Construction of Masjid-E-Quba

The Holy

arrived at Quba on the 8th of Rabi Al-Awwal in the fourteenth year of prophet hood or 23rd September 622 A.D. ¹ After his arrival, it is narrated that he either stayed Kalthum ibn Al-Hadam's residence, who belonged to the tribe of Bani Amr ibn Auf or Saad ibn Khaythama's . ² However, ibn Saad states that it is verified that the Holy Prophet stayed at Kalthum's residence. ³ Some state that that he stayed at Kalthum's house and held meetings at Saad ibn Khaithama's house. Furthermore, Abu Bakr stayed at the house of Khubaib ibn Asaaf or Kharja ibn Zaid . ⁴

Prayer at Quba

Before the arrival of the Holy

in Quba, many muhajireen had already reached there. Furthermore, with the efforts of Mus'ab ibn Umair , many people had converted to in Quba and Yathrib and had constructed mosques for offering prayer. Hence, when the Holy arrived in Quba, a mosque was already built, and the Holy Prophet prayed in it. The account is mentioned as:

  وعن جابر «لبثنا بالمدينة قبل أن يقدم النبي صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم بسنتين، نعمر المساجد، ونقيم الصلاة». ⁵

  Narrated by Jabir , we stayed in Madinah (which pertains to Yathrib and surrounding areas) for two years before the Holy Prophet came. We built mosques and prayed in them.

  وكان من يقدم رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم إلى المدينة، بعد أبى سلمة بن عبد الأسد، ومن نزلوا عليه بقباء، بنوا مسجدا يصلون فيه، والصلاة يومئذ إلى بيت المقدس، فجعلوا قبلته إلى ناحية بيت المقدس، فلما قدم رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم صلى بهم فيه. ⁶

  Those people who came towards Madinah before the Holy Prophet and after Abu Salama ibn Abdul Asad, settled in Quba. They built a mosque over there and prayed in it. At that time, we prayed while facing in the direction of Bait Al-Maqdas. When The Holy Prophet came, he prayed with us in it.

The Holy

started praying in the direction of Bait Al-Maqdas or Masjid Al-Aqsa, while he was in Makkah, as he was guided by to face in that direction. ⁷ This change occurred around 3 years before the migration, so the companions were aware of it. That is why they did not object when he came to Quba and prayed in that direction. Moreover, when Prophet Muhammad was in Makkah, he used to pray while facing the direction of Bait Al-Maqdas, by keeping the Holy Ka'bah in front of him, ⁸ that is why no of Makkah objected to it. These narrations show that a small mosque was already constructed in Quba by the Muhajireen beforehand and Masjid-e-Quba was reconstructed by the Holy Prophet later on.

Land for Masjid-e-Quba

When the people of Quba requested the Holy

to build a mosque in Quba with his own hands, the Holy Prophet said that one of the people, who was sitting nearby should get up and ride a camel. Abu Bakr sat on that camel, but it did not move, so he returned. Then, Umar sat on it, and still, it did not move, so he came back as well. The Holy Prophet repeated that one of the people who was sitting nearby needed to get up and ride this camel. Hence, Ali sat on it, and the camel got up. Prophet Muhammad asked the people to leave the rope of the camel and let it roam free as it has been ordered. Then, he ordered to construct a mosque on the area which this camel had encircled. ⁹ Hence the area was identified and the land was purchased from Kulthum and the mosque was constructed. The details regarding the reconstruction of the mosque is mentioned in the following narration:

  أنه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم لما أراد بناءه قال: يا أهل قباء ائتوني بأحجار من الحرة، فجمعت عنده أحجار كثيرة. ¹⁰

  When the Holy Prophet decided to construct the masjid, he said: O people of Quba, come to me with stones from Al-Hurrah. Hence, they collected a lot of stones.

These stones were used in the construction of the mosque.

Reconstruction of Masjid-e-Quba

Masjid-e-Quba was reconstructed when the direction of Qiblah was changed again from Bait Al-Maqdas to Ka'bah by

Almighty. It is mentioned as:

  عن أبي سعيد الخدري قالوا: لما صرفت القبلة إلى الكعبة أتى رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم - مسجد قباء فقدم جدار المسجد إلى موضعه اليوم وأسسه. ¹¹

  Narrated by Saeed Al-Khudri, they said: when the Qiblah was changed towards Ka'bah, the Holy Prophet came to Masjid-e-Quba, went towards area on which walls of Masjid-e-Quba exist today and laid its foundation (again).

Another narration is mentioned as:

  وفى هذه السنة كان تجديد بناء مسجد قباء روى عن أبى سعيد الخدرى قال لما صرفت القبلة الى الكعبة اتى رسول اللّٰه صلّى اللّٰه عليه وسلم مسجد قباء فقدم جدار المسجد الى موضعه اليوم وأسسه بيده وحوّل قبلته الى جهة الكعبة وكانت الى جهة بيت المقدس ونقل رسول اللّٰه صلّى اللّٰه عليه وسلم وأصحابه الحجارة لبنائه. ¹²

  In this year, the foundation of Masjid-e-Quba was re-laid. Narrated by Saeed Al-Khudri, who states: When the Qiblah was changed towards Ka'bah, the Holy Prophet came to Masjid-e-Quba, went towards area on which walls of Masjid-e-Quba exist today and laid its foundation (again) and changed its direction towards Ka'bah. It was facing in the direction of Bait Al-Maqdas previously. The companions followed the Holy Prophet while laying stones in the foundation of the masjid.

Hence, it is established that the Holy Prophet laid the foundation of Masjid-e-Quba, 16 or 17 months after the migration, as the Qibla or the direction of prayer was changed at that time. Regarding the Qiblah of Masjid-e-Quba, it is stated that this masjid has the most perfect Qiblah, as Angel Gabriel (Jibrail) guided the Holy

in setting its direction. The account is mentioned in the narrations as:

  وقد ورد في حديث أن جبرائيل عليه السلام هو الذي أشار للنبي صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم إلى موضع قبلة مسجد قباء. ¹³

  It is mentioned in a hadith that Angel Gabriel (Jibrail) pointed in the direction of the Qiblah for the Holy Prophet from Masjid-e-Quba.

  إن جبريل عليه السلام هو يؤم الكعبة. قالت: " فكان يقال: إنه أقوم مسجد قبلة. ¹⁴

  Angel Gabriel (Jibrail) indicated the direction of the Qiblah. She (Al-Shamoos bint Noman) said that it is said that this Masjid (Quba) has the most accurate Qiblah.

When the direction of the Qiblah was set, the Holy Prophet , along with his companions, started the construction of the mosque. This is mentioned in the narrations as:

  عن ابن رقيش قال: «بنى رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم مسجد قباء وقدم القبلة إلى موضعها اليوم، وقال جبريل يؤم بي البيت». ¹⁵

  Ibn Ruqaish stated: The Holy Prophet constructed Masjid-e-Quba and moved its Qiblah to (the direction) where it is now. He also said that Angel Gabriel (Jibrail) indicated the direction of the Bait (Ka'bah).

  أن رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم حين أسسه كان هو أول من وضع حجرا في قبلته ثم جاء أبو بكر بحجر فوضعه ثم جاء عمر بحجر فوضعه إلى حجر أبي بكر ثم أخذ الناس في البنيان. ¹⁶

  When the Holy Prophet was laying the foundation (of the Quba Mosque), he was the first person to set the stones in its Qiblah, then, Abu Bakr came with a stone and fixed it (following Prophet Muhammad's lead), then Umar came with a stone and fixed it in the direction of Abu Bakr's stone, and then all the other people joined in and laid its foundation.

  عن الشموس بنت النعمان، قالت: نظرت إلى رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم حين قدم، ونزل وأسس هذا المسجد، مسجد قباء، فرأيته يأخذ الحجر - أو الصخرة - حتى يصهره الحجر، وأنظر إلى بياض التراب على بطنه وسرته، فيأتي الرجل من أصحابه ويقول: بأبي وأمي يا رسول اللّٰه، أعطني أكفك، فيقول: «لا خذ حجرا مثله» حتى أسسه. ¹⁷

  Al-Shamoos bint Noman states: I looked towards the Holy Prophet when he came, and went down to lay the foundation of this masjid, Masjid-e-Quba. I saw that he had lifted a stone, or a big stone, and due to its weight, he was bending a little bit. I saw white sand on his (blessed) belly. One of the people from his companions came and said: My father and mother be sacrificed upon you, O Prophet of Allah! Give me this stone so that I can lift it for you. The Holy Prophet said: No, take another stone like this. (He continued working) till the foundation was laid.

Blessings of this Mosque

The Holy

has mentioned various blessings and rewards for the person who prays in Masjid-e-Quba. These are mentioned as:

  ...أنه قال: "صلاة في مسجد قباء كعمرة" ¹⁸

  The Holy Prophet said: Prayer in Masjid-e-Quba is akin to Umra (lesser pilgrimage).

  قال رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم: من تطهر في بيته، ثم أتى مسجد قباء، فصلى فيه صلاة كان له كأجر عمرة. ¹⁹

  The Holy Prophet said: The one who cleanses himself at home (performs Ghusl/Ablution), then comes to Masjid-e-Quba and prays in it, then, his prayer will bear him the reward of an Umra (lesser pilgrimage).

Some people state that

Almighty has glorified Masjid-e-Quba as the Mosque which was founded on the basis of piety. While making this claim, they refer to the following verse:

  لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًا لَمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَى مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَقُومَ فِيهِ فِيهِ رِجَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يَتَطَهَّرُوا وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُطَّهِّرِينَ 108 ²⁰

  Never stand (to pray) in it (Al-Darrar Mosque). There is a mosque whose foundation was laid from the first day on piety; it is more worthy of the standing forth (for prayer) therein. In it are men who love to be purified; and Allah loves those who make themselves pure.

In this verse, no particular name of a mosque is mentioned, however, the ahadith clearly state the name which this verse is referring to. The narrations are mentioned as:

  اختلف رجلان - أو امتريا - رجل من بني خدرة، ورجل من بني عمرو بن عوف في المسجد الذي أسس على التقوى، قال الخدري: هو مسجد رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم، وقال العمري: هو مسجد قباء فأتيا رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم فسألاه عن ذلك، فقال: " هو هذا المسجد لمسجد رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه عليه وسلم " وقال: " في ذاك خير كثير " يعني مسجد قباء. ²¹

  Two men, one from Bani Khudrah and one from Bani Amr ibn Awf were differing or arguing about the mosque which was founded upon piety. Man from Khudri said: It is the Mosque of the Holy Prophet , the man from Al-Amr tribe said: it is Masjid-e-Quba. Both of them went to the Holy Prophet and asked him about this matter. He said: That masjid (mentioned in the verse) is the mosque of the Holy Prophet . And he also said: There is a lot of goodness in it i.e. in Masjid-e-Quba.

Similar explanations are also found in the Ahadith of Musnad abi Shaibah ²² and Musnad Al-Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal ²³ which show that Masjid-e-Quba was not the mosque which is indicated in the verse, however there are various rewards and blessings for the people who pray in it.

 

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• ¹ Safi Al-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri (2010), Al-Raheeq Al-Makhtum, Dar ibn Hazam, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 191.
• ² Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (1955), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Shirkah Maktabah wa Matba’a Mustafa Al-Babi, Cairo, Egypt, Pg. 1, Vol. 493.
• ³ Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1990), Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 180.
• ⁴ Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al-Salihi Al-Shami (1993), Subul Al-Huda wal-Rashad fi Seerat Khair Al-Abad, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 3, Pg. 266.
• ⁵ Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmed Al-Halabi (1427 A.H.), Al-Seerah Al-Halabiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 76.
• ⁶ Ahmed ibn Yahya ibn Jabir ibn Dawood Al-Baladhuri (1996), Jumal Min Ansab Al-Ashraf, Dar Al-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 263-264.
• ⁷ Abu Al-Fadl Ahmed ibn Ali Al-Asqalani (1379 A.H.), Fath Al-Bari Sharah Sahih Al-Bukhari, Dar Al-Ma’rifah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 502.
• ⁸ Abu Abdullah Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (2001), Musnad Al-Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Hadith: 2991, Muassasah Al-Risala, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 5, Pg. 136.
• ⁹ Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al-Salihi Al-Shami (1993), Subul Al-Huda wal-Rashad fi Seerat Khair Al-Abad, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 3, Pg. 268.
• ¹⁰ Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmed Al-Halabi (1427 A.H.), Al-Seerah Al-Halabiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 76.
• ¹¹ Muhammad ibn Saad Al-Basri (1990), Tabqat Al-Kubra, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 188.
• ¹² Husain ibn Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan Al-Diyar Bikri (N.D.), Tareekh Al-Khamees fi-Ahwal Anfus Al-Nafees, Dar Sadir, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 368.
• ¹³ Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (1976), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Kathir, Dar Al-Ma’rifat lil Taba’at wal-Nashr wal-Tawzi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 293.
• ¹⁴ Abu Al-Qasim Sulaiman ibn Ahmed Al-Tabarani (1994), Mu'jam Al-Kabeer, Hadith: 802, Maktaba ibn Al-Taymiyyah, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 24, Pg. 318.
• ¹⁵ Umar ibn Shuba Al-Basri (1399 A.H.), Tareekh Al-Madinah, N.P., Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Vol. 1, Pg. 51.
• ¹⁶ Abd Al-Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Suhaili (2000), Al-Raudh Al-Unf fi Sharha Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah, Dar Al-Ihya Al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 4, Pg. 154.
• ¹⁷ Abu Al-Qasim Sulaiman ibn Ahmed Al-Tabarani (1994), Mu'jam Al-Kabeer, Hadith: 802, Maktaba ibn Al-Taymiyyah, Cairo, Egypt, Vol. 24, Pg. 318.
• ¹⁸ Muhammad ibn Yazid ibn Majah Al-Qazwini (2009), Sunan ibn Majah, Hadith: 1411, Dar Al-Salam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Pg. 249.
• ¹⁹ Ibid, Hadith: 1412, Pg. 249-250.
• ²⁰ Holy Quran, Al-Tawbah (The Repentance) 9: 108.
• ²¹ Abu Abdullah Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (2001), Musnad Al-Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Hadith: 11178, Muassasah Al-Risala, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 17, Pg. 271.
• ²² Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaibah (1997), Musnad Abi Shaibah, Hadith: 92, Dar Al-Watan, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Vol. 1, Pg. 83.
• ²³ Abu Abdullah Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (2001), Musnad Al-Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal, Hadith: 11046, Muassasah Al-Risala, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 17, Pg. 99.