9.1.1 Building the Masjid

The First Step in Madinah

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Madinah after the Hijrah, he did not begin by building a palace, a military fort, or a market. The very first public institution he established was the masjid. This choice shows the place of the masjid at the heart of Islamic life. It was not only a place for prayer. It was the center of worship, learning, governance, community life, and spirituality.

As soon as he ﷺ entered the outskirts of Madinah, in Quba, he stayed with the tribe of Banu Amr ibn Awf. There, before even reaching the central part of Madinah, he built Masjid Quba, the first masjid in Islam. Allah mentioned this masjid with praise:

لَمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَقُومَ فِيهِ
“A mosque founded upon piety from the very first day is more worthy for you to stand in.”
(Surat al Tawbah 9:108)

This verse shows that from the beginning, the standard for any masjid in Islam is that it must be built on taqwa, sincerity, and obedience to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ used to remember the special virtue of this masjid even after many years. It is narrated:

عَنْ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَأْتِي مَسْجِدَ قُبَاءٍ، كُلَّ سَبْتٍ، مَاشِيًا وَرَاكِبًا
“Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: The Prophet ﷺ used to go to Masjid Quba every Saturday, walking and riding.”
(Al Bukhari, Muslim)

After a short stay in Quba, the Prophet ﷺ continued his journey into the main part of Yathrib, which would become Madinat al Nabi, the City of the Prophet. It was there that the main masjid, al Masjid an Nabawi, was built.

Choosing the Site of the Masjid

When the Prophet ﷺ entered Madinah, the people surrounded him with joy. Each tribe hoped he would stay with them. Yet he ﷺ did not choose his residence and masjid according to tribal requests. He allowed Allah to guide the matter. His camel, al Qaswa, was left to walk freely. He ﷺ said:

دَعُوهَا فَإِنَّهَا مَأْمُورَةٌ
“Leave her, for she is commanded.”
(Ahmad)

The camel walked through Madinah until she knelt in an open area used as a place for drying dates. This land belonged to two orphan boys from Banu Najjar. The Prophet ﷺ declared that this would be the place of the masjid.

He did not accept that the land be taken for free, even though the owners were eager to give it. He insisted on buying it so that the masjid would be built on clear and lawful ownership. This reflects one of the most important principles in Islam: a place of worship must be pure not only in worship but also in how it is established.

With the place decided and the land purchased, the building of the masjid began.

Simple Construction and Shared Effort

The construction of Masjid an Nabawi was extremely simple. There was no luxury or decoration. The walls were built from unbaked bricks or stones. The pillars were made from palm trunks. The roof was made of palm branches and leaves, which gave shade but did not fully protect from rain. The floor was plain earth which later was covered with small stones.

The Prophet ﷺ himself took part in the work. He carried bricks and earth, just like his Companions. While working, the Muslims recited lines that showed their spirit and motives. Among the reports is that they said:

اللَّهُمَّ لاَ خَيْرَ إِلَّا خَيْرُ الآخِرَةِ
فَاغْفِرْ لِلأَنْصَارِ وَالْمُهَاجِرَةِ
“O Allah, there is no good except the good of the Hereafter.
So forgive the Ansar and the Muhajirah (the emigrants).”
(Al Bukhari)

The Prophet ﷺ joined them in these words. His participation in physical labor alongside his Companions taught that leadership in Islam is based on service, effort, and humility.

In those early days there was no separation between ruler and community, or scholar and worshipper. All stood in one row, working to raise the walls of the masjid that would soon become the heart of the new society.

The Design of Masjid an Nabawi

The masjid at that time was rectangular. One side was used as the qiblah. In the beginning, before the qiblah was changed to the Kaaba in Makkah, the Muslims faced Bayt al Maqdis in Jerusalem. Later, when the qiblah was changed, the direction of prayer in the masjid changed, but its role as the center of life remained the same.

Next to the masjid, on one side, were simple rooms made for the Prophet ﷺ and his wives. These hujurat were tiny, made from similar materials to the masjid. The door of his room opened directly into the masjid. This physical closeness between his home and the masjid symbolized how closely day to day life was linked with worship and guidance.

Another important part of the early design was a shaded area at the back of the masjid, known as as Suffah. This was a raised, covered platform where some of the poorest Muslims and those who had no family or home in Madinah stayed. They devoted their time to learning the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ. They are known as the Ahl as Suffah.

The simplicity of the masjid did not reduce its greatness. Rather, its value came from what took place inside it. Even when its structure was simple, the revelation of Allah was being recited in it, knowledge was being taught, and hearts were being molded.

The Masjid as a Place of Worship

The first and most obvious role of the masjid was that it was a place of prayer. The five daily prayers were established there in congregation behind the Prophet ﷺ. The call to prayer, the Adhan, was given from the masjid each day. It is narrated about the command for the Adhan:

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: أُمِرَ بِلالٌ أَنْ يَشْفَعَ الأَذَانَ وَيُوتِرَ الإِقَامَةَ
“Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: Bilal was commanded to make the Adhan in two by two phrases, and the Iqamah in single phrases.”
(Al Bukhari)

The masjid was the place where Ramadan was observed, Taraweeh prayed, and the Quran recited and heard. The Friday prayer, Jumuah, was held there. The khutbah of the Prophet ﷺ spread from this minbar to all corners of Madinah.

In one hadith, the Prophet ﷺ mentioned the unique status of his masjid in terms of reward:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ:
«صَلاَةٌ فِي مَسْجِدِي هَذَا، خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ فِيمَا سِوَاهُ، إِلاَّ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ»
“Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
‘One prayer in this masjid of mine is better than a thousand prayers in any other mosque, except al Masjid al Haram.’”
(Al Bukhari, Muslim)

This masjid became a place where hearts connected to Allah daily. The feeling of brotherhood and humility in prayer shaped the character of the early Muslims.

The Masjid as a School of Knowledge

From the first days, the masjid also served as the main school of Islam. The Prophet ﷺ taught the Quran and Sunnah in its open space. Companions sat around him in circles to learn. Questions were asked, answers given, and the foundations of Islamic law, belief, and character were built.

Those who stayed at as Suffah devoted themselves in particular to study. Many of the great narrators of hadith and scholars among the Companions passed through this school. The environment of the masjid blended worship and learning in one place. In later generations, this model of the masjid as the center of education would spread across the Muslim world, where mosques often included circles of knowledge, schools, and study of the Quran.

The Prophet ﷺ encouraged gatherings of knowledge in the masjid. It is narrated:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ:
«وَمَا اجْتَمَعَ قَوْمٌ فِي بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ، يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ، وَيَتَدَارَسُونَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ، إِلاَّ نَزَلَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّكِينَةُ، وَغَشِيَتْهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ، وَحَفَّتْهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ، وَذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِيمَنْ عِنْدَهُ»
“Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
‘No people gather in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it together among them, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy covers them, the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them to those who are with Him.’”
(Muslim)

Thus the masjid became the main classroom of the new ummah.

The Masjid as a Social and Community Center

The masjid of the Prophet ﷺ was also the main place for community life. People met there daily. News was shared. Agreements were made. Guests and delegations received the Prophet ﷺ there. In the later years, delegations from different tribes and regions came to Madinah and entered Islam in this masjid.

Marriages were announced from the masjid. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged that marriage be known publicly and not hidden. Social bonds were created and renewed in the space of the masjid, where all stood equal in worship.

The poor were not left outside the life of the masjid. Ahl as Suffah lived in the masjid area itself. The community used the masjid space to provide for them. The Prophet ﷺ would send any food or charity that came to him to them and would share with them himself. This taught that the masjid is a place of mercy and social care, not a building cut off from the needs of people.

At times of happiness, such as Eid, the masjid and its surrounding area became a place of lawful celebration. At times of difficulty, such as drought or disaster, people gathered there to make du‘a and offer special prayers.

The Masjid as a Center of Shura and Leadership

The Prophet’s masjid was not only for private worship. It was also the main place where decisions were made for the community. When important matters arose, the Prophet ﷺ would gather his Companions in the masjid and consult them. In this way, shura, or consultation, was practiced in the very space of prayer and remembrance.

Battles were planned from the masjid. Treaties were discussed there. Messages to other tribes and lands were prepared while the Companions sat within its walls. The masjid was the effective center of the first Islamic state, although it had no towers or military appearance.

From this we understand that in the Seerah, religious and worldly affairs were not separated into completely different spheres. The same place where people cried in sujud also saw them discuss the protection of the community, the establishment of justice, and the arrangement of public life. This unity shaped the unique character of the early Muslim society in Madinah.

The Spiritual Atmosphere of the Masjid

The presence of the Prophet ﷺ, the revelation, and the sincere worship of the Companions filled the masjid with a special atmosphere. Many spiritual events took place there. The masjid was the place of i‘tikaf in Ramadan, where the Prophet ﷺ would stay in the masjid for the last ten nights, seeking Laylat al Qadr and devoting himself to worship.

The Quran mentions the purpose of mosques in general:

فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ، يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ
“In houses which Allah has ordered to be raised, and that His Name be mentioned therein. Therein glorify Him in the morning and in the afternoon.”
(Surat an Nur 24:36)

This verse applies most clearly to the masjid of the Prophet ﷺ in Madinah. The Companions experienced the sweetness of faith there, listening to the Quran from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself, praying behind him, and hearing his guidance.

Love for this masjid and what it represented became part of their faith. Allah described the believers:

إِنَّمَا يَعْمُرُ مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ
“Only those shall maintain the mosques of Allah who believe in Allah and the Last Day.”
(Surat at Tawbah 9:18)

To “maintain” includes building, cleaning, attending, worshiping, and honoring. The Companions lived this meaning in their relationship with the masjid.

Respecting the Sanctity of the Masjid

Because the masjid took such a central place, the Prophet ﷺ taught clear manners regarding how it should be treated. Although the detailed rules belong elsewhere, one early event shows the balance of respect and mercy that shaped the masjid’s environment.

A Bedouin once entered the masjid and began to urinate in a corner, not understanding its sacredness. The Companions rushed to stop him harshly, but the Prophet ﷺ told them to leave him until he finished, then ordered that a bucket of water be poured over the area. He explained to the man gently what a masjid is for. The hadith states:

عَن أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ، إِذْ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَامَ يَبُولُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ: مَهْ مَهْ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «لاَ تُزْرِمُوهُ، دَعُوهُ»... ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلأَعْرَابِيِّ: «إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمَسَاجِدَ لاَ تَصْلُحُ لِشَيْءٍ مِنْ هَذَا الْبَوْلِ، وَلاَ الْقَذَرِ، إِنَّمَا هِيَ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ، وَالصَّلاَةِ، وَقِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ»
“Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: While we were in the masjid with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, a Bedouin came and began to urinate in the masjid. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Stop, stop!’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Do not interrupt him, leave him’ ... Then he said to the Bedouin: ‘These mosques are not suitable for anything of this urine, nor filth. They are only for the remembrance of Allah, for prayer, and the recitation of the Quran.’”
(Muslim)

This event shows both the great respect due to the masjid and the gentle teaching method of the Prophet ﷺ. It also clearly defines the core function of mosques in Islam.

Other roles are secondary and must never remove or corrupt these core aims.

The Masjid as the Heart of the New Society

By building the masjid first, the Prophet ﷺ placed worship and the remembrance of Allah at the center of every aspect of life in Madinah. From this simple building, the message of Islam spread across the Arabian Peninsula. From its minbar, guidance reached tribes and nations. Within its walls, the first generation of Muslims was educated, purified, and united.

The masjid became the symbol of the new community’s identity. Rich and poor stood side by side, ruler and follower in one row. There were no reserved places for certain families or tribes. The masjid broke many of the old social barriers and replaced them with taqwa as the true measure of honor.

The story of building the masjid in Madinah teaches that any Muslim community that wishes to grow soundly must build its life around obedience to Allah and His remembrance. The physical building of a masjid is important, but the spirit inside it is more important. The first masjid in Madinah was simple in structure but rich in faith, knowledge, and sincerity.