• Home

The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

  • AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SITES
  • CHRISTIAN SITES
  • JEWISH SITES
  • CATHOLIC SITES
  • ISLAMIC SITES
  • INDIAN/HINDU SITES
  • HOLIDAY SITES
  • CASTLES
  • BATTLEFIELDS
  • MOUNTAINS
  • NATURE
  • WILDLIFE SITES
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
  • ARCHIVES
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

AL-QUBA MOSQUE (MASJID AL-QUBA)

April 12, 2015 By Howard Kramer 4 Comments

Medina, Saudi Arabia

The Prophet Muhammad spent most of the later years of his life in Medina, at first as an exile and later as a permanent resident.  During this period he erected a mosque in Medina so that he and his followers would have a regular place to pray when not in Mecca.  This was the Masjid Al-Quba, and it is considered the first mosque ever built, not counting the Kaaba, as well as the oldest in continual use.  Although it pales in size, splendour and importance to the neighboring Masjid Al-Nabawi, it nevertheless has a very special place in the heart of Muslims because of its association with the Prophet Muhammad.  Because of this the Masjid Al-Quba is an all-but-mandatory stop for pilgrims visiting Medina, and is considered by many to be the third most sacred Islamic shrine in Saudi Arabia

History

The exact founding date of the Masjid Al-Quba is somewhat vague, and it is uncertain as to whether construction began during the early exile of Muhammad or later after he had already conquered much of the Arabian Peninsula.  Most scholars seem to think it was the former.  The most common story is that the Prophet Muhammad personally laid some of the foundation stones of the Masjid Al-Quba shortly after arriving in Medina sometime in 622 or 623 AD.  However, as he was exceptionally busy during his early years in Medina, it is quite possible that the foundation stones were laid at a later time, possibly as late as 630.

Whichever the case was, the original mosque building was almost certainly completed during Muhammad’s lifetime.  According to tradition, the construction of the Masjid Al-Quba became an important endeavor of the Prophet’s companions, at least when they weren’t busy fighting desparate battles of survival against neighboring warlike tribes.  After its completion the mosque became the center of Islamic religious life in Medina, at least until the Masjid Al-Nabawi was built in the years after Muhammad’s death.

One interesting legend associated with Masjid Al-Quba tells that the Prophet Muhammad inaugurated worship at the new mosque by praying for twenty consecutive days there.  The legend further goes on to say that during these twenty days Muhammad awaited the arrival of his cousin Ali, who apparently lived next door.  It is unknown why Muhammad wanted Ali, or waited so long for him; nor is it known why Ali was so long delayed, or if he even ever showed up.

The original mosque that the Prophet Muhammad built stood for well over thirteen centuries, during which time it was in continual use.  However, by the late 20th century, the Masjid Al-Quba was definitely showing the signs of its age, and the agonizing decision was made to replace the old mosque with a new one.  So, in the 1980s, the world’s oldest surviving Islamic building was largely torn down, and a new one rose in its place in 1986.  Despite this, the site remains as revered as ever.

Visiting

The new Masjid Al-Quba is an architectural jewel designed by Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil, a prominent Egyptian architect and one of the world’s foremost experts in the design of modern mosques.  If it didn’t stand in the shadow of the immense Masjid Al-Nabawi it would be the grandest mosque in Medina.  Despite this it is a modern architectural masterpiece in its own right, incorporating classic Islamic styles with modern engineering.  The mosque’s exterior features a quartet of minarets and a cluster of brilliant white domes that create a perfect symmetry above and around the main building.

While the original Masjid Al-Quba building is now a thing of the past, some of the old construction materials were reused and incorporated into the new structure, though for no other reason other than nostalgia.  Because the Masjid Al-Quba is such a modern mosque, it incorporates facilities that are rare in the other major mosques of Saudi Arabia, such as shops and modern-style offices.

The Masjid Al-Quba is located on the outskirts of Medina’s old city, almost due south of the Masjid Al-Nabawi along the Qiba Road.  Medina is absolutely off-limits to non-Muslims.  For Muslims, the mosque is open year-round.  There is no cost of admission beyond any required or voluntary tithes and donations.  Web: http://saudtourism.sa/en (official tourism website of Saudi Arabia).

Other Sites

Obviously Medina’s most important site is the Masjid Al-Nabawi.  Next door to the Masjid Al-Nabawi is the Maqbarat Al-Baqi Cemetery, where many prominent early followers of Muhammad are buried.  Mount Uhud is to the north of the city, where the Battles of Uhud and The Trench were fought.

Filed Under: Early Muslim Site, Muhammad Tagged With: Arabia

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

Comments

  1. shagor jhon says

    October 3, 2019 at 5:27 am

    helpfull information of view, interesting article!

    Reply
    • Howard Kramer says

      October 20, 2019 at 2:34 pm

      Thank you!

  2. mia says

    November 6, 2018 at 2:45 am

    Nice Piligrim was this Masijid-AL-Quba loved very much such an Religious place was this and definitely one or the other day i iill visit this place.! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Howard Kramer says

      December 6, 2018 at 9:11 pm

      You are very welcome!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

Follow us!

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

Return to top of page
Copyright © 2023 The Complete Pilgrim, LLC || Marietta, GA 30068 || Legal Disclaimers

Website by: Kristina McInerny, Notes From Kris, Inc.