The Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah is a place Muslims from around the world visit while performing Hajj and Umrah, or simply to pray (performing the salat) and visit Prophet Muhammad’s tomb.
One of the world’s largest mosques, the Prophet’s Mosque underwent several expansions throughout its history, starting with the days of the caliphs, followed by the Umayyads, the Abbasids, the Ottomans, and, finally, the Saudi era, during which it underwent the largest expansion in its history and was the first place in the Arabian Peninsula to be lit by electric light bulbs in 1909 (1327 AH).
The Prophet’s Mosque, also known as Al-Masjid Al-Nabawi, was the second mosque built by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the first year of Hijrah (the Prophet’s migration with his followers from Makkah to Madinah, which was called Yathrib at the time).
The land on which the mosque was built belonged to two orphans, Sahl and Suhail, and was used as a place for drying dates. The Prophet planned the mosque’s structure to occupy a 50 by 49 meter tract of land and built it facing Jerusalem, the Muslim’s Qibla at the time. He dug the foundation and used palm leaves for the roof and trunks of palm trees as columns.
The Prophet also built his mosque with three doors, one of which was in the back and was called “Atikah” or the “Door of Mercy,” while the other was the “Door of Gabriel” and was the Prophet’s preferred entrance.
In the back of the mosque, there was a shady area for sheltering the poor and strangers known as “Al-Saffa.”
Prophet Muhammad did not build a roof for the entire mosque, so when it rained, water would drip on worshippers. The worshippers asked the Prophet to support the roof with mud, but he refused and said: “No, an arish like that of Moses” — a trellis roof like that of Moses.
In its early days, the mosque’s floor was not covered with anything until in 3 AH (624 AD), when it was covered with pebbles.
When the Qibla was changed to face the Kaaba instead of Jerusalem, Al-Saffa, which was in the southern part of the mosque, was moved to the northern part. The back door was closed, and a new door was opened in the north.
The Prophet’s Mosque underwent its first expansion in the days of Caliph Umar ibn Al-Khattab in 17 AH (638 AD). Caliph Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq did not work on expanding the mosque since he was busy with the Ridda Wars, also known as the Wars of Apostasy.
The mosque became very crowded with worshippers in the reign of Caliph Umar, so he bought the surrounding houses and included them in the mosque to expand it by 20 cubits from the west, 10 cubits from the south (the Qibla part), and 30 cubits from the north. No expansion, however, took place in the eastern part of the mosque as the rooms of the prophet’s wives were located there.
After that expansion, the mosque’s length became 140 cubits from north to south and its width 120 cubits from east to west. It was built in the same form chosen by Prophet Muhammad; the walls were built of bricks, palm-tree trunks were used as columns, the 11-cubit-high roof was made of palm leaves, and the flooring was made of garnet grits. Caliph Umar also added a 2-cubit-high smock to the mosque.
The expansion that took place in the days of Caliph Umar was estimated at about 1,100 square meters. It also gave the mosque six doors: Two in the east, two in the west, and two in the north.
During the reign of Caliph Othman in 29 AH (650 AD), the mosque became too small for the large number of worshippers, so he consulted the Prophet’s companions on expanding it and they found it a good idea.
Caliph Othman had the mosque’s walls built of carved stones and plaster, its columns of engraved stones and iron rods installed in lead, and its roof of teak wood. The six doors were left as they were following the expansion done by Caliph Umar.
The Prophet’s Mosque remained as it was after the expansion carried out by Caliph Othman and until the reign of Al-Walid bin Abdul-Malik in 88 AH (707 AD). Al-Walid wrote to the ruler of Madinah, Omar bin Abdul Aziz (86-93 AH / 705-712 AD), ordering him to buy the houses around the Prophet’s Mosque in order to expand it. He also directed him to include the rooms of the Prophet’s wives in the expansion.
Following the directives of Al-Walid, Omar bin Abdul Aziz expanded the Prophet’s Mosque and made the Prophet’s tomb part of it. Therefore, Al-Walid’s expansion was from three sides — east, north, and west — and the southern wall’s length became 84 meters, the northern wall 68, and the western one 100. The whole expansion was estimated at about 2,369 square meters.
The expansion during the reign of Al-Walid bin Abdul-Malik included building a hollow mihrab and minarets for the first time in the Prophet’s Mosque. A total of four minarets were built, one in every corner, as well as terraces on the mosque’s roof.
No expansion was done in the Prophet’s Mosque after Al-Walid’s expansion, but there were some repairs and renovations.
A fire erupted in the Prophet’s Mosque in 654 AH (1256 AD), and a number of Muslim caliphs and leaders contributed to restoring it. The first to contribute to was the last Abbasid Caliph, Al-Musta’sim Billah, who sent supplies and builders from Baghdad to fix the mosque in 655 AH (1257 AD).
The Abbasid caliphate ended with the fall of Baghdad at the hands of the Tatars. After that, a second fire erupted in 886 AH (1482 AD), destroying many parts of the mosque’s roof. Sultan Qaytbay, ruler of Egypt at the time, received word of the incident and, subsequently, sent supplies, workers, and materials and the mosque was roofed in 888 AH (1484 AD).
Qaytbay’s expansion, estimated at 120 square meters, was completed in 890 AH (1486 AD) and was the last done before the Ottoman and Saudi eras.
No change took place in the Prophet’s Mosque since Qaytbay’s expansion and reconstruction work for 387 years, but during this period, a lot of repair and renovation work was done to the minarets, walls, and doors, and the crescents above the minarets as well as the dome were replaced. Nevertheless, no complete demolition and reconstruction took place until the reign of Sultan Abdulmejid.
The Ottoman Caliph, Abdulmejid II, sent architects, builders, workers, supplies, and materials in 1265 AH (1849 AD) to reconstruct and expand the mosque. The process took 13 years. Materials used included red stone from Al-Jamawat Mountain west of Madinah (known today as Al-Haram Mountain). These stones were used for building columns, while walls were built of black basalt stone.
The largest expansion of all time in the Prophet’s Mosque took place during the reign of the late King Abdullah alongside his umbrella project. He ordered the installation of 250 umbrellas on the columns in the mosque’s courtyards to shade 143,000 square meters around the mosque. More than 800 worshippers can pray under each of these umbrellas.
Moreover, six tracks in the southern part of the mosque were shaded to protect pedestrians.
The umbrellas were specially made for the courtyards of the Prophet’s Mosque. They employ modern technology and operate with high proficiency. They were also tested in the manufacturing country and designed to be of two different heights to overlap and ensure no sun rays or rain reach worshippers. The height of the first group of umbrellas is 14.04 meters, while the second group is 15.03 meters tall. The height of all umbrellas when closed is 21.07 meters.
Madinah saw the largest expansion in the history of the Prophet’s Mosque in late 1433 AH (2012 AD), when King Abdullah laid the foundation stone to expand the mosque so it would be able to accommodate two million worshippers once the project was completed.
King Salman took up the torch after King Abdullah died, and stressed the importance of resuming work in the expansion project and other work that serves Islam and Muslims. Saudi Arabia’s leaders are all very keen to serve and enhance the Two Holy Mosques and provide all services in the holy sites so that pilgrims can easily complete Hajj and Umrah.
The Prophet’s Mosque: Great status and vast expansions in the Saudi era
The Prophet’s Mosque: Great status and vast expansions in the Saudi era
- The Prophet’s Mosque underwent its first expansion in the days of Caliph Umar ibn Al-Khattab in 17 AH (638 AD)
- The largest expansion of all time in the Prophet’s Mosque took place during the reign of the late King Abdullah alongside his umbrella project
Wild ghee production: Tradition of the Northern Borders region
- Wild ghee production peaks during the winter months due to high local demand
- Northern women showcase their ghee and other handicrafts at various festivals and national events
ARAR: In the Northern Borders region, women have long excelled in producing wild ghee, a staple deeply rooted in the local culture and closely tied to the region’s abundant livestock, estimated by the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture to exceed 7 million cattle and camels.
Wild ghee production peaks during the winter months due to high local demand and is a key ingredient in many popular dishes, including porridge and festive meals.
Umm Nada, a local ghee producer, describes the multi-stage process: starting with milking, the milk is heated, boiled, slightly cooled, and mixed with a starter culture to transform it into “Khathir,” a traditional dairy product of naturally fermented or curdled milk similar to yogurt or kefir.
The mixture is then churned for over half an hour in a goatskin or sheepskin container called a “Samil.” After several days of mixing, the butter is melted over fire, turning into wild ghee, which is then stored in leather containers known as “Al-Nahw” or “Al-Dharf.”
Northern women showcase their ghee and other handicrafts at various festivals and national events, with the Arar market and the Lavender Hall, which provides training and development for local producers, serving as key venues for these traditional crafts.
Saudi nature reserve unveils winter retreat near historic Laynah village
- Laynah Camp, designed for nature lovers and desert enthusiasts, is located adjacent to the Al-Dahna Desert
- The initiative is part of the Darb Zubaydah Winter festival, which aims to promote sustainable ecotourism
RAFHA: A winter season retreat close the historic Laynah village in the Northern Borders Region is now open to holidaymakers.
Designed for nature lovers and desert enthusiasts, the wilderness retreat called Laynah Camp was unveiled this week by the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority (ITBA) as part of the Darb Zubaydah Winter festival, which aims to promote sustainable ecotourism and preserve the region’s cultural and historical heritage.
Laynah Camp “offers a serene atmosphere where wildlife beauty blends with the desert’s charm, providing visitors with inspiring and adventurous moments,” a Saudi Press Agency (SPA) report enthused.
Nestled amid Al-Dahna Desert, the fully equipped tent accommodation units provide breathtaking views of the natural surroundings, the report added.
To spice up the camping experience, various activities are offered, including exploratory trips and upscale camping.
Laynah village itself has its own attractions, particularly its ancient water wells, which makes it one of the most important historical sites in the Kingdom.
In a previous SPA report, researcher and heritage and antiquities expert Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri was quoted as saying Laynah village is known to be one of the oldest settlements in the Arabian Peninsula.
“Located on the ancient trade route between Najd and Iraq, it has throughout history provided traveling caravan convoys with respite from harsh desert conditions,” the report said.
How honeybees drive biodiversity and strengthen ecosystems in Saudi Arabia and beyond
- By protecting honeybees, the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve provides a boost for the sustainable honey industry
- This keystone species, essential for sustaining life on Earth, faces threats from climate change, habitat loss, pesticides, and disease
RIYADH: Beyond the manufacture of honey, honeybees are also guardians of biodiversity and strong ecosystems. As a keystone species, they support plant diversity by pollinating wildflowers and provide a welcome boost to agricultural productivity.
Although small in size, without these precious insects, cascading effects could destabilize entire food chains and habitats for countless organisms.
Recognizing their importance, Saudi Arabia has undertaken active conservation efforts, demonstrating the Kingdom’s commitment to sustainable beekeeping and the protection of these industrious insects.
Together with other pollinators such as birds and bats, bees are vital to global agriculture, contributing to 35 percent of the world’s crop production by pollinating 87 of 115 leading food crops, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization.
Honeybees help to maintain plant diversity by pollinating a wide range of species, preventing any single plant from dominating. This balance is crucial for ecosystem resilience, enabling them to better withstand environmental challenges such as climate change and invasive species.
Wildflowers, which rely heavily on honeybees for reproduction, play a key role in this balance. These flowers provide food and shelter for birds, insects and small mammals, creating a ripple effect that supports a diverse array of species throughout the ecosystem.
In Saudi Arabia, the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve hosts 25,737 beehives across 256 sites, fostering honeybee populations in a thriving and protected environment.
“The reserve provides a naturally protected environment rich in flowering plants, which serve as a primary source of nectar and pollen,” Abdulmajeed Al-Dhaban, a spokesperson for the reserve’s development authority, told Arab News.
“This ideal ecosystem enables bees to produce large quantities of high-quality honey, as well as other hive products like beeswax and royal jelly, which hold significant nutritional and economic value.”
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Thanks in part to the bees’ services, the reserve plays a vital role in enhancing the Kingdom’s food security.
“In addition to honey production, the reserve’s diverse ecosystem sustains natural pollination cycles,” Al-Dhaban said.
“This contributes to the productivity and quality of nearby cultivated crops and aligns with Saudi Arabia’s national efforts to achieve food security and self-sufficiency.”
Noting that pollination has a critical impact on the global food system, Al-Dhaban said bees are among the most efficient agents for transferring pollen between plants.
“This process not only enhances seed quality and density but also boosts agricultural crop production in terms of both quantity and quality,” he said. “Bee activity contributes directly to the production of honey, a valuable food product with significant health and economic benefits.”
Al-Dhaban also emphasized that honeybees are crucial for supporting food security and ensuring the long-term sustainability of natural resources.
This is particularly important as the reserve’s biodiversity creates an ideal environment for key Saudi crops, including acacia, Sidr trees and caper shrubs.
These plants benefit directly from bee pollination, which also increases the production of high-quality nectar for honey and other hive products. This natural cycle, Al-Dhaban said, supports local food supplies and strengthens the regional economy.
“By reducing reliance on imports and promoting local honey production, the reserve positions Saudi Arabia as a leader in sustainable honey sector development,” he said.
However, honeybee populations face serious threats, including climate change, habitat loss, pesticide use and disease.
To tackle this challenge, Mefleh Al-Jabreen, a beekeeper and owner of mobile apiaries at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve, highlights the importance of selecting bee breeds that balance honey production and reproduction.
He told Arab News that his bees are transported to pastures rich in wild flowering trees, providing them with abundant nectar and pollen.
“We extract a specific amount of honey during gathering periods, leaving enough for the bees to sustain their hives,” he said.
Al-Jabreen explained that these sustainable practices help to maintain healthy honeybee populations while ensuring high-quality production.
The reserve’s botanical diversity also supports the production of more than seven varieties of wild honey, many of which have earned international recognition for their quality.
Al-Jabreen also noted that the health of a hive largely depends on the queen bee. “A young, active queen laying eggs abundantly forms the foundation of a stable hive,” he said.
DID YOU KNOW?
• Crops, such as almonds and vanilla, are almost entirely dependent on honeybee pollination.
• Honeybee pollination prevents any single plant species from dominating, maintaining ecosystem balance.
• A young, active queen laying eggs abundantly forms the foundation of a stable hive.
He added that it is also crucial to monitor the number of worker bees and ensure the hive remains free of diseases and parasites, which can threaten colony stability and productivity.
Environmental challenges, such as extreme temperatures and unpredictable weather, pose significant threats to honeybee health, disrupting key hive processes such as honey production and reproduction.
Al-Jabreen said that several factors must be considered when addressing these challenges: “These strategies include hive insulation, which helps reduce heat stress in extreme temperatures.”
Meanwhile, tree cover and shaded areas protect hives from direct sunlight during hot weather, while relocating hives to coastal regions in winter helps to keep bees active and productive.
“Windbreakers and hive relocation shield honeybees from strong winds and cold climates,” he added.
Al-Jabreen emphasized that plant diversity is essential for the survival of honeybees. “Bees are a vital part of the interconnected ecosystem, and their well-being depends on an abundance of floral and crop resources,” he said.
Recent innovations in beekeeping are helping to protect honeybee populations and enhance hive productivity. Al-Jabreen highlighted several key advances, such as special pollen-collecting boxes and bee breeds adapted to local climates.
He also hailed the growing collaboration between beekeepers and farmers. Organic farming practices, which avoid harmful chemicals, create safer environments for bees to thrive.
“We work with farmers to coordinate pesticide spraying schedules and relocate hives to safer areas,” Al-Jabreen said.
With growing threats to honeybee populations, governments, researchers and communities must prioritize their protection. Safeguarding these vital pollinators is key to ensuring a sustainable future for ecosystems, agriculture, and global food security.
The Bedouin’s best friend: Saudi saluki center works to preserve at-risk breed
- The Arabian saluki dates back 5,000 years but faces the threat of extinction due to crossbreeding, the loss of traditional desert habitats and lifestyle changes in region
- International Aseel Arabian Saluki Center aims to raise awareness of breeding standards and offers support for owners, including training and veterinary services
RIYADH: The Arabian saluki, which is believed to have originated in the Middle East, is one of the oldest purebred dogs in the world. It has been a loyal companion to Bedouin peoples dating back at least 5,000 years.
Now, however, it faces the threat of extinction as a result of crossbreeding but the International Aseel Arabian Saluki Center in Saudi Arabia is working hard to ensure it survives.
Unlike some breeds that rely primarily on sense of smell for hunting, salukis are sighthounds, meaning they visually identify prey. Known for their agility, intelligence and an impressive ability to take down prey, salukis long served Arab Bedouin tribes as hunters.
Fahad Al-Farhan, the president of the IAASC, explained the significance of the saluki to the region.
Arabian salukis are “deeply rooted in our culture and one of our main symbols of our national identity with falcons, Arabian horses and camels,” Al-Farhan told Arab News.
“The Arabian saluki and the traditional way of hunting is a vital part of Arabian culture and heritage.
FASTFACT
The Arabian saluki dates back 5,000 years but faces the threat of extinction due to crossbreeding, the loss of traditional desert habitats and lifestyle changes in region.
“In the old days, salukis were indispensable hunting companions, securing the existence of many of the Bedouin families.
“They are graceful and fast and they distinguish themselves with their endurance.”
He noted the loyalty of the breed, quoting a proverb that states: “Only the owner sees the true face of a saluki.”
The animals are very attached to their families and loyal to their masters, said Al-Farhan, who is also president of the World Aseel Arabian Saluki Organization and the Saudi Kennel Club Union.
“Although the Arabian salukis are natural born hunters, they are calm and even-tempered representatives of their species,” he added.
“They are also very curious and you even get the impression that they have a great sense of humor.”
However, the rapid economic growth of the region in the modern era has endangered the natural desert environments that were the traditional habitats not only of the saluki but other Arabian species including falcons, horses and camels, he warned.
“The deserts and Arab lifestyles that created the circumstances in which the Arabian horse, camels and the saluki flourished now no longer exist,” Al-Farhan said
“As a part of the cultural heritage of Arabian hunting, Bedouins have been breeding Arabian salukis for thousands of years (but) the saluki may be lost to our future generations unless steps are taken to preserve it.”
The Arabian Aseel Saluki Center in Saudi Arabia has a long list of members that includes saluki owners abroad, Al-Farhan added, and it works to raise public awareness of breeding standards.
It offers veterinary services worldwide, including health checks and vaccinations, health certificates, micro-chipping and DNA testing, together with advice about grooming and travel arrangements for owners moving their dogs to another country.
Al-Farhan said that the IAASC is working to register the Arabian saluki on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List, which recognizes and helps to preserve endangered cultural traditions and practices.
“We believe that the inscription of the Arabian saluki hound of Arabia (on the UNESCO lists) will promote the visibility of its heritage locally and worldwide,” he added.
Desert truffles: Saudi Arabia’s buried treasure
- Truffles offer various benefits beyond their culinary value. Their water is traditionally believed to have medicinal properties for eye ailments, based on a saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad
QASSIM: A prized wild fungus found under the desert sands is popping up at markets across the Kingdom as Saudi Arabia’s truffle season is in full swing.
The central region of Qassim is a leading center for the cultivation of the desert truffle, known by its scientific name Terfeziaceae, or in Arabic as fage, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.
Several natural environmental factors contribute to the area’s proliferation of truffles, including fertile soil, untouched land, access to fresh water, climate, and the presence of the sunrose or raqrooq plant, particularly in the northern Qassim areas of Shari and Al-Sa’ira.
Local farmer Abdulkarim Saleh Al-Rasheed harvests truffles found near the sunrose plant thriving in lowlands adjacent to wheat fields irrigated by overflowing pivot sprinklers.
He said that the emergence of truffles had coincided with the cessation of thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, a phenomenon traditionally linked to truffle growth.
Al-Rasheed told SPA that successful cultivation depended on irrigation timing, water salinity, soil fertility and temperature, each playing a crucial role.
For truffles, the optimal temperature is measured ten days after the typically mild “Wasm” season beginning in mid-October.
In northern Qassim, this translates to nighttime temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius.
Irrigation typically begins around Sept. 25 in areas where the sunrose plant is present, with truffles beginning to appear about 50 days later.
He added that cultivated truffles in northern Qassim typically begin to appear around Nov. 20.
Truffles offer various benefits beyond their culinary value. Their water is traditionally believed to have medicinal properties for eye ailments, based on a saying attributed to the Prophet Muhammad. They also serve as a natural food source for grazing animals.
The Qassim Truffle Festival, currently in its fourth year, is a marker of the region’s truffle production.
The ten-day festival features 18 booths showcasing truffles, a dedicated auction area, 32 booths for local producers, and other exhibits featuring dates, honey, food products, and related activities.
