Masjid al-Qiblatayn

The mosque is among the earliest mosques in Medina and was built by Sawad ibn Ghanam ibn Ka'ab al-Ansari in the Islamic year 2 AH, He later announced this to his companions in his own mosque, after which the news began to spread. Many pilgrims who go to Mecca for Hajj often visit Medina, where some visit this mosque because of its historical significance.A hadith from Sahih Bukhari says: == Reconstruction ==

facing Mecca, inside the Qiblatayn mosque. In 1987, during the reign of King Fahd, the mosque was completely demolished and rebuilt with a modern architectural design, with enlarged prayer areas and new domes and minarets. During the reconstruction the original mihrab that faced Jerusalem was removed, and the mihrab facing Mecca was retained and a small marker mihrab was installed in place of the mihrab facing Jerusalem, to recall the earlier orientation, positioned beneath a secondary false dome. The Qiblatayn Mosque is among the earliest mosques that date to the time of Muhammad, along with the Quba Mosque and Masjid an-Nabawi, and Jerusalem are associated with earlier prophets in Islamic tradition. Recent developments In efforts to enhance the visitor experience, Masjid al-Qiblatayn is undergoing expansion to accommodate up to 3,000 worshippers In October 2025, King Salman bin Abdulaziz issued a directive to keep the Masjid al-Qiblatayn in Medina open 24 hours a day to facilitate continuous access for worshippers and visitors. The decision was part of a broader initiative to improve services at historic mosques in Saudi Arabia. ==Architecture==

The main prayer hall adopts rigid orthogonal geometry and symmetry which is accentuated by the use of twin minarets and twin domes. Living accommodations for the Imam, the Muezzin and the caretaker are discretely grouped in one block to the west of the main structure. The difference in level at the southeast corner of the site has been exploited to incorporate a sub-basement level which serves as the ablutions area for worshippers. To the north, where the ground level is lower, the prayer hall is raised one-storey above ground level. Entry to the prayer hall is from the raised courtyard, also to the north, which can be reached by stairs and ramps from the main directions of approach. The prayer hall consists of a series of arches which support barrel-vaults running parallel to the qibla wall. These vaults are interrupted by two domes which establish an axis in the direction of Mecca. The main dome to the south is raised on a drum of clerestory windows which allow light to filter into the interior directly above the mihrab. The second, false dome is linked to the first by a small cross-vault to symbolise the transition from one qibla to another. Below it, a replica of the mihrab found in the lower chamber of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem reminds onlookers of the oldest extant mihrab of Islam. Externally, the architectural vocabulary is inspired by traditional elements and motifs in a deliberate effort to offer an authentic image for the historic site. The mosque is located on the north-west of the city of Medina, on Khalid ibn al-Walid Road. The mosque was initially maintained by Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattāb. The last pre-modern renovation was by Suleiman the Magnificent who reconstructed the mosque. ==Gallery==

File:Main entrance of Masjid al-Qiblatayn.jpg|Entrance to the mosque File:MQiblat 091109-0115.jpg|View of Qiblatayn mosque from Khalid ibn al-Walid Road File:مسجد القبلتين - مسجد بني سَلِمة.jpg|Qiblatayn mosque in 2008 ==See also==