Other Mosques in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah

By: Ayatullah Shaheed Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim
In the holy city of al-Madinah, there are other mosques that have the honor to be places where the Holy Prophet (S) offered prayers, or which he himself ordered to be built.
The most important and most preferred of these mosques is the Quba Mosque about which Almighty Allah revealed the following verse of the Holy Qur’an: Certainly, a mosque founded on piety from the very first day is more deserving that you should stand in it. In it are men who love that they should be purified, and Allah loves those who purify themselves. (9:108)
The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said: Whoever visits Quba Mosque and offers therein a two-unit prayer, will return with the reward of ‘Umrah.1
Another important site is Fadhikh Mosque, the place where the sun was returned for Imam ‘Ali, the Commander of the Faithful (‘a) and where the Holy Prophet (S) offered prayers.
In Madinah, there are also Masjid e Ahzab (Mosque of the Allies), which is the place where the Holy Prophet (S) prayed to Almighty Allah to grant Imam ‘Ali (‘a) victory over ‘Amr ibn ‘Abd-Wudd al-’Amiri in the Battle of the Allies (or Khandaq).
There is also the Ummu-Ibrahim’s Chamber (known as mashrabat ummi-ibrahim), which is the residential place of the Holy Prophet (S) during his residence in Quba on his way to Madinah. In this place too, the Holy Prophet (S) offered prayers.
There are also the Uhud Mosque and the graves of the martyrs of the Battle of Uhud among which is the grave of Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, the Holy Prophet’s uncle and the master of martyrs.
In al-Kafi, Shaykh al-Kulayni has reported that Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar quoted Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying: Make sure that you will not leave any of the following sites unvisited: Quba Mosque (the mosque founded on piety from the very first day), Ummu-Ibrahim’s Chamber, al-Fadhikh Mosque, the graves of the martyrs, and Masjid al-Ahzab, which is also called the Conquest (fath) Mosque.
We have been informed that the Holy Prophet (S), whenever visiting the graves of the martyrs, would say: Peace be upon you because you were constant; how excellent is then the issue of the abode!
Among the prayers that are performed at Masjid al-Ahzab are the following: O He Who aids the aggrieved! O He Who responds to the supplication of the distressed! O He Who helps the depressed! (Please do) remove my distress, my grief, my anguish, and my dejection in the same way You relieved the grief of Your Prophet—peace be upon him and his Household—and saved him from the horror of his enemies at this very place.2
‘Uqbah ibn Khalid is reported to have asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), “When we visit the mosques that are around Madinah, with which one should we start?”
The Imam (‘a) instructed: You should start with Quba Mosque where you should offer as many prayers as you can, for this place is the first mosque of this area in which the Holy Prophet (S) offered prayers. You may then go to Ummu-Ibrahim’s Chamber and offer a prayer therein, for it was the residence and prayer-place of the Holy Prophet (S). You may then go to al-Fadhikh Mosque and offer a prayer therein, for your Prophet (S) offered a prayer therein. After visiting all the sites at this side, you may move to the other side of Mount Uhud and start with the mosque that is situated on the side of al-Hirah wherein you may offer a prayer. You may then pass by the tomb of Hamzah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and offer him salutation. Then, come to the martyrs and stop at their graves, greeting them with the following statement: Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of these graves. You have preceded us, and we shall certainly join you.
You may then go to the mosque that lies in the vast place beside the mountain on your right. Then, head for Mount Uhud and offer a prayer therein. It is the place from where the Holy Prophet (S) started off to contend with the polytheists at Mount Uhud. The army of the Muslims, under the command of the Holy Prophet (S), resided there until the time of prayer. They performed the prayer there. You may then return to the graves of the martyrs and offer as many prayers as Almighty Allah has determined for you. Then, head forward until you arrive at Masjid al-Ahzab to offer prayers and supplicate before Almighty Allah there because in the Battle of al-Ahzab the Holy Prophet (S) prayed to Almighty Allah at this place. Ammar ibn Musa has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying that the incident of the sun recourse for Imam ‘Ali (‘a) took place at Fadhikh Mosque.
There are some other famous mosques in Madinah, such as the following:
 Al-Kiblatayn Mosque wherein the following holy verse of changing the direction of kiblah was revealed: Indeed, We see the turning of your face to heaven, so We shall surely turn you to a kiblah which you shall like. Turn then your face towards the Sacred Mosque. (2:144)
 Masjid al-Ghumamah (Mosque of the Cloud), which is the place where a cloud cast a shadow over the Holy Prophet (S) who had suffered from the heat of the sun.
 The five mosques attributed to Abu-Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, Imam ‘Ali (‘a), and Lady Fatimah (‘a).
 Masjid al-Mubahalah (Mosque of the Mutual Invocation of Curse), which is the place where the Holy Prophet (S) challenged the Christians of Najran and called them to invoke Almighty Allah’s curse upon the lying party.
 Masjid e Salman al-Farisi (the Persian)3
 The place of the Holy Prophet’s overnight stay (mu’arras) during his journey back from Makkah to Madinah. At this place, he also offered prayers.
About these places, Shaykh al-Kulayni has reported a set of traditions, in his book of al-Kafi, one of which is the following validly reported one: Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar has reported Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying: When you leave Makkah and head for Madinah, you will pass by Dhu’l-Halifah Mosque, which lies on the way between Makkah and Madinah. There, you may visit the place of the Holy Prophet’s overnight stay. If it is the time of an obligatory or supererogatory prayer, you must perform it there. If not, you may reside there for a while, because the Holy Prophet (S) used to stay overnight and offer prayers there.4
On the way between Makkah and Madinah, there lies the Ghadir Khumm Mosque, which is the place where the Holy Prophet (S) stopped and declared Imam ‘Ali (‘a) as his successor and the next leader and Imam of the Muslim nation.
In this connection, Shaykh al-Kulayni has reported through a valid chain of authority that ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj asked Imam al-Kazim (‘a) about the merit of offering a prayer at al-Ghadir Mosque in daylight during a journey. The Imam (‘a) answered: You may offer a prayer there, because it is rewardable. My father used to order me to do so.5
This list of holy places and mosques at Madinah and other places proves what has been previously mentioned in the introduction of this discussion. The Ahl al-Bayt’s view about holy places is based on the concept of maintaining those Islamic sites and sacred places associated with the divine mission, since they enjoy special sacredness where devotional acts are practiced as expressions of thanking Almighty Allah and respecting His commands and prohibitions.
1. - Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa'il al-Shi’ah 3:548, H. 3 & 10:278, H. 5.
2. - Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi’ah 10:275, H. 1.
3. - Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, pp. 334-335.
4. - Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi’ah 10:289, H. 1.
5. - Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi’ah 10:292, S. 22.