Masjid al-Qiblatayn

De **Masjid al-Qiblatayn** (Arabic: مسجد القبلتين, lit. 'Mosque of de Two Qiblas', standard pronunciation: [mas.dʒid al.qib.la.tajn], Hejazi Arabic pronunciation: [mas.dʒɪd al.ɡɪb.la.teːn]), dem sanso spell am **Masjid al-Qiblatain**, be a Sunni Islam mosque insyd Medina, Saudi Arabia. Muslims dey believe de mosque to be de place wer de final Islamic prophet, Muhammad, receive de command to change de *Qibla* (direction of prayer) from Jerusalem to Mecca. Na Sawad ibn Ghanam ibn Ka'ab wey build de mosque during de year 2 AH (623 CE) wey ebe one of de few mosques insyd de world wey na e contain two *mihrabs* (niches wey dey indicate de *qibla*) for different directions insyd.

Insyd 1987, during de reign of King Fahd, na dem completely tear down de mosque wey dem rebuild am. Insyd de course of de reconstruction, na dem remove de old prayer niche wey dey face Jerusalem, while na dem keep de one wey dey face Mecca. De Qiblatayn Mosque dey among de earliest mosques wey dey date to de time of Muhammad, along plus de Quba'a Mosque den Masjid an-Nabawi, wey dey consider dat de Great Mosques of Mecca den Jerusalem dey associate plus earlier prophets insyd Islamic thought.

## History

De mosque be among de earliest mosques insyd Medina wey na ebe built by Sawad ibn Ghanam ibn Ka'ab al-Ansari insyd de Islamic year 2 AH, wey de name of de mosque dey go back to de lifetime of Muhammad, wen na ein companions name am after an event wey take place for de 15th of Sha'baan de same year, wen na Muhammad receive revelation from Allah dey instruct am make he take de Kaaba as de *qibla* during de Dhuhr prayer, instead of Baytul Maqdis, wich na be de Masjid Al Aqsa insyd Jerusalem. He later announce dis to ein companions insyd ein own mosque, after wich de news begin dey spread. Chaw pilgrims wey dey go to Mecca for Hajj often visit Medina, wer sam dey visit dis mosque secof ein historical significance.Indeed, We see you ˺O Prophet˺ turning your face towards heaven. Now We will make you turn towards a ˺direction of prayer˺ that will please you. So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque ˺in Mecca˺—wherever you are, turn your faces towards it. Those who were given the Scripture certainly know this to be the truth from their Lord. And Allah is never unaware of what they do.

– Quran 2:144 (Mustafa Khattab wey translate am)A hadith from Sahih Bukhari dey say:

## Architecture

De main prayer hall dey adopt rigid orthogonal geometry den symmetry wich be accentuated by se use of twin minarets den twin domes. Living accommodations for de Imam, de Muezzin den de caretaker be discretely grouped insyd one block to de west of de main structure. Na dem exploit de difference in level for de southeast corner of de site make e incorporate a sub-basement level wich dey serve as de ablutions area give worshippers. To de north, wer de ground level be lower, dem raise de prayer hall one-storey above ground level. Entry to de prayer hall be from de raised courtyard, sanso dey to de north, wich dem fi be reached by stairs den ramps from de main directions of approach. De prayer hall dey consist of a series of arches wich support barrel-vaults wey dey run parallel to de qibla wall. Dese vaults be interrupted by two domes wich establish an axis insyd de direction of Mecca.

Dem raise de main dome to de south for a drum of clerestory windows wich allow light make e filter into de interior directly above de mihrab. De second, dem link false dome to de first by a small cross-vault make e symbolise de transition from one qibla to anoda. Below am, a replica of de mihrab dem find insyd de lower chamber of de Dome of de Rock insyd Jerusalem dey remind onlookers of de oldest extant mihrab of Islam. Externally, de architectural vocabulary be inspired by traditional elements den motifs insyd a deliberate effort make e offer an authentic image give de historic site. De mosque dey locate for de north-west of de city of Medina, for Khalid ibn al-Walid Road. Na de mosque be initially maintained by Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattāb. Na de last pre-modern renovation be by Suleiman the Magnificent wey he reconstruct de mosque.

## Gallery

Main entrance of Masjid al-Qiblatayn.jpg|Entrance to de Mosque
Mihrab of Masjid al-Qiblatayn Interior.jpg|Interior view of de *mihrab*
MQiblat 091109-0115.jpg|De mosque dem view from de Khalid ibn al-Walid Road

## References


## External links

*Description at Archnet.com with plans and pictures.