Al-Masjid an-Nabawi

Al-Masjid an-Nabawī (Arabic: المسجد النبوي; Prophet's Mosque) is a mosque established and originally built by the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (Peace be upon him). It is in the city of Medina in Saudi Arabia. Al-Masjid an-Nabawi was the third mosque built in the history of Islam and is now one of the largest mosques in the world. It is the second-holiest site in Islam, after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.

Al-Masjid al-Nabawi
Masjid an-Nabawi (Mosque of the Prophet)
Religion
Affiliation	Islam
Province	Madinah
Region	Hejaz
Location
Location	Madinah, Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates	24°28′06″N 39°36′39″E
Architecture
Architectural type	Mosque
Completed	1817
Specifications
Capacity	600,000 - Capacity increased during Hajj season
Minaret(s)	10
Minaret height	105 m

The site was originally adjacent to Prophet Muhammad's (Peace be upon him) house; he settled there after his Hijra (emigration) to Medina in 622 CE. He shared in the heavy work of building. The original mosque was an open-air building. The mosque served as a community center, a court, and a religious school. There was a raised platform for the people who taught the Quran. Subsequent Islamic rulers greatly expanded and decorated it. In 1909, it became the first place in the Arabian Peninsula to be provided with electrical lights.^[1] The mosque is under the control of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The mosque is located in what was traditionally the center of Medina, with many hotels and old markets nearby. It is a major pilgrimage site. Many pilgrims who perform the Hajj go on to Medina to visit the mosque due to its connections to the life of Muhammad.

After an expansion during the reign of the Umayyad caliph al-Walid I, it now incorporates the final resting place of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and the first two Rashidun caliphs Abu Bakr and Umar.^[2] One of the most notable features of the site is the Green Dome in the south-east corner of the mosque,^[3] originally Aisha's house,^[2] where the tomb of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is located. In 1279, a wooden cupola was built over the tomb which was later rebuilt and renovated multiple times in late 15th century and once in 1817. The current dome was added in 1818 by the Ottoman sultan Mahmud II,^[3] and it was first painted green in 1837, hence becoming known as the "Green Dome".^[2]

Major Donation

The 7th Nizam of Hyderabad had built more than thirty grand buildings around Masjid al-Haraam in Makkah Mukarramah and Masjid un-Nabavii in Madinah Munawarrah, for the pilgrims visiting these sacred places for Hajj and Umrah.^[4]

References

1. "The History of Electrical lights in the Arabian Peninsula". Archived from the original on 2015-10-01. Retrieved 2016-11-22.
2. Ariffin, Syed Ahmad Iskandar Syed (2005). Architectural Conservation in Islam : Case Study of the Prophet's Mosque. Penerbit UTM. pp. 88–89, 109. ISBN 978-983-52-0373-2.
3. Petersen, Andrew (2002-03-11). Dictionary of Islamic Architecture. Routledge. p. 183. ISBN 978-0-203-20387-3.
4. "Nizam Donated To Saudi Arabia For Maintenance Of Harmain Sharfain From 1911 To 1954". Deccan Digest. 26 April 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2021.