Mosque of the Companions, Massawa
The Mosque of the Companions () is a mosque in the city of Massawa, Eritrea. Dating to the early 7th century CE, it is believed to be the first mosque in the world. It was reportedly built by companions of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad who travelled to Africa to flee persecution by people in the Hejazi city of Mecca, present-day Saudi Arabia. The current structure is of much later construction as some features like mehrab (late seventh century) and minaret (until 9th century) did not develop until later in Islamic architecture. Mosque of the Companions