that the Garden of Eden was blooming in each dome. The columns with richly decorated capitals were polished and painted to match the color of the stone. Later, the famous calligrapher Abdullah Zuhdi Bey was sent from Istanbul, who decorated the domes and walls of the mosque with inscriptions with the texts of the verses and the names of the Prophet (PBUH), which can still be seen there today.

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15. The place where the mosque was built was chosen by a camel and first belonged to two orphans

When the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) moved to Medina (performed the hijra), every resident wanted the Messenger of Allah to stay with him. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Let my camel pass, for she is coming by divine command.” After some time, the camel sank to the ground in the place where there was a stall belonging to two orphans. It was in this place that a mosque would later be built, but since the place itself had owners, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to buy it. The two boys who owned this land refused: “No, we will give it to you, Messenger of Allah!” However, the Prophet did not accept such a gift and paid them ten dinars. [Hadith about this was reported by al-Bukhari No. 3906].

14. The mosque contains one of the best places on Earth

In the middle of the Prophet’s Mosque (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) there is one of the best places in the world - “Rawda”. This word translates as “Garden of Eden.” It is reported in an authentic hadith:

« Between my grave and the minbar is Rauda - one of the Gardens of Eden"[This hadith was reported by al-Bukhari, no. 1196, and Muslim, no. 1391].

There are several commentaries on the hadith about Rawd:

1 - The words: “... one of the gardens of paradise” mean that in this place the worshiper feels peace and happiness from the condescending mercy of Allah.

2 - Worship at this place leads to Paradise in the hereafter.

3 - In the Hereafter, this place will become one of the places in Paradise.

Rauda is the most honorable place in the mosque of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, it is surrounded from the east by the room of the mother of the faithful Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, from the west is the minbar of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, from the south is the wall of the mosque with the mihrab and from the north there is a passage for movement from the edge of Aisha's house.

Millions of Muslims flock to this blessed place to pray there, striving for the Face of Allah and hoping for a great reward. Ibn Qasim is reported to have said: “The best place in the Prophetic Mosque for performing the desired prayers is the Rawdah, and for the prescribed prayers, the first row.”

13. The palm stump was the first minbar of the mosque

Another version says that the stump cried like a small child, yearning for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

The fact that the Prophet’s mosque was built on the foundation of piety was said by Allah Almighty in the Quran: “The mosque that was founded on piety from the first day deserves more that you stand in it (Sura 9, “Repentance”, verse 108).

Although this verse was revealed regarding the Quba Mosque, it also applies to the Prophet's Mosque. Proof of this is the hadith transmitted in the collection “Sahih Muslim”, which says that Abu Salama ibn Abdurrahman said: “Once Abdurrahman ibn Abu Said al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) passed near me, and I asked him: “ What did you hear from your father about the mosque, which is based on piety?” He replied: “My father said: “I went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in one of the houses of his wives, and asked: “O Messenger of Allah, which of the two mosques was founded on piety?” Then the Prophet took small stones in his hand, threw them forcefully to the ground and said: “This is your mosque, the mosque of Medina!” Then Abu Salama said: “I testify that I heard your father tell this (story) in this way” (Sahih Muslim, no. 1398).

11. Prayer in the Prophetic Mosque is like 1000 prayers in other mosques

The reward for performing prayer in this great mosque increases many times over. No mosque has such dignity, with the exception of the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, which surpasses it a hundred times. As Imam Muslim cites in his collection, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

« Prayer in the Prophet's Mosque is better than a thousand prayers offered in other mosques except the Kaaba Mosque"(Sahih al-Bukhari, No. 1190, Sahih Muslim, No. 1394).

Whoever visits the Prophet's Mosque, let him take advantage of such a golden opportunity and perform as many prayers there as possible.

10. Gaining knowledge in the Prophetic Mosque is like fighting in the path of Allah

A Muslim who studies any Sharia sciences or teaches them to others takes the level of fighting for the Faith of Allah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) informed us about this, saying:

“Whoever comes to this mosque of mine with the sole purpose of learning something good or teaching it to others is like one who fights in the path of Allah. And whoever came for a different purpose is comparable to a person who looks at other people’s things” [“at-Targhib wa at-tarhib”, 1/84, al-Albani called this hadith authentic].

9. One of the worst sinners is the one who uttered a false oath at the minbar of the Prophetic Mosque.

"(Musnad of Imam Ahmad, 2/329, No. 518).

8. The Prophet's Mosque is the first building on the Arabian Peninsula to have electricity

Visitors to the Prophetic Mosque must have seen on the ground floor many doors leading to library rooms. The library at the mosque has existed since ancient times, and one of the first mentions of it was in 1256, when a fire occurred in the Prophetic Mosque, and many valuable books and copies of the Koran were lost in the fire. Having recovered after the fire, the library started working again and continued to be replenished with rare books. Nowadays, among other things, it houses a department where manuscripts and ancient volumes are stored. And it also has a huge compartment with books on Tawhid, another with books on the laws of Islam, a third with books on history, Sirah, and so on.

Every day, 120 tons of zamzam water are brought to the Prophetic Mosque from Mecca. Here it is poured into tanks and then filled into plastic containers, placing them inside the mosque. During the Hajj period, the volume of imported zamzam water becomes even larger and reaches 250 tons. But we must remember that in the area around the mosque there is no longer zam-zam, but ordinary water flowing.

5. Throughout the history of Islam, the mosque has been expanded nine times

At present, the area of the mosque, together with the area around it intended for prayers, is 400,500 sq.m. One can imagine that this territory is equal to the area of almost 56 football fields! And just recently, the tenth expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque began. This project should bring a significant increase in the territory of the mosque.

4. The dome over the mosque was erected only in the thirteenth century

« Whoever introduces an innovation in this cause of ours (Islam) that does not belong to it, it will be rejected

3. Having visited the Prophet’s mosque, it is permissible to stand at the room with his grave and say a greeting for him, as well as for Abu Bakr and Umar

Visiting the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is a desirable action (sunnah), since this mosque is one of the three places on Earth that you can come to with the intention of worshiping there. Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):

« You should not travel except to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque, my mosque and Al-Aqsa Mosque"[This hadith was reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim].

If a person visited the Prophet’s mosque, then it is advisable to approach the room with his grave and greet the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his two companions. The place where they are buried is called Aisha's Room. When approaching this place, it is advisable to say a greeting with the following words:

“As-salamu aleyka ya rasulallah.”

After this, it is advisable to stay for a while and turn to Allah with prayers for the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Then you need to walk a few steps and say greetings for Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), only instead of saying “Rasul Allah” say: “Aba Bakr” and then “Umar”.

2. They tried to steal the Prophet’s body four times

It turns out that over the 1400-year history of Islam, ill-wishers tried four times to steal the body of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from his grave.

The first attempt to steal the body was made by the Ismaili ruler al-Ubaidi. He planned to transfer the body of the Messenger of Allah to Egypt. But Allah protected His Prophet: the robbers, who, on the orders of al-Ubaydi, were heading to Medina, were overtaken by a strong wind, and they were forced to return without achieving anything. [