Front view of Masjid Quba
Quba is the place on the outskirts of Medina where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), accompanied by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived and first stayed after emigrating from Mecca. They arrived on Monday 12th Rab’
i al-Awwal, fourteen years after Prophethood and this date marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar (Hijra), (16th July 622 CE). A masjid was established here by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), the first to be built in Islam.
- The virtue of Masjid Qubas is mentioned in the following Quranic verse in Surah Taubah: “
…
certainly a masjid founded on piety from the very first day is more deserving that you should stand in it…
”
[9:108]
- The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said: “
He who purifies himself at his home and comes to Masjid Quba and offers two rakats therein, will be rewarded the reward of an Umrah (lesser pilgrimage).”
[Sunan ibn Majah]
Sign at Masjid Quba
- The people of Yathrib (which was later named Al-Medina Al-Munawwarah, the Enlightened City) had long awaited the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him), and each day they would go beyond the fields and palm groves and wait for him until the sun became unbearable. One day the people returned to their homes after waiting a long time for the Prophet. A Jew happened to catch a glimpse of a small group of white-robed travellers in the distance. He called out: “
O people of Arabia! What you have been waiting for has arrived!”
- The Muslims lifted their weapons and rushed to greet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). There was a great clamour as everyone ran to the edge of the desert to catch a glimpse of the travellers. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) then turned toward the right and came to Banu Amr bin Auf at Quba. Most of the Muslims who had emigrated from Mecca had stayed at Quba and many of them were there when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) arrived.
- After reaching Quba, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) dismounted. Those of the Ansar (literally meaning ‘
the helpers’
, the name given to those in Al-Medina who became Muslim) who had not seen the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) thought that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the prophet because his hair had grown a little gray. But when they saw Abu Bakr shade the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) with a sheet, they realized their mistake.
Interior of Masjid Quba
- It was a time of great joy from both sides. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) addressed them saying: “
O People, give unto one another greetings of peace;
feed food unto the hungry;
honour the ties of kinship, pray in the hours when men sleep. Even so shall ye enter paradise in peace.”
- On arriving in the village of Quba after the blessed Hijra (migration), the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) stayed for several days in the house of Kulthoom bin Hadm (may Allah be pleased with him) and laid the foundations of Masjid Quba on his land. Prior to the migration of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) the Muslims sometimes offered their Friday prayers at the house of Sa’
ad ibn Khaithamah (may Allah be pleased with him) which was close by. The location of this house was included in the modern day extension of Masjid Quba but the location of the house of Kulthoom bin Hadm (may Allah be pleased with him) is marked by a few boulders to the south-west of Masjid Quba.
- The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) personally carried stones, rocks and sand with his companions for the construction work. Al-Tabarani quoted Al-Shimous Bint Al-Nuaman as saying, “
I saw the Prophet when he constructed this mosque. He used to carry stones and rocks on his back until it was bent. I also saw dust on his dress and belly. But when one of his companions would come to take the load off him, he would say no and ask the companion to go and carry a similar load instead.”
Aerial view of Masjid Quba
- Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stayed on for three days after the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) secretly left Mecca for Medina. During this period he settled all the Prophet’
s (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) affairs in Mecca. He then left on foot and met up with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) in Quba.
- Narrated by Abdullah bin Dinar: Ibn ‘
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “
The Prophet used to go to the Mosque of Quba every Saturday (sometimes) walking and (sometimes) riding.”
- Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) led the first group prayer from Quba Mosque when Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) was the Qibla at the time. That Friday he left Quba with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). He sent a message to Banu Najjar, the house of his maternal grandfather. His kinsmen came to Quba and joined the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) on his way to Medina.
Historic photo of Masjid Quba