Masjid an-Nabawi: The Prophet's Mosque in Madinah

Masjid an-Nabawi(المسجد النبوي, "the Prophet's Mosque") is the mosque the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ built with his own hands after migrating to Madinah in 622 CE. It houses his grave beneath the iconic Green Dome — the second holiest site in Islam after the Kaaba in Mecca. From a modest palm-thatched structure 1,400 years ago, it has grown into one of the largest religious buildings in the world, covering 400,000+ square meters and holding over a million worshippers at peak times. This page covers its history, architecture, the Rawdah (called "a garden of Paradise"), the virtue of praying there, and the etiquette of visiting.

The first mosque of Islam in Madinah

When the Prophet ﷺ migrated from Mecca to Madinah in 622 CE — the event called the Hijrah that marks the start of the Islamic calendar — the first major project of the new community was building a mosque. The Prophet ﷺ personally helped carry the bricks. Tradition records that as the Companions chanted about their pride in working alongside the Messenger, he ﷺ would chant back about ennobling the labor itself.

The first structure was extraordinarily simple:

• Walls of mud brick
• Columns of palm tree trunks
• Roof of palm leaves and branches (which leaked when it rained)
• Floor of dirt and pebbles
• Three doors, no minaret, no dome
• A simple shaded area called the Suffah at the back, where poor companions lived
• Dimensions roughly 30 × 35 meters — about a thousand square meters total

The first Adhan ever called from this mosque was performed by Bilal ibn Rabah, standing on its highest wall. There was no minaret. The simplicity was deliberate — the Prophet ﷺ resisted extravagance even as the Muslim community grew wealthier.

The Green Dome (Qubbat al-Khadra)

The most iconic feature of the modern mosque is the Green Dome— Qubbat al-Khadra (قبة الخضراء) — built over the Prophet's grave. The dome itself was first constructed in 1297 CE (over 600 years after the Prophet's death) by the Mamluk Sultan Qalawun. It has been rebuilt several times after fires and structural damage.

The dome was not always green. It has been:

• 1297 CE — Originally built in white wood
• 1471 CE — Rebuilt after fire by Sultan Qaitbay
• 1817 CE — Painted blue by Sultan Mahmud II
• 1837 CE — Painted GREEN by the same sultan
• 1996 CE — Saudi expansion restored the green

Since 1837, the dome has been repainted green every few years. The color has become so culturally iconic that it's now what most Muslims picture when they think of Madinah.

The Prophet's grave (Hujrah)

Beneath the Green Dome is the Hujrah— the small room that was once Aisha's bedroom, attached to the original mosque. The Prophet ﷺ died in this room and was buried where he passed away, following an established practice for prophets. Beside him are buried Abu Bakr (the first caliph) and Umar ibn al-Khattab (the second caliph) — his closest companions. A space remains for one more grave; Islamic tradition holds that this is reserved for the Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him), who according to Muslim eschatology will return at the end of times and be buried beside the Prophet ﷺ.

The Hujrah is sealed off behind walls of gold-plated grills. Visitors cannot enter. They stand outside and give salam to the Prophet ﷺ from the appropriate position. The etiquette is to stand respectfully, recite a brief greeting, and move on without raising the voice or causing disturbance.

The Rawdah — "a garden of Paradise"

The Rawdah(الروضة, "the garden") is a specific area inside the mosque between the Prophet's grave and his original pulpit (minbar). The Prophet ﷺ said:

"What is between my house and my pulpit is one of the gardens (rawdah) of Paradise."
(Bukhari 1196, Muslim 1390)

Praying or making dua in this area is considered extraordinarily blessed. The Rawdah is marked by a green carpet (as opposed to the red carpet covering the rest of the mosque floor) — making it instantly recognizable. It is about 22 meters long and 15 meters wide. Access is now managed via the official Nusuk app with timed entry permits to handle the volume of pilgrims.

The virtue of prayer in Madinah

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"One prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand prayers in any other mosque, except Masjid al-Haram."
(Bukhari 1190, Muslim 1394)

So the prayer-reward multiplier is:

• Masjid al-Haram (Mecca): 100,000× regular prayer
• Masjid an-Nabawi (Madinah): 1,000× regular prayer
• Masjid al-Aqsa (Jerusalem): 500× regular prayer
• Other mosques: 1× (regular reward)

This is why Muslims travel to Madinah after Hajj or Umrah — to multiply their prayer reward by 1,000 for every Salah performed during their stay. A typical visit is 8 days, allowing for 40 consecutive prayers (5 prayers × 8 days), which is associated with another hadith about being freed from hypocrisy and hellfire.

Modern dimensions and capacity

After the latest Saudi expansions, Masjid an-Nabawi is one of the largest religious buildings on earth:

• Total area: ~400,500 m² (4.3 million sq ft)
• Capacity: 1+ million worshippers during peak times
• Minarets: 10, the tallest reaching 105 meters
• Main entrances: 27
• Retractable umbrellas: 250 in the courtyards, each spanning 25.5 m, modeled on date palms — installed 2010–2012

Etiquette of visiting Masjid an-Nabawi

For Muslims who travel to Madinah, the recommended etiquette:

1. Enter with the right foot, saying the dua for entering a mosque.
2. Pray two rakaat of Tahiyyatul-Masjid (mosque-greeting prayer) upon entering.
3. Visit the Rawdah if possible (book via Nusuk app); pray two rakaat there.
4. Give salam to the Prophet ﷺ at the Hujrah — face the grave, not the Qibla, and say: "As-salamu alayka ya Rasulallah, wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh."
5. Give salam to Abu Bakr and Umar at their adjacent graves.
6. Try to pray all 5 daily prayers in congregation during your stay, ideally for 40 consecutive prayers (Sunnah).
7. Do not raise the voice, do not face the grave during regular prayer, do not seek intercession from the Prophet ﷺ himself directly (only from Allah).

Get prayer times for Madinah

View today's prayer times for Madinah (Medina) with live countdown, or check your Qibla direction and 4,900-city directory.

Frequently asked questions

What is Masjid an-Nabawi?

Masjid an-Nabawi (المسجد النبوي, 'the Prophet's Mosque') is the mosque built by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. It is the second holiest site in Islam after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. It houses the Prophet's grave under the iconic Green Dome, along with the graves of his companions Abu Bakr and Umar. Today it covers about 400,000 square meters and can accommodate over 1 million worshippers during peak times.

When was Masjid an-Nabawi built?

The original mosque was built in 622 CE (1 AH), immediately after the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ migrated to Madinah from Mecca. The first structure was extremely modest — palm tree trunks for columns, palm leaves for the roof, and a dirt floor. The Prophet ﷺ personally participated in the construction. It has been expanded continuously since: by Caliphs Umar (17 AH), Uthman (29 AH), the Umayyads, the Abbasids, the Ottomans, and most extensively by the Saudi state in the 20th and 21st centuries.

What is the Green Dome (Qubbat al-Khadra)?

The Green Dome is the iconic emerald-green dome built over the grave of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It was originally constructed in 1297 CE by the Mamluk Sultan Qalawun and has been painted green since 1837 when Sultan Mahmud II ordered the color change. Before that, it was variously white, blue, and purple. The dome marks the location of the Prophet's burial chamber (Hujrah) where he was buried in his wife Aisha's room — the room is now sealed and not accessible to visitors.

What is the Rawdah?

The Rawdah (الروضة, 'the garden') is the area between the Prophet's grave and his old pulpit (minbar). The Prophet ﷺ said: 'What is between my house and my pulpit is one of the gardens (rawdah) of Paradise' (Bukhari 1196, Muslim 1390). Today the Rawdah is marked by a distinct green carpet (as opposed to the red carpet elsewhere in the mosque). It is about 22 meters long and 15 meters wide. Praying or making dua here is considered extraordinarily blessed. Access is now scheduled via the Nusuk app to manage the millions of pilgrims who wish to visit.

What is the virtue of praying at Masjid an-Nabawi?

The Prophet ﷺ said: 'One prayer in this mosque of mine is better than 1,000 prayers anywhere else, except for Masjid al-Haram' (Bukhari 1190, Muslim 1394). So one prayer in Masjid an-Nabawi equals 1,000 prayers in a regular mosque, and Masjid al-Haram in Mecca is even greater (100,000×). This is one of the main reasons Muslims travel to Madinah — to multiply the reward of their daily prayers. Visiting the Prophet's grave and giving salam to him is also a recommended (Sunnah) act.

How big is Masjid an-Nabawi today?

After the latest Saudi expansions, Masjid an-Nabawi covers approximately 400,500 square meters (~4.3 million sq ft). It has 10 minarets, the tallest reaching 105 meters. The mosque has 27 main entrances and can comfortably accommodate over 1 million worshippers during Hajj and Ramadan when fully packed. The retractable umbrellas in the courtyard — 250 of them, each spanning 25.5 meters — were installed between 2010 and 2012 to shield pilgrims from the desert sun. They are an engineering marvel modeled on date palms.