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9 Things You Didn’t Know About The Prophet’s Mosque
Seeing a scene of impeccable beauty, we often hear the term “Heaven on Earth!” But there is only one place that literally has the right to proclaim itself as such. There, deep in the mosque of the Prophet 
(Masjid Nabawi), covered by green carpets and the tears of millions, lies a “garden from the gardens of paradise.” [1] It is a place known to every Muslim who has ever lived, yet there’s still much we don’t know about it. Here are just some of the interesting facts and mysteries of the Prophet’s Mosque:
9. The first place in the Arabian Peninsula to have electricity
When the Ottomans introduced electricity to the Arabian Peninsula, the first place to be lit up was the mosque of the Prophet . [2] By some accounts, it would be a few more years before the Sultan himself had full electricity in his own palace in Istanbul. [3]
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8. The current mosque is larger than the old city
The current mosque is more than 100 times the size of the original building. [4] [5] This means that the current mosque covers almost the entire area of the old city itself. [6] [7] This is evident from the fact that whereas Jannat Al-Baqi cemetery was on the outskirts of the city during the time of the Prophet , [8] it now borders the precincts of the current mosque grounds.
7. There’s an empty grave in the Prophet’s room
It has long been the stuff of legend that there is an “empty grave” next to where the Prophet , Abu Bakr 
and Umar are buried. [9] [10] [11] This was confirmed, however, when the individuals who went in to change the coverings in the hujrah* in the 1970s noted the presence of an empty space. [12] Whether or not it is meant for Isa 
when he returns is a matter of debate. [13]
*Note from author: What is meant by “hujrah” in this case is not the actual burial chamber / original room of Aisha (Ra.) This is enclosed in a pentagonal structure with no doors or windows and has not been visible for centuries. The area meant is the entire grilled area encompassing the chamber and area of other rooms.
6. It was destroyed by fire
The majority of the old mosque, including the original mimbar of the Prophet , was destroyed in a fire that swept through the mosque centuries after the Prophet died. The fire was so extensive that the roof and even some of the walls of the room of the Prophet collapsed, revealing his resting place for the first time in 600 years. [14]
5. There was no dome before, now there are two!
For more than 650 years after the Prophet passed away, there was no dome over his grave. [15] The first one was built in 1279 by a Mamluk sultan and was made of wood. [16] The green dome that we see today is actually the outer dome over the room of the Prophet . There is an inner dome that is much smaller and has the name of the Prophet , Abu Bakr and Umar inscribed on the inside. [17]
4. The dome used to be purple!
Yup – purple. It turns out that the dome has been through various colors and renovations before it reached its current form and colour about 150 years ago. [18] At one point it used to be white and for the longest period it was a purple-blue colour that the Arabs of Hijaz were particularly fond of. [19] [20]
3. It has 3 mihrabs
Most mosques only have one mihrab, but the Prophet’s mosque has three. The current mihrab is the one used nowadays for the imam to lead prayers. The next mihrab is set back and is called the Suleymaniye or Ahnaf mihrab. [21] It was made on the orders of the Sultan Suleyman the magnificent for the Hanafi Imam to lead prayers whilst the Maliki Imam lead prayers from the Prophetic mihrab. The Prophetic mihrab completely covers the area that the Prophet used to lead prayers from except where he placed his feet. [22]
2. What lies in the room of Fatima 
?
Items belonging to the Prophet were housed in his room or the room of Fatima which was incorporated into his room after a major expansion. [23] When Medina was under siege during World War I, the Ottoman commander had many priceless artifacts evacuated to Istanbul, hidden in the clothes of women and children. [24] [25] They can now be seen in the Topkapi Palace. However, intriguingly, some items still remain but are undocumented. [26]
1. It is FULL of secret signs
Yes, the mosque of the Prophet is covered with so many subtle signs and secrets that it makes the DaVinci Code look like a cheap puzzle for pre-schoolers. Each pillar, each dome, each window carries a story and indicates the location of events that carry historical and spiritual significance. The people who constructed the Prophet’s Mosque realized that it would be impossible to put up signs everywhere as it would distract from the main purpose of prayers. Therefore, they came up with an ingenious way of indicating a location of importance through minor changes in the design of surrounding objects. What are the secrets? Well, that is a story for another day inshaAllah.
The mosque of the Prophet was never just a mosque. It was the center of the first Islamic community and nation. It was the scene of our greatest triumphs and tragedies. It was a community center, homeless refuge, university and mosque all rolled into one.
Like the Muslim community, it has grown over the years and become more modern with each passing generation. But despite the exponential growth and changes from the simple Hijazi date palm trunk interior to the marble and gold clad structure we have today – the inner core remains the same. Perhaps there’s a lesson in there for us all.
(Authors note: You may also be interested in Ten things you didn’t know about the Kaaba)
References
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Stranger
May 24, 2013 at 11:29 AM
I wud luv to know abt the secret signs :)
Prof M Shamim
May 27, 2013 at 7:17 AM
As to the empty grave mentioned by you, no reference is given —wherefrom you got this information?
Muhammad Wajid Akhter
May 27, 2013 at 8:07 AM
Walaikum asalaam,
– Aisha (Ra) wanted to be buried in the same room but finally decided against differentiating herself from the other wives of the Prophet (SAW)
– Hassan (R) wanted to be buried in the room but was prevented from this by the authorities of the time
– There was also discussion about burying some of the other Ahsra Mubashara (like AbdurRahman ibn Auf [R]) in the same room but these also did not take place for various reasons
From the above we can see that they could only have had these considerations if there was indeed space for a 4th grave. In my article, I have only mentioned that there is a space and no 4th grave since the proposed inhabitant (Isa [A]) has yet to return.
Also there are other references in Tirmidhi and a narration by Ibn Jawzi in Kitaabul Wifaa.
Abdullah
May 27, 2013 at 9:22 AM
A good question and a good answer. Jazakallah khair both of you
Pappu
September 21, 2015 at 1:15 PM
why don’t you do little research. why you people always ask for ref like a bagger
Tahir Iqbal
August 3, 2016 at 12:56 AM
Dear Prof Sahib:if you are serious to gain information,so pleas go to Maddinah and you can have all the information from the library ( situated inside the Masjad e Nabvi ).
Syed Ullah
December 18, 2016 at 3:47 AM
It is in Hadith that Prophet PBUH said I will be raised from my grave first with Isa AS next to me will be Abu Bakar and Omar then we will wait for people of Makkah to arrive and we will proceed to ground of judgment.
That Hadith clearly indicates that Isa RA will be buried there….
abdulkadir saidu
June 9, 2015 at 7:40 AM
assalamualaikum
Aafia
December 9, 2015 at 2:53 AM
You can read about the Secret Signs Mentioned in the Post (Also Watch the Video to locate them) here-http://islamhashtag.com/raudhah-of-masjid-nabawi/
abdul
May 1, 2016 at 11:36 PM
AOA,
Thank you to provide the link.
Abdul Waris
afzal
January 17, 2016 at 11:44 AM
Can I know. Ore about the secret signs in Rohda
Riaz Ahmad.
July 1, 2016 at 4:21 PM
i want to know about islam &kaaba.madina. old history of islam/& .muslims
habib
May 24, 2013 at 2:41 PM
Great read and very informative. I wish there more books written about the masjid.
KHAJA NOORUDDIN SHAHID
January 3, 2015 at 12:19 PM
CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE FULL NAME OF OTHMAN WHO IS THE KING OF HYDERABAD
MIR OTHMAN ALI KHAN OR SOME OTHER SULTAN AS IIN MY KNOWLEDGE KING OF HYDERABAD DECCAN INDIA PLEASE CLEARIFY
Gibran
May 24, 2013 at 2:44 PM
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatulllahi wa barakatuh
JazzakAllahu khair
You better get to those secrets quick!!! Make that your next article!!!
Also, it is good you mentioned that that famous green dome isn’t real. In fact, it is not allowed because we are not supposed to make structures over graves and the Prophet sallahualayhiwasalam warned us against taking his grave as a masjid!!!
Usually, I imagine Islamic history after the few decades after seerah to be extremely boring. But JazzakAllahu khair we have our history literate brother to pick out all the interesting parts.
Gibran
May 27, 2013 at 1:30 AM
Dunno why that warranted 13 negatives…..anyone want to say?
Fatima
May 27, 2013 at 12:51 PM
Most likely reason is that the sufis & baraelwys revere the green dome.
sajid
May 27, 2013 at 3:42 PM
Asalamu alaykum
Sister Fatima your comment above either means you are naive of history or unwilling to shed your mantra of sectarianism. The green dome was not built by a brelwi – he wasnt even Indian he was an Ottoman Turk.
Secondly Muslims love the green dome as it is a sign of the home of and the final resting place of the beloved and his two beloveds
Your brother
Sajid
[Note: comment edited by author to maintain tone of harmony but still get the commentators point across inshaAllah.]
Gibran
May 27, 2013 at 7:11 PM
Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians because they took the graves of their Prophets as places for praying
-Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa salam)
“Apart from invoking Allah’s forgiveness for the engraved, all act of worship are prohibited at the graves like, formal prayers[1], reciting the Qur’aan[2], sacrifice[3], etc. because this would contribute to making the graves as places of worship. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) has warned his nation from taking graves as places of worship: “…Beware that those before you took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship. Do not take graves as places of worship, for verily I forbid you to do so.”[4] He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) also said: “The most evil of mankind are those who will be alive when the Last Day arrives and those who take graves as places of worship.”[5]”
http://www.ahya.org/tjonline/eng/05/03Graves.html
Some love him so much they obey him. Others love him so much they disobey him. One enters Paradise and the other is deprived of Paradise and enters Jahannam.
Love is a powerful emotion.
Say, [O Muhammad], “If you should love Allah , then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”
Say, “Obey Allah and the Messenger.” But if they turn away – then indeed, Allah does not like the disbelievers.
http://quran.com/3/31-32
Shz
December 9, 2015 at 11:43 AM
AsSalamAlaikum waRahmatulla waBarkatu,
You responded well and I second your statement about how we shouldn’t take the Prophets Mosque as a place of worship. Don’t worry about the negatives, not everyone has correct Aqeeda unfortunatley.
Aly Balagamwala | DiscoMaulvi
May 27, 2013 at 12:04 PM
No idea Gibran why people voted your comment down. But then it is public controlled and we can’t change it unfortunately.
Gibran
May 27, 2013 at 6:30 PM
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
Aly-
Wasn’t asking you to at all, where did you get that idea? It was clearly just a general question. Fatima’s answer makes sense.
Yes, Barelvis didn’t invent it sajid, Fatima did not say it was invented by Barelvis, so why are you insinuating that she did? There are numerous hadith that make it clear this is completely haram and no amount of love for Allah and His Messenger will justify disobedience.
May the love of the people who support these grave structures never be accepted until they obey Allah and His Messenger.
Aly Balagamwala | DiscoMaulvi
May 28, 2013 at 1:41 PM
waawrwb
Gibran: answering as it is my job.
Hassan
May 27, 2013 at 3:36 PM
Keep in mind that the Prophet’s house was actually PART of the Masjid, and he wanted to be buried in his house. Thus, his grave is in the same structure as a Masjid. It was literally unavoidable, and whether there’s a dome on top or not doesn’t factor into that.
Hassan
May 27, 2013 at 4:36 PM
No it was not part of masjid, it was attached to masjid. It became part in banu ummayah time
Gibran
May 27, 2013 at 6:37 PM
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
The second Hassan was correct, the grave was not originally part of the masjid and in fact such an act is forbidden by Allah and His Messenger!!!
http://www.islamqa.info/en/ref/110061/green%20dome
“It is not correct to quote the fact that people built a dome over the grave of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as evidence that it is permissible to build domes over the graves of the righteous dead and others, because those people’s building a dome over his grave (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was haraam and those who did it sinned thereby, because they went against what is proven in a report from Abu’l-Hayaaj al-Asadi who said: ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) said to me: Shall I not send you on the same mission as the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent me? Do not leave any image without erasing it or any high grave without levelling it.
And it was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade plastering over graves, or sitting on them or building over them. Both reports were narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh. So it is not correct for anyone to quote the haraam action of some people as evidence that it is permissible to do similar haraam actions, because it is not permissible to go against the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by citing the words or actions of anyone else. And because he is the one who conveyed the command from Allaah, and he is the one who is to be obeyed, and we must beware of going against his commands, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)” [al-Hashr 59:7].”
Abdul kalik razak
November 26, 2013 at 9:22 PM
Gibran,you’re correct,now we see the majority of muslim graves with buildings erected and much worse,huge photos framed placed on the deceased grave,nauzzubillah!!!!!
Yasmin
May 24, 2013 at 3:02 PM
Jazakallah khair for this very interesting and fascinating post!
sana
May 24, 2013 at 4:45 PM
i am deadly waiting to know about secret signs in masjid… i avoid word mosque
Sam
September 9, 2013 at 6:41 AM
Exactly, we should not use the word mosque. Masjid is totally understandable by all Muslims plus it is the correct word
TUI
November 22, 2014 at 7:39 PM
If you are Arabs talking to people that speak Arabic then yeah. But if you are talking to people of different faiths they wont have no clue what a “masjid” is… so you should say MOSQUE.
You shouldn’t “avoid” that, you make it sound like its harram
raza
March 31, 2016 at 6:26 AM
So true plz dont change the words for sake some people teach your children proper like masjid should be masjid and Ramzan should be ramzan nor Ramdan but to help and for understanding other some time we can use in ( )
Gemal
May 24, 2013 at 7:52 PM
Alhamidullah, beautiful article, thank you brother
Pingback: Islam | Pearltrees
WAJiD
May 25, 2013 at 5:05 AM
Walaikum asalaam,
JazakAllah khairun to all of you for your kind comments. I’m working on the secret signs article/ book/ website (depending on my ability) inshaAllah so please make duaa that I do it justice.
WAJiD
Savera
May 26, 2013 at 12:44 AM
As-salamu ‘alaykum,
How to get the blessed news? I am currently planning to go for umrah shariff in two months time – Is it possible for u too tell about “secrets” some way or the other telling about few books, so one can prepare a bit and get more blessed?
Jazaka Llahu khayran wa fi amani Llah
Abidah
sajid
May 26, 2013 at 12:56 AM
Salam
There are a number of things to see. I live in Saudi and have been working here for 2 years now. I regularly go to the Holy Cities and have endeavored to make a site profiling the calligraphy ad pillars in the masajid.
The problem is that Ladies do not get much time to spend in the masjid and certainly very little at riyadh al jannah – hence you wont be able to see the main features such as the pillar motifs, the calligraphy on the holy chamber external walls, poetry on the qibla wall, the enscriptions on the mihrabs, the enscriptions on the mimbar.
I am documenting these on my website.
Sajid
Savera
May 26, 2013 at 1:21 AM
As-salamu ‘alaykum Sajid,
A link for ur website? It is still better than nothing… This subject is VERY dear to my heart so I will in sha’a Llah take whatever I can get!
sakib
June 3, 2019 at 7:18 AM
Whats your Web site?
Abdullah
May 26, 2013 at 8:17 AM
Assalaamu Alaykum brother, please share to us this secrets.. May ALLAH SWT reward you and bless you more… Shukran brother and Massalaam
Raja Kreem
December 4, 2013 at 8:57 AM
I am very excited and cannot wait to read, The secret Sign book publication – once 40 million copies are sold a block buster movie is made than I will know you did a great job in translating those secret signs and I will accept your claim that De Vinci code was just cheap puzzle. Thanks.
UH
May 25, 2013 at 9:36 AM
please share your website/ book as and when parts get completed!
M. Khan
May 25, 2013 at 10:17 PM
Great article brother – we need the secrets of the Masjid!!!!!!
sajid
May 26, 2013 at 12:28 AM
Salam
I am also working on a similar project.
Some of the secrets are:
1. The green carpet – indicates Riyadh ul jannah
2. The long, thin, orange/ brown strips on the pillars – indicate the actual position of Riyadh al jannah according to some scholars.l
3. The golden floral pattern on the pillar to the right of the image – indicates the height of the original masjid in the time of the prophet.
Please see my website for more of the open secrets.
sajid
Abdullah
May 26, 2013 at 8:12 AM
Salaam brother, can you please give us the link for your website? It’s gonna be priceless… May ALLAH SWT reward you for your work… Shukran brother… Massalam
sajid
May 26, 2013 at 8:24 AM
Salam
Simply click on my name above or click http://holyhijaz.wordpress.com
sajid
WAJiD
May 27, 2013 at 4:20 AM
Walaikum asalaam,
MashaAllah excellent work brother Sajid. May Allah reward you abundantly for what must be quite a difficult task. I will contact you when I have something substantial for your advice and opinion if this is ok inshaAllah.
sajid
May 27, 2013 at 9:31 AM
Salam
Please let me know of what assistance i can offer. I am currently working on the mimbar and the qibla wall inscriptions. They detail the poetry that was put up and still exists – until when i do not know???
Sajid
Nisa
January 1, 2017 at 1:41 AM
Asalam o alaikum, just returned from umrah. It was impossible for me and my daughter to reach riyadul janah, women are misbehaving and even few died ! We didn’t have enough time so could not try to go again , we prayed on red carpet and now I’m v sad .
Ahmed
May 26, 2013 at 7:06 PM
Salams,
It would be of great help if you could provide some historical sources from where you have drawn these information. The information provided are of great significance. Please kindly provide the sources as well. Jazzakkallah khair.
Ahmed.
Dreamlife
May 27, 2013 at 1:28 AM
Yes – PLEASE do give sources. All this sounds wonderful, but we have a very strong tradition of proofs and evidence, so please provide your sources for all this info.
WAJiD
May 27, 2013 at 4:17 AM
Walaikum asalaam,
Sources include:
Al Bidaya Wa Al Nihaya – Ibn Katheer
History of Madinah – Dr Abdul Ghani
History of Makkah – Dr Abdul Ghani
The Holy Cities – Sultan Ghalib
… and my own investigations/ questioning of the scholars and khuddam of the Masjid over the last 25years.
InshaAllah full referencing will be present in the website/ book etc…
Pingback: WAJiD (wajid) | Pearltrees
Arif Khalil
May 27, 2013 at 8:11 AM
During my visit to the reverend Masjid al Nabvi (in July 2011) one researcher asked few of us to roll one carpet from main entrance to the new premises, onto its left. Then he showed a medium size circle that indicates one historical well is there underneath…
Dreamlife
May 28, 2013 at 7:29 AM
We saw that too, though I don’t remember the full story behind it.
abu Hamza
January 7, 2014 at 10:15 AM
Probabliy you saw Bir Haa/ well of abu Talha Ansari r.z, its inside the Masjid few meters left to the gate Fahad no 21.
it was in the Garden of Abu Talha Ansari rz., Prohet s,w often used to visit this garden and drank the water from this well.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says, ‘Abu Talha owned the best gardens in Madinah, and they were more numerous than those of any other Ansari. One of his gardens was known by the name of Bir Ha, and this was his most favourite resort. It was close to the Prophet’s Masjid and the water of its well was sweet and abundant. When Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) revealed the verse of the Quran:
“You will not attain unto piety until you spend of that which Ye love.” [3: 92]
Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him) presented himself to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and opened his heart, “O, Prophet of Allah! I love Bir Ha very much. As Allah wants us to spend precisely that which we love, I make over that garden to be spent in the path of Allah as you please.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) was very much pleased, and remarked: “What a fine present (to Allah)! I think it would be best utilized if you distribute it among your own heirs.” Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him) went and acted upon the Prophet’s advice
wycliffe hili
May 28, 2013 at 4:28 AM
This is very fascinating. Keep informing us of the unknown.
Fatima
May 28, 2013 at 8:30 AM
Loved this very informative and interesting article. Jazakumullah for it.
Please post the one about the secret signs of the mosque soon.
Jeddah Blog
May 28, 2013 at 10:25 AM
Can the author kindly get in touch with us at Jeddah Blog as I would be very interested in this information for our readers.
http://www.jeddah-blog.com
Khadijah
May 28, 2013 at 8:07 PM
SubhanAllah… May Allah guide and assist you all for the work done in the name of Allah.
Looking at the atrocious number of dislikes suggests that there are ‘eyes’ watching. May Allah protect us from all evil.
Jazakallah
Abu Huzaifa
June 1, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Assalamualaikum
We have done some research to uncover some of the lesser known places in Masjid-e-Nabwi and documented them here: http://www.islamiclandmarks.com/saudi/madinah/masjid_e_nabwi/the_city_of_madinah.html
Jazakallahu Khair
mir
June 3, 2013 at 8:42 PM
Great article. Keep them coming!
Mir Taqi
June 3, 2013 at 8:48 PM
Mr Akhter’s little gem on nine points related to Masjid-e-Nabwi is laudable. He has thus placed in the records of history these nine features associated with the Prophet [ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam] at a time when concrete signs of his times are fast disappearing. Praiseworthy as his effort is, I wish he had stated somewhat differently three of his nine “things” so as to keep the tone and tenor of his piece entirely sacred. The three “things” are:
1) In the 4th “thing” he uses the expression, “Yup – purple.” This is chatty and juvenile and inappropriate in a sacred discourse.
2) In the 3rd “thing” his talk of Suleyman as “Sultan Solomon the magnificent” seems odd. The Turkish and even European scholars prefer to call this Sultan in English as “Sultan Suleyman” or “Suleiman the Magnificent”.
3) Finally in the 1st “Thing” Mr Akhter makes recourse to that cheap book of fiction called “The DaVinci Code” which had been built up by the media into a book of historical facts in the minds of the gullible public. There can never be any comparison or reference made in the same breath between an utter work of fiction and the factual, so far indecipherable (not ‘secret’), inscriptions dotted around the Masjid-e-Nabwi.
Muhammad Wajid Akhter
June 4, 2013 at 11:20 AM
Walaikum asalaam brother Mir,
JazakAllah khairun for your kind words. As to your critiques I would say that the use of chatty/ juvenile words and pop fiction books to discuss points in this article was on purpose. Unfortunately, the majority of Muslim youth (and adults) cannot relate to our heritage and live in a world so far removed from it that they are unable to truly appreciate it. Therefore, I feel it is incumbent to bridge this divide in order to make the information more accessible and interesting to the masses. Of course it must be done in a way that does not compromise our principles or denigrate the subject matter.
In fact, I find the entire format of “Ten things you didn’t know…” as quite tabloid like and not one you are likely to come across in books or serious treatise. Even though I dislike it myself, I choose to write in this style and have more people get the information rather than in a more formal style and benefit far fewer.
Hope that makes sense.
JazakAllah khairun
p.s. I think the Solomon instead of Suleyman thing was down to spellchecker. It has been changed
S.A.IMAM
June 21, 2013 at 12:36 AM
Assalam-o-Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa barakatuhu
Indeed it is an informative & exciting efforts keep it up.
Samira
June 21, 2013 at 2:23 AM
Salam
A Sufi brother told me that there is a wall in the Prophet’s Mosque with all his names, including the controversial YaaSin & TaaHaa. Is this true? And what is the Islamic ruling on such claims?
Thank You.
Muhammad Wajid Akhter
June 21, 2013 at 7:14 PM
Walaaikum asalaam,
Firstly – JazakAllah khairun to you all for your kind statements and support. It encourages me to work harder to present this information in a better way for more people to benefit from inshaAllah.
The Qiblah wall in the Prophet (SAW)s mosque has the longest piece of single artist calligraphy in the world. It has some surahs but one of the panels (in red) contains more than 100 names of the Prophet (SAW) – including Yasin and Taha.
As to what the Islamic ruling is, I humbly suggest you ask a scholar you trust.
shamsher aalam
August 10, 2013 at 5:35 AM
assalamu alaikum warahmatullahe wabarakatuhu.
Its amazing to have the information about the kaba and the mosque .
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Ayesha
October 24, 2013 at 2:27 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnSwYW17lSc. You can visit this to see the column deacription
Prayer times
November 25, 2013 at 6:06 PM
Very interesting. Thanks :)
Fatou Binetou
November 27, 2013 at 6:41 AM
Ma cha Allah! Thanks very much for these precious information. I am so happy to learn about fact#4. Purple is my favorite color with green! A sister from Senegal, west Africa.
Abu Hamza
January 15, 2014 at 10:41 AM
in fact there are more then 90 things You Didn’t know about the Prophet Mosque and Scared Chamber..
it’s a long list ..i am adding 9 only……
1) How Prophet s.w and Abu bakr r.z Umar r.z Graves look like inside the Aisha R.z Hujra ( Aisha house walls is the 1st structure around Prophet .sw and Shaikhain Graves)
Dr. Irfan Al Alawi, Executive Director Islamic Heritage Research Foundation has written the following to dispel many misconceptions about the graves in the Sacred Chamber:
“It will be pertinent to mention here that the companions never put bricks or other similar materials on these three graves. Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr {Ra} narrated as mentioned in Sunan Abu Dawud, ‘I visited Aaisha {Ra} and requested her to show me these three graves. I observed that the graves were neither very high above the ground nor totally in level with the ground. I saw these covered with reddish color earth.’
It is mentioned in Tabaqatul Kubraa by ibn Sa’ad as narrated by Qaasim, ‘I was only a child when I visited these graves which were covered with reddish colour earth.’
2) When one of the wall Aisha r.z Hujra fall
it happened in the time of Umar Bin AbdulAziz, when he was governor of Medina, due to heavy rain fall one of the wall of Aisha R.z Hujra destroyed. people rush to see the Grave of Prophet.sw but Omar Bin Abdul Aziz r.a immediately cover that wall portion with a cloth and said i will not enter my slef neither i will allow you people to entre as Prophet s.w could get disturb by the crowd. then only a slave named ” Mazaham” allowed only to enter the Hujra Mubarak for cleaning and repair.
3) When Graves became Visible to everyone. Prophet s.w wives Hujrats were demolished and included in Prophet Chamber area:
Construction of Five side wall (2nd structure around Aisha R.z house) around Aisha rz Hujra
It is mentioned in Fath al-Baari as narrated by Abu Bakr Ajari {Ra}, ‘I saw these graves during the period of Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz {ra}. These were about four inches above the ground level.’ It is also mentioned in Fath al-Baari as narrated by Rija ibn Haiwah, ‘Waleed ibn Abdul-Malik wrote to Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz to purchase the hujrat of the wives of Prophet Muhammad {sallallaahu Alayhi wasallam} and include this area in the mosque as well. When the walls of the hujrats were removed, these graves became visible. The sandy soil on the graves had somewhat levelled off. Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz rebuilt the walls of Aaisha’s chamber during the expansion of the Prophet’s mosque.’
In 91 AH Umar bin Abdul Aziz (Allah show mercy on him) built five cornered walls so that nobody may enter inside the Sacred Chamber. REMEMBER that till this time there was no Dome on sacred chamber.
4)Trench built around the chamber filled with molten lead..
After several plots were uncovered to steal the body of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) by digging underneath the graves, the Sultan Nurruddin Zengi had a trench built around the chamber which was filled with molten lead
5) The last time when someone saw the actual Grave of Prophet S.w 878H
A renowned scholar, Samhoudi, mentioned in Wifa-ul-Wifaa that the walls of the sacred chamber were remodelled in 878H. He had the privilege and honor of entering the Sacred Chamber during these repairs. Samhoudi said, ‘As I entered the Sacred Chamber, I found very delicate fragrance there which I had never experienced in my life before. I offered salutation to the Prophet {Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam} and his both companions. Then I focused my attention to condition of the graves so that I could describe it fully to others. All three graves were almost even to the ground level. At one place, there was a slight rise above the ground level. It was probably, Umar’s {Ra} grave. The graves were definitely covered by ordinary earth.’
After this occasion, nobody has been able to see these graves since all the four walls of the Sacred Chamber have been fully built up to the roof level and closed for any view.
6) Window in the Dome ( in both dome, Inner and Outer)
The inner dome has a window located above the Prophet’s grave and parallel to it another window on the outer dome. The window would open as Istisqaa prayer was performed, a practice originating during earlier days. As cited by al-Darmi, when the followers of the Prophet complained to Aisha, the Prophet’s wife, about the drought in Madinah, she instructed them to leave an opening in the Prophet’s grave connecting it to the sky while praying Allah for rain (istisqaa prayer); and upon doing that the sky did rain
7) Funeral place ( area enclosed with walls in between Bab-e-Baqi and Bab-e-Jibraeel
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) used to lead Salat-ul-Janaza at this site and the Sahaba continued this tradition. Abu Saeed Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) described how and when this place was used for funeral services:
“In the very beginning we used to inform the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) when someone was near death. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) used to visit the ailing person and made supplication for his forgiveness. Many times the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) stayed there till the completion of the funeral services. In this way the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) had to wait there for a very long time at each such occasion. We, therefore, decided to take the body of the deceased person near the Hujrat (houses of the wives of the Prophet) so that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) can lead the salat more easily. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) started offering Salat-ul-Janaza in the area described above.”
The Turks built an enclosure around the funeral courtyard which used to be open to worshippers. Recently however, it is used as a storage space for materials needed in Masjid-e-Nabwi.
8)Round Stone on the top of Bab-eJibraeel is Exact Place where Jibreel stood at bab-e-Jibraeel or Bab-eUsman or Bab-e-Nabvi
This door is also called Bab-un-Nabi since the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) used to enter the masjid through this door. It was also known as Bab Othman since it was in front of Ottoman’s (RU) house.
There is a round stone on the top of this window. This window indicates the location where Jibreel (AS) stood during his conversation with the Prophet (SAS).
During the extension of the mosque, the door has been moved somewhat eastward in line with its original position.
9) Bab-e-Abubakr Siddique still exists.
Ibn Hajar said, “Small door is called Khukhah” Such small door of Abu Bakr’s (RU) house was near the fifth column west of the pulpit. This small door opened into the mosque. This door was moved westward along the same line during the various expansions of the mosque. During the first expansion by the Saudi Government, it was named Bab Siddique.
if one enter from Bab-e-slam you could find a door on your left side. there is a small room, used for storage purpose now. this door was always kept in Masjid Nabvi, as Prophet s.w said ” close all the door which open in Masjid except Abu Bakr .rz door” so in every expansion this door was moved along the same line to the westward.
References:
Wafa ul wafa by Shaikh Samodi,
History of Masjid Nabvi by Dr Ilyas Abdul Ghani,
تحقيق النصرة بتلخيص معالم دار الهجرة
أبو بكر بن الحسين بن عمر المراغي ص161-183
تحقيق: د. عبد الله العسيلان
ط1/1422ه
دليل مساجد المدينة المنورة
إعداد سعيد أحمد الدربي ومحمد عبد الرحمن أبو عزة ص: 27
نشر: مدير أوقاف المدينة المنورة 1399
الدرة الثمينة في أخبار المدينة
محمد بن محمود بن الحسن بن النجار ص 177-178
تحقيق: د . صلاح الدين بن عباس بن شكر
ط 1/1427هـ
المغانم المطابة في معالم طابة
مجد الدين محمد بن يعقوب الفيروز آبادي ج2/619
ط1/1423هـ
its a long list, i have mentioned few only. i am working to compile all the Historical scared sites related Stuff with Photo Graph, GPS Tags ,Maps of Madina,Makkah,Tareequl Hijra, Tareequl Anbia, Tareequl Hajj, Tareequl Ghuzwaat .
i would request to all of you , please pray for me that Allah Give me strength to complete This task . as i am in final phase of work .and in sha allah in couple of months i will upload the document.
Rudaba Safvi
March 3, 2014 at 9:47 AM
Asalam alekum Hamza , I am so great full that you shared precious information about Our Prophet’s Mosque . Thank you once again . Allah Hafiz .
Abu Hamza
May 6, 2014 at 1:53 PM
walikumslam , warhamtau Allah, Remember me in your prayers. Jazak allah
masroor ahmed
April 11, 2014 at 5:48 AM
Dear Brother ABU HAMZA, I want to purchase your book. From where i can purchase it in Pakistan or anywhere? what is the price?
Abu Hamza
May 6, 2014 at 1:32 PM
Dear Brother Masroor, Ma sha allah for your Interest, book would be free in sha Allah, and will be ready very soon, few of the chapters are left, mostly related to Prophet s.w Hijra Route , Ghuzwa Routs, .
Muzammil
May 2, 2014 at 2:01 PM
Great information shared Ya Abu Hamza. I myself have almost the same information. If I may add:
The five cornered wall was built so that there should be no resemblance with Holy Kaabaa
There is a door on all four sides leading inside to the empty space around the Sacred Chamber.
The five cornered Sacred Chamber is surrounded by metallic grills (painted green) on all sides, green colored cloth embroider with what is hanging on this grill obstructing the view of the five cornered chamber (photos can be googled)
Only the Khudam (the direct decedents of Hazat Bilal Razi Allah Anhu) are the people who can go inside for cleaning purposes. They are headed by (now very old) Shiekh Noori. You can often see him sitting on awheel chair near Ashab e Sufa Platform. All these Khuddam are MUKHANAS, as the people told me there.
These Khudam have a room behind Ashab e Sufa platform in the corner as you enter from Bab e Jibraeel.Dignitaries who go inside, enter from the door on the Qadmain e Mubarik side, which was the door of Hazrat Ali’s (KAW) and Hazrat Bibi Fatima’s Hujra.
There is a lot more, which maybe I will share next time.
Abu Hamza
May 6, 2014 at 1:50 PM
Dear Brother Muzzamil, Jazak allah khair for the information you shared, as this is not the right forum where i can share the stuff with complete authentic references, so i will only write few of sentences,
“The five cornered wall was built so that there should be no resemblance with Holy Kaabaa” True , it was first built by Umar bin Abdul Aziz r.z and then after the second fire in masjid nabvi, it was re built along the inner four side walls, Original Hujra of Aisha siddiqa rz.
yes its true, there is a lot alot alot more to share, … this is why i thought to compile the stuff,:) .
Abu Hamza
May 6, 2014 at 2:26 PM
Brother Muzzamil, i heard about these Khudam many times, wondering when did they started this Job? who appointed them first ? why Mukhans only? actually i never came across these people in any Historical book.
” the direct decedents of Hazat Bilal Razi Allah Anhu were appointed for this job,
as far as at the time of SAHABa r.z no one has mentioned this thing, infect Bilal r.z himself left the madinah after the death of prophet.sw and got settled in Syria.. so where did this hole story come from? the first writer who wrote about Masjid Nabvi and other historical places was Ibn Zabala r.h who the student of Imam Malik r.h , he never reported about this, then Ibn Shiba, Matri, Samhodi etc a long list of Muslim scholars who spend their entire life only to Digg out the historical places,event related to Prophet.s.w has never mentioned this, and these are the people whose research was such a thoroughly about the ” Asaar Nabvi s.w” that they even mentioned the name of the people who were living on the way, streat, from where Rasool allah s,w passed only once….
so if this Muhanas story is true and is not like the wrong stories which we used to hear like anything, specially about Prophet sw Masjid and Scared Chamber, then there shoud be some Origin and Reason for this, could you please provide us some more details, when did it start,( i am sure if this is true then its only about two digit years old ) why Mukhanas only? why only Descendent of Bila r.z only ? etc
Mrs Ali
October 4, 2015 at 7:31 PM
Asalamualaikum wr wb, have you compiled your research in book form yet? looking forward to reading it iA
Abu Hamza
December 9, 2015 at 6:05 AM
walikum slam … book was ready last year but then some brothers insist to add Magahzi ul Nabi Places..( travelling of Prophet ) and this is a big topic , hundreds of places, so i have to pull out the photos, narrations, historical back ground present day situation etc from my stuff.. which is taking time ..hopefully by next year inShALLh it will be ready.
Shiraz Khan
October 7, 2015 at 1:46 PM
Jazak-Allah brother… pls share your website or pls msg me on facebook.. http://www.facebook.com/shirazrk or email me your website where you will / have upload(ed) the information. email me at shiraz_raza_khan@yahoo.com
Inshaallah, you will get nothing but success !!!!
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Tricia Bell
April 17, 2014 at 10:19 PM
Who is the prophet?
Tricia Bell
April 17, 2014 at 10:22 PM
And why is there such a big fuss/deal about him?
WAJiD
April 18, 2014 at 7:13 AM
Dear Tricia,
If this is a genuine question then we can provide you with a lot of information about the Prophet (peace be upon him.)
We Muslims believe that Muhammad the son of Abdullah (from the Makkan area of Arabia) – peace be upon him – was the last in a long line of messengers from God who was sent to guide humanity to the true purpose of life.
We revere the Prophet (peace be upon him) as the most perfect man to walk the earth and love him more than we love ourselves.
If you want to know why a teenage girl in Sudan and an elderly man in China could be moved to tears just by the mere remembrance of a man who they never met… let us know.
There are many good books/ videos/ websites out there.
Take care.
Shorab
May 31, 2016 at 11:32 PM
Clear, concise and excellent response Alhamdullilah
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Amina Amir
July 17, 2014 at 5:27 AM
Awesome post about 9 things you didn’t know about the Prophets mosque. Thanks a lot for sharing. Really It is a place known to every Muslim who has ever lived, yet there’s still much we don’t know about it.
Hili
August 1, 2014 at 4:58 AM
No one has been in heaven to know how it looks. Furthermore, it is not right to compare earthly structures like the mosque with heaven.
Ali
July 26, 2014 at 5:45 AM
Commenting here to follow up so that whenever those “secrets” post is up, I will get notified.
Ebrahim
July 29, 2014 at 10:28 AM
Masha Allah… These post about hings you didnt know about the Prophet’s ṣallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) Mosque as well as Al- Aqsa and Makkah are very informative.
One thing that came to mind when reading this is If the Open space is meant for Isa ‘alayhi’l-salām (peace be upon him), then it means that Isa will pass on in that spot… as was reported in the hadith… every prophet is buried in the place that he dies.
Muhammad kabir
April 18, 2016 at 5:47 PM
Assalamu alaikum!
really an intriguing and informative platform, Jazakal Allahu bi khair ya majid.
@Ebrahim ” Every prophet is buried where he died”
that is true but Isa (AS) is not coming back as prophet but as a follower of the Rasul (SAW). so he may not necessarily die at that location. walLahu a’alam
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Umm Musa
December 26, 2014 at 8:22 PM
SubhanAllah. Why is no one allowed to see inside?
rm
January 3, 2015 at 12:07 AM
Salaam
very educational and easy to grasp.
Many thanks
Blafut
September 24, 2015 at 3:00 AM
You are right. It helped me alot as well.
Tawfique
January 3, 2015 at 1:47 PM
There are a lot of mistakes in this article and it should be corrected, like the people going into the hujrah in 1970. This is baseless and the masjid’s main scholars and caretakers are my personal friends and so are the masjid’s royal guards. Many of these matters mentioned in this article are not matters that are verified and it is conjecture. I would ask that things like this be verified better and the author do more authoritative research before making comments and claims. Wallahu alim.
WAJiD
December 11, 2015 at 11:26 AM
Walaikum asalaam,
Thank you for your concerns.
The article is fully referenced. Unfortunately, being in the vicinity of history does not make one knowledgeable of it which explains why – like you – I have not been able to rely on the caretakers or the guards for the information collected here.
abuHamza
December 13, 2015 at 12:56 AM
Tawfique: “There are a lot of mistakes”
Asslamualikum , could you please mention those “alot of mistakes”?? people entering Hujra does not mean entering in Chamber, i believe i simple means entering in Green fence area, and that still people do, like Khuddams, Aghwat for cleaning and stuff.
Regards,
abuHamza
December 13, 2015 at 1:00 AM
Tawfique: “There are a lot of mistakes”
Asslamualikum , could you please mention those “a lot of mistakes”?? people entering Hujra does not mean entering in Chamber, i believe it simple means entering in Green fence area, and that still people do, like Khuddams, Aghwat for cleaning and stuff.
Regards,
Aftab
January 17, 2015 at 1:54 PM
Good, informative article.
In your research, please also include some info on the peculiarity on the dome as discussed at http://almiskeenah.com/archives/11912
Also if you see the new extended portion of the mosque (behind the old Turkish construction) is slightly angled compared to the front portion. Why this deviation ? it actually changes the direction of the people offering prayers by a very small angle.
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abdu mohammed
July 5, 2015 at 7:55 PM
subhanallah let’s see miracle of allah
Mohammed Lambat
August 18, 2015 at 10:20 AM
When will the article of secret signs be written?
WAJiD
December 11, 2015 at 11:28 AM
Walaikum asalaam,
I deliver it as a presentation and am currently working on it. InshaAllah it will be available in 2016.
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Saf
October 7, 2015 at 10:44 AM
It is forbidden for a masjid to encompass *any* grave. InshaAllah the structural changes and extensions will one day be reversed. If anyone is aware of a restoration campaign, please let me know.
And what’s with these “secret symbols”? Dear Lord, don’t let it be anything shirk-y.
*sigh*
WAJiD
December 11, 2015 at 11:31 AM
Walaikum asalaam,
“And what’s with these “secret symbols”? Dear Lord, don’t let it be anything shirk-y.”
Thank you for making me smile…
Satti
December 22, 2015 at 2:34 PM
Turks did most of the damage to islam. They are in middle of two civilizations n they tried to mix them both. Concept of eid milad came from Christmas n building tombs on sahaba and sufis’s grave . If u look at the old cemeteries in Europe u will see high graves some with tombs. Now even west has corrected themselves according to teachings of Islam by making grave simple.
Fizraa Fayaz
January 19, 2016 at 10:37 AM
I wanted to know about whose janazah did prophet ( PBUH ) attend in masjid nab a with ??
Fizraa Fayaz
January 19, 2016 at 10:38 AM
* masjid nabawi.
Rehan
March 18, 2016 at 8:17 AM
SUBHANALLAH its really nice blog i love it and i love Muhammad s.a.w..
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Muhammad Ibn Salah Al Deen
April 14, 2016 at 4:57 AM
Jazakallah Khair for the informative discussion.
Is there any video or image of the resting place of beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?
WAJiD
April 14, 2016 at 3:11 PM
Walaikum asalaam br Muhammad,
No, there is no video of the resting place of the Prophet (SAW.) The inner chamber where the grave is located has not been opened in more than 800 years. The room itself has been opened but not the inner chamber.
Abdulshikur Mubarek
April 22, 2016 at 2:10 AM
aselwaleykum yaresulullah/S A W/
YARESULULLAH when you call me medinnah to visit you.
YARESULULAH MISS YOU FROM HABESHA/Ethiopia/ home of SEYDINA BILLAL/R.A/
Naimuddin saifi
September 8, 2016 at 6:24 AM
it is a great article I am reading
Yousra
September 18, 2016 at 12:54 PM
Mashaa Allah.
I didn’t know this before❤
http://ayeina.com/19-lessons-learned-from-juz-1-quran/
You can also visit this link.
Thanks.
Muhammad Sohail Khurshid
September 19, 2016 at 3:19 AM
Dear Wajid,
Please update about your book. I am keenly waiting for it.
Hassan Khalid
January 25, 2019 at 1:54 PM
Masjid e Nabawi has six (6) Mehrabs, you’ve listed only 3. The names of these mehrabs are
Mahrab e Nabawi
Mehrabi e Uthmani
Mehrab e Suleimani
Mehrab e Tahajjud
Mehrab e Fatimah
Mehrab e Bait ul-Muqaddas
Source: https://madainproject.com/mehrabs_of_masjid_al_nabawi
Abdul
October 4, 2019 at 3:49 PM
It is an amazing article thanks for sharing