- Where
- Quba, south Madinah, about 3 km from the Prophet's Mosque
- Founded
- 1 AH (622 CE), during the Hijrah
- Virtue
- The reward of an Umrah for a prayer there
- Sunnah
- Visiting on Saturdays
What Quba Mosque is
Masjid Quba (مَسْجِد قُبَاء) stands at Quba, a village of date groves on the south side of Madinah in the Prophet's ﷺ time, now part of the city. It is often called the oldest mosque in the world, because it was the first mosque the Prophet ﷺ founded. See our list of the oldest mosques.
Its history
On the Hijrah from Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ first stopped at Quba with the clan of Banu Amr ibn Awf. He stayed with them for more than ten nights and founded the mosque, then rode on into Madinah, where he built his own mosque (Sahih al-Bukhari 3906). The Companions helped carry its stones.
The mosque was rebuilt many times. The present building, with white walls, domes and four minarets, was designed by the Egyptian architect Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil and completed in 1986.
لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًۭا ۚ لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِ ۚ فِيهِ رِجَالٌۭ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا۟ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُطَّهِّرِينَ ﴿١٠٨﴾
Laa taqum feehi abadaa; lamasjidun ussisa 'alat taqwaa min awwali yawmin ahaqqu an taqooma feeh; feehi rijaaluny yuhibbona ai yatatahharoo, wallaahu yuhibbul mmuttah hireen
Do not stand [for prayer] within it - ever. A mosque founded on righteousness from the first day is more worthy for you to stand in. Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.
Quran 9:108, Sahih International translation
Many early scholars said this verse is about Quba Mosque. In Sahih Muslim 1398, the Prophet ﷺ was asked which mosque was founded on righteousness and said, "It is this mosque of yours", meaning his mosque in Madinah. Scholars reconcile the two: the verse came down about Quba, and the Prophet's ﷺ own mosque deserves the description even more.
The hadith on its virtue
مَنْ تَطَهَّرَ فِي بَيْتِهِ، ثُمَّ أَتَى مَسْجِدَ قُبَاءٍ، فَصَلَّى فِيهِ صَلَاةً، كَانَ لَهُ كَأَجْرِ عُمْرَةٍ
“Whoever purifies himself in his house, then comes to Masjid Quba and prays a prayer in it, has a reward like that of an Umrah.”
Sunan Ibn Majah 1412, from Sahl ibn Hunayf. Graded sahih by al-Albani and others.
كَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَأْتِي مَسْجِدَ قُبَاءٍ كُلَّ سَبْتٍ مَاشِيًا وَرَاكِبًا
“The Prophet ﷺ used to come to Masjid Quba every Saturday, walking and riding.” Abdullah ibn Umar used to do the same.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1193; Sahih Muslim 1399, from Ibn Umar.
How to visit
- Make wudu where you are staying before you set out, as the hadith says “purifies himself in his house”.
- Pray two rakahs in the mosque, outside the disliked times, then make dua.
- Saturday visits follow the Sunnah, but any day is good.
- A long, straight walking road joins Masjid an-Nabawi and Quba. Walking it in the cool of the morning is pleasant; taxis and buses also go.
- Women's entrances and prayer areas are signposted. See it on the Madinah map.
Questions
Is Quba Mosque the first mosque in Islam?
Yes. It was the first mosque the Prophet ﷺ founded, at Quba during the Hijrah, before he built his own mosque in Madinah.
What is the reward of praying in Quba Mosque?
The reward of an Umrah, for one who makes wudu at home and then prays there (Sunan Ibn Majah 1412, graded sahih).
Why do people visit Quba on Saturday?
Because the Prophet ﷺ used to visit it every Saturday, walking or riding (Sahih al-Bukhari 1193; Sahih Muslim 1399).
How far is Quba Mosque from Masjid an-Nabawi?
About 3 km south in a straight line, a walk of about 45 minutes along the walking road.
Is Quba the mosque founded on righteousness in Quran 9:108?
Many scholars said the verse came down about Quba. A hadith in Sahih Muslim 1398 says the Prophet's ﷺ mosque in Madinah has that description too.
Sources
- Sunan Ibn Majah 1412.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 1193 and 3906; Sahih Muslim 1398 and 1399.
- Quran 9:108.
- Quran: Arabic from the Tanzil Uthmani text, English by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic is the standard wording of the collection named; gradings are given for every hadith outside al-Bukhari and Muslim.
The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.