prophet muhammad

‘and bought it from them

instead, and then built a mosque on it.

Within a few days of the arrival of the Prophet ( � ) at the house of Abu

Awoob ai-Ansaaree, the construction of the mosque was started

enthusiastically. The Prophet ( � ) himself took an active part in it. The first job

was to level the ground, clear it of weeds, thorny shrubs, palm-trees, rubbish as

well as some old graves of the polytheists who lived in Yathrib, the old name of

the city of Madeenah . Then the construction of the mosque and the two

apartments for the Prophet's wives began . One apartment was meant for

Sawdah ( � ) and the other for 'Aa'ishah ( � ) .

The mosque that the Prophet ( � ) and his companions built in Madeenah

stood at the same spot as the green-domed Great Mosque of the present time.

The present mosque was enlarged and remodelled many times by successive Musl im caliphs. Originally the Prophet's private apartments lay outside the

mosque and their doors opened onto the courtyard of the mosque. The

arrangement was later modified and these apartments were incorporated in

the mosque. The Prophet ( � ) is buried in 'Ai'shah1S apartment with Abu Bakr and

Umar ( ) alongside him. The most recent enlargements were effected by King

Fahd ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez.

The Prophet's Mosque

Al lah's Messenger ( � ) himself contributed, alongside other Muslims, in the

building work by carrying adobe bricks and stones. As the Muslims worked, they

recited the poetic verses,

0 Allah, there is no worthy living except that of the hereafter;

So forgive the Ansaar and Muhaajiroon.

The Companions worked hard . 'Ammaar ibn Yaasir distinguished himself

by his excessive zeal and hard work in carrying building materials to the site. The

Prophet ( � ) saw him carrying twice the normal load.

The original structure, which the Prophet ( � ) himself designed, was quite

simple. The foundation of the mosque was about two meters deep and made

with stones. The walls were made with grey mud bricks. It was a square building, about 65 meters each way. The roof

was supported on pillars made from

the trunks of date-palm trees and

branches of the same. The ceiling was made

of stalks of the branches of date-palm trees,

which did not prevent rain leaking through.

The roof covered a small portion of

the· mosque. The rest was an open

unroofed courtyard. It was enclosed

by a short, grey mud-bricked wall, no

higher than a man !

No specific flooring or carpeting was used. A few mats were laid down,

which did not cover the whole area. Most of the ground was made of dry rubble

and sand. Many worshippers prayed on the bare area. There were three doors,

one in the east, one in the west and the third in the south.

Prophet Muhammad � (3) • • • •

The roofed portion of the mosque hod a little platform, raised a little above

the ground, which was called as-Suffah. Students of Islam who were very poor

and without homes of their own lived there continuously. They devoted their

entire lives and energies to the study of the Qurlon and practices of the Prophet

( � ) . Their main job was to spread the message of Islam.

The qiblah was mode towards Jerusalem, as Muslims were sti ll facing it in

their prayers.

TThe mosque was a simple building indeed. Not that the Muslims were unable to put up a much grander structure; rather it was the Prophet's desire that it should be a most simple building. The private apartments built for the Prophet's personal residence were also simple. Similar material as the mosque was used to build the two apartments for the Prophet's wives and the roofing was of date-palm branches. They consisted of one Iorge room for each of his two wives. This was the Prophet's style of living. He never deported from it. Five times everyday, Allah's Messenger ( � ) mode himself available in the mosque. He led the prayers and recited the Qur'on. His voice was naturaL deep, clear, sweet and eloquent. His sermons were very short, but they left a deep impression on the minds and hearts of his listeners. The Prophet's Mosque has the most glorious place and significance in the history of Islam. The Minbar in the Prophet's Mosque When first built the Prophet's Mosque hod no minbar from which to address the congregation . He would speak while leaning against a palm-tree in the wall next to the qiblah near where he prayed. Eventually he began to use a minbar. As he moved over towards it to make his address from it and passed by that tree trunk, it mooned like a love-lorne camel because it hod always heard his speeches given near it. The Prophetls companions heard the trunk make a sound like that . of a camel . And so the Prophet ( � ) returned to it and hugged it until it settled down, just like a baby, and become quiet. • • • •