Masjid E-Zil-Qiblatain
 The main entrance to the Masjid |
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بدلا من تغيير الاتجاه الصلاة بأمر الله |
Masjid E-Zil-Qiblatain (المسجد القبلتین) (Mosque of the two Qiblas) is a mosque in Medina that is historically important for Muslims as the place where the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him), leading the prayer, is said to have been commanded to change the direction of prayer (Qibla) from Jerusalem to Mecca. Thus it uniquely contained two prayer niches (Mihrabs). Recently the mosque was renovated, removing the old prayer niche facing Jerusalem and leaving the one facing Mecca.
The Qiblatain Mosque is among the three earliest mosques in Islam's history, along with Quba Mosque and Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi. (For clarification please read the introductory paragraph of Masjid Al-Quba)
The Qiblatain Mosque is among the three earliest mosques in Islam's history, along with Quba Mosque and Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi. (For clarification please read the introductory paragraph of Masjid Al-Quba)
History Of Mosque
This mosque is situated on a hill of the free Western part built by the sons of Sawad Bin Ghanam Bin Ka'ab (Tribe of Bani Salamah), in the era of the Holy in the second year of Hijrah. The building materials at the time were bricks, fronds and trunks of the palm trees. This mosque is of particular significance in the Islamic history.It was built after Quba and Al-Nabawi mosques, approximately in year 623 CE and that time the mosque is called "Mosque of tribe of Bani Salamah".
It was in this Mosque that the Holy was instructed by ALLAH to turn to the Direction of honored Al-Kaabah earlier the Qiblah was Jerusalem, and that change took place on 15th Sha'ban of the second year of Hijra corresponding to the 11th of February 642. The Holy was paying a visit to Umm Bashir from Bani Salamah for condolence purpose, and she prepared food for him, then at the time of Al-Zuhr prayer, the Holy got up to perform prayer in the mosque of Bani Salamah and after completing two rak'ahs, the Inspiration descended upon him to turn to the Kaaba the Sacred Mosque.
Since that time, the mosque was known as Masjid E-Zill-Qiblatain (The Mosque of the Two prayer directions) because the Holy prayed a part of his prayer towards Al-Aqsa Mosque and the other part towards Al-Masjid Al-Haram.
The mosque was initially maintained by Caliph Umar Ibn Al-Khattab ( ALLAH Bless With Him).In the year 87H corresponding to 706 the Governor of Medina Omar Bin Abdul Aziz ( ALLAH Bless With Him) renewed the building of the mosque, along with all other mosques in which the Holy has performed prayers, and remained in same state without any change for more than eight hundred years until Shaheen Al-Jamali restored and renovated it in the year 893H corresponding to 1488.
During the reign of Ottoman Sultan,Suleiman the Magnificent the mosque was repaired in the year 950H corresponding to approved in 1543, and that was recorded on a marble slab that was placed on one of the external walls of the mosque.
Some travelers have described it as:
"A flat area which is covered with a dome and which has no minaret"
Later part of the building was destroyed, and it was neglected until the advent of the prosperous Saudi Reign when King Abdul Aziz gave his orders to renew its building in the year 1350H corresponding to 1931 and to expand it and to build a minaret for it and a fence around it was built.
The current construction and expansion was completed in the time of Saudi King Fahad Bin Abdul Aziz. The new building has two floors.The number of domes and minarats is also two.Total area is 3920 square meters.
It was in this Mosque that the Holy was instructed by ALLAH to turn to the Direction of honored Al-Kaabah earlier the Qiblah was Jerusalem, and that change took place on 15th Sha'ban of the second year of Hijra corresponding to the 11th of February 642. The Holy was paying a visit to Umm Bashir from Bani Salamah for condolence purpose, and she prepared food for him, then at the time of Al-Zuhr prayer, the Holy got up to perform prayer in the mosque of Bani Salamah and after completing two rak'ahs, the Inspiration descended upon him to turn to the Kaaba the Sacred Mosque.
Since that time, the mosque was known as Masjid E-Zill-Qiblatain (The Mosque of the Two prayer directions) because the Holy prayed a part of his prayer towards Al-Aqsa Mosque and the other part towards Al-Masjid Al-Haram.
The mosque was initially maintained by Caliph Umar Ibn Al-Khattab ( ALLAH Bless With Him).In the year 87H corresponding to 706 the Governor of Medina Omar Bin Abdul Aziz ( ALLAH Bless With Him) renewed the building of the mosque, along with all other mosques in which the Holy has performed prayers, and remained in same state without any change for more than eight hundred years until Shaheen Al-Jamali restored and renovated it in the year 893H corresponding to 1488.
During the reign of Ottoman Sultan,Suleiman the Magnificent the mosque was repaired in the year 950H corresponding to approved in 1543, and that was recorded on a marble slab that was placed on one of the external walls of the mosque.
Some travelers have described it as:
"A flat area which is covered with a dome and which has no minaret"
Later part of the building was destroyed, and it was neglected until the advent of the prosperous Saudi Reign when King Abdul Aziz gave his orders to renew its building in the year 1350H corresponding to 1931 and to expand it and to build a minaret for it and a fence around it was built.
The current construction and expansion was completed in the time of Saudi King Fahad Bin Abdul Aziz. The new building has two floors.The number of domes and minarats is also two.Total area is 3920 square meters.
Architecture and Design
The main prayer hall adopts rigid orthogonal geometry and symmetry which is accentuated by the use of twin minarets and twin domes. Living accommodations for the Imam, the Muezzin and the caretaker are discreetly grouped it one block to the west of the main structure. The difference in level at the southeast corner of the site has been exploited to incorporate a sub-basement level which serves as the ablutions area for worshippers.
To the north, where the ground level is lower, the prayer hall is raised one-storey above ground level. Entry to the prayer hall is from the raised courtyard, also to the north, which can be reached by stairs and ramps from the main directions of approach. The prayer hall consists of a series of arches which support barrel-vaults running parallel to the Qibla wall. These vaults are interrupted by two domes which establish an axis in the direction of Mecca.
The main dome to the south is raised on a drum of clerestory windows which allow light to filter into the interior directly above the Mihrab. The second, false dome is linked to the first by a small cross-vault to symbolise the transition from one Qibla to another. Below it, a replica of the Mihrab found in the lower chamber of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem reminds onlookers of the oldest extant Mihrab of Islam. Externally, the architectural vocabulary is inspired by traditional elements and motifs in a deliberate effort to offer an authentic image for an historic site.
To the north, where the ground level is lower, the prayer hall is raised one-storey above ground level. Entry to the prayer hall is from the raised courtyard, also to the north, which can be reached by stairs and ramps from the main directions of approach. The prayer hall consists of a series of arches which support barrel-vaults running parallel to the Qibla wall. These vaults are interrupted by two domes which establish an axis in the direction of Mecca.
The main dome to the south is raised on a drum of clerestory windows which allow light to filter into the interior directly above the Mihrab. The second, false dome is linked to the first by a small cross-vault to symbolise the transition from one Qibla to another. Below it, a replica of the Mihrab found in the lower chamber of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem reminds onlookers of the oldest extant Mihrab of Islam. Externally, the architectural vocabulary is inspired by traditional elements and motifs in a deliberate effort to offer an authentic image for an historic site.
