Al Madinah Al Munawara

The Prophet’s Mosque has a long history of construction that began during the time of the Prophet himself, blessings and peace be upon him, and during the period of his honorable companions, may Allah be pleased with them. Muslim rulers successively expanded and cared for the mosque following the example of the Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him. The Prophet’s Mosque consists of:

The Old Mosque: It is the mosque where the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, prayed. Today, domes decorated with Quranic verses are erected over it, and its pillars are topped with golden crowns.

Gravel-covered areas: These are two open areas immediately after the old mosque. They were previously covered with gravel.

The Honorable Rawdah: The honorable Rawdah is part of the Prophet’s Mosque. It is located at the front of the mosque and extends from the house of the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, (the honorable burial chamber) to his pulpit.

Expansions: The Prophet's Mosque was expanded more than once by the kings of Saudi Arabia. Expansions comprise the other mosque buildings surrounding the gravel-covered areas.

Women's Prayer halls: There are two large prayer areas for women; namely, the western and northern prayer halls.

Outer Courtyards: These are large prayer areas, covered with canopies to protect worshipers from the sun.

• The niche is the place where the Imam prays in the direction of the qiblah. There have been many niches in the Prophet’s Mosque throughout history.

• After shifting the qiblah to the Sacred House in Makkah, the Prophet, (blessings and peace be upon him), changed the niche from the northern to the southern part of the mosque. Then, it was moved to the southernmost end of the expansion that took place during the era of Omar bin Al-Khattab. It was then changed as a result of the expansion during the era of Othman bin Affan. This is the place where the Imam stands today.

Niches of the Prophet's Mosque Numerous niches have been built in the Prophet’s Mosque throughout the ages. The most important of those niches are:

• The Prophet’s niche: It is located in the honorable Rawdah, to the left of the pulpit, where the Imam prays today.
• The Ottoman niche: It is located in the southern wall of the Mosque where the imam used to pray in the past.

• Visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque go to the Prophet’s Burial Chamber to greet him, (blessings and peace be upon him), and his two companions, Abu Bakr and Omar, (may Allah be pleased with both of them).

The Prophet’s Chamber: The Prophet's House It is located in the southeast of the Prophet’s Mosque. Allah Almighty honored our mother, Aisha, (may Allah be pleased with her), by placing - in her room - the tomb of the Prophet, (blessings and peace be upon him, and his two companions, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq and Omar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with them both.

Death of the Prophet in the Honorable Chamber The Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, fell ill, died and was buried in Aisha's room. The Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, had said: “Every prophet is buried where he died.” Then his two companions, Abu Bakr and Omar, may Allah be pleased with them both, were buried there.

The Green Dome A distinctive green dome marking the room, has been constructed. It was painted green in 1253AH.

• Today, above the Prophet's Chamber in the Prophet’s Mosque is a distinctive green dome which is a sign of the Prophet's Chamber. It was painted green in 1253 AH.

• Visitors of the Prophet’s Mosque coming from the south (Al-Hijrah Road) or from the east (King Abdulaziz Road) can see the minarets and the green dome from a distance, as there are no buildings to block the view.

• This dome was not built until the reign of Sultan Qalawun. The doom had the color of the wood used in construction. Later, it was painted white, then blue, and finally green.

• This dome was known as the white dome, Al-Faiha, and the blue dome. Ultimately, it was called the Green Dome.

• As part of the constant care given to the Noble Chamber, the coating of this dome is renewed whenever its color changes due to weather conditions.

• It is the mosque where the Messenger of Allah, (blessings and peace be upon him), and his companions prayed. Its historical features and ancient inscriptions have been preserved.

The main sections of the old mosque today

• The Mosque
• Aisha's chamber
• The honorable Rawdah
• The Niches
• Pillars and cylinders

• The gates of the Prophet’s Mosque dazzle worshipers and visitors with their beautiful and elaborate inscriptions. They were made in accordance with the highest international and technical specifications.

• All gates of the Prophet’s Mosque have numbers which appear clearly next to each gate. If you know the gate number, you can reach it easily.

• The gates of the Prophet’s Mosque courtyards bear numbers which appear on the gates of the outer wall of the courtyards, but differ from the numbers of the gates of the Prophet’s Mosque.

• Most of the gates are accessible by wheelchairs. Portable stools are available for the elderly and those who need them. They can be found next to the main gates inside the mosque.

• The courtyards of the Prophet’s Mosque are spacious areas designed for performing prayers. They are covered with umbrella canopies that open and close automatically to protect worshipers from the sun. They, too, are ventilated and mist is also sprayed to cool the temperature.

• There are 262 umbrella canopies in the courtyards of the Prophet's Mosque. The courtyards are surrounded by a 2,270-meter-long wall. There are gates in this wall, but they differ from the gates of the Prophet’s Mosque.

• Courtyards area: 235,000 square meters

• Capacity: 450,000 worshippers

Things to pay attention to when praying or walking in the courtyards

• Do not walk barefoot on black or colored marble due to its extreme heat.
• Beware of slipping in the courtyards and make sure that your footwear is not slippery.
• Make sure you pray behind the Imam during prayer in the southern courtyard of the mosque. You can find out the instructions for aligning with the Imam through the guide signs in the courtyard so as not to step up.
• If you lose or search for your shoes in the courtyards

Al-Baqi' Cemetery

• It has been the cemetery of the Prophet’s city since the time of the Prophet, (blessings and peace be upon him). Many dead people have been buried there over the ages, foremost among them are some of the mothers of the believers, and a large number of honorable companions, (may Allah be pleased with them).

Location of Al-Baqi' Cemetery

• Al-Baqi Cemetery is located to the southeast of the Prophet’s Mosque. It has an area of 180,000m².

Why is it called "Al-Baqi'"?

• It was given this name because it used to have many trees. "Al-Baqi'" refers to a vast place where various types of trees grow.

Visiting Al-Baqi' Cemetery

• It is permissible for a visitor of the Prophet’s Mosque and Madinah to visit Al-Baqi Cemetery to greet and pray for the buried companions, followers, the righteous predecessors and others. The Prophet, (blessings and peace be upon him), used to frequently visit Al-Baqi’ Cemetery and pray for the dead.

What shall you say when visiting Al-Baqi' Cemetery?

• "Peace be upon you, the dwelling of a believing people. By the will of Allah, we will

Residents of Madinah usually take their deceased relatives to the Prophet's Mosque so that funeral prayers are performed there. They also bury them at Al-Baqi’ with the best companions and followers of the Prophet, if possible. They do so due to the virtues of prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque, and because of the large number of worshipers there.

The authorities' facilitation of Funeral Prayers: The competent authorities in Madinah open the doors of Al-Baqi' Cemetery to visitors during the official visit times and after the five daily prayers. Funeral prayers are performed after the daily prayers. Funeral followers and Mosque visitors go to this cemetery to bury and visit the dead.

• Visitors flock to the Prophet’s Mosque in large numbers: men and women, adults and children. The Kingdom takes special care to ensure their safety and well-being, remove obstacles and solve the problems they face. One of the services provided is protection from the sun and risks during the rainy season.

Domes of the Prophet's Mosque

• The domes of the Prophet's Mosque represent a unique architectural style. There are 196 fixed and mobile domes in the Prophet's Mosque.
• The first dome in the Prophet’s Mosque was built over the honorable Prophet’s Chamber in 678AH. It was painted green in 1253 AH.

Mobile domes in the Prophet's Mosque

• Mobile domes are emblems of modernization in the Prophet’s Mosque. There are 27 mobile domes that open and close automatically three times a day: after Fajr, Zuhr and Isha’ prayers allowing ventilation. They also transmit the echo so that it equally spreads throughout the mosque.

Canopies

• There are 262 large canopies, with majestic decorations and design. They are spread in the outer courtyards and in open spaces inside the mosque. They open and close automatically as