Al-Masjid an-Nabawi: The Prophet's Mosque in Medina

Medina is accessible to Muslims only. Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the city — this is enforced at checkpoints.

Al-Masjid an-Nabawi — the Prophet’s Mosque — is Islam’s second holiest mosque after Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. It was built by the Prophet Muhammad himself in 622 CE upon his arrival in Medina following the Hijra (migration from Mecca), making it the first mosque built under prophetic authority. The Prophet is buried within the mosque, and his tomb is the primary focus of pilgrimage visits to Medina.

History

When the Prophet Muhammad arrived in Medina in 622 CE, he built the original mosque on a plot of land beside his house. The structure was simple: palm tree trunks as columns, palm fronds for the roof, and a courtyard. The Prophet prayed here, taught, and received revelations. His house was adjacent to the mosque, and when he died in 632 CE, he was buried in his room — which became incorporated into the expanding mosque.

The first caliph Abu Bakr and the second caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab are buried beside the Prophet Muhammad in the same chamber — now located under the Green Dome.

The mosque has been expanded many times by subsequent rulers. The Umayyad Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz (a different Umar) conducted a major expansion in 706 CE. The Abbasids, Mamluks, and Ottomans all enlarged it further. The Saudi government’s 20th and 21st century expansions have dramatically increased the mosque’s capacity to over 1.5 million worshippers.

The Green Dome

The Green Dome (Al-Qubbah al-Khadra) marks the location of the Prophet’s tomb. The dome was originally white when built in the 13th century under Mamluk rule, then painted green in 1837. It is visible from across Medina and is the most immediately recognisable feature of the mosque’s exterior.

The tomb chamber itself — the Hujra an-Nabawiyya — is enclosed by an ornate grille. Visitors approach and make salutations (salam) to the Prophet from outside the grille. Direct access to the tomb’s interior is not permitted.

The Rawdah

The Rawdah (ar-Rawdah ash-Sharifah — the Noble Garden) is the area between the Prophet’s tomb and his original minbar (pulpit). Its dimensions are approximately 22 by 15 metres. The Prophet described this area as a garden from the gardens of paradise, and visiting and praying here is one of the most spiritually significant acts a Muslim can perform in Medina.

The Rawdah is identifiable by its white carpets (the rest of the mosque has red carpets) and by the original Ottoman-era columns with their distinctive decorative bases. Access to the Rawdah is controlled due to demand — worshippers queue and are admitted in groups at designated times. Separate access times apply for men and women.

Visiting Etiquette

Dress code: Modest Islamic dress. Men should wear clean, modest clothing. Women should be fully covered with hijab.

Behaviour: Lower your voice — the mosque is a place of worship and contemplation. Mobile phones should be silenced. Photography within the Rawdah area is restricted — follow current signage.

Salutation to the Prophet: When visiting the tomb, make salutations while facing the tomb grille. The Sunnah form is to say: As-salamu ‘alayka ya Rasulallah (Peace be upon you, O Messenger of Allah).

Surrounding Area of Medina

After Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, the key sites in Medina include:

Quba Mosque — the first mosque in Islam, 3 kilometres from Al-Masjid an-Nabawi. Praying two rakat here is said to be equivalent in reward to Umrah.

Masjid al-Qiblatayn — the Mosque of the Two Qiblas, where the direction of prayer changed from Jerusalem to Mecca.

Mount Uhud and the Uhud battlefield — the site of the 625 CE Battle of Uhud, 5 kilometres from the mosque.

See the full Medina city guide for accommodation and practical logistics.