Photo: Aiman titi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Masjid al-Qiblatayn
The Mosque of the Two Qiblahs, associated in Seerah reports with the change of the qiblah from Jerusalem to the Ka‘bah.
Why this place matters
Masjid al-Qiblatayn stands in the former lands of Banu Salimah in north-west Madinah. Historical reports associate it with the change of the qiblah in 2 AH, when the direction of prayer turned from Bayt al-Maqdis to the Ka‘bah in Makkah (Qur’an 2:144). The mosque has been rebuilt and expanded in modern times and is one of the most visited stops on the Madinah ziyarah route.
The change of the qiblah
After arriving in Madinah, the Prophet ﷺ prayed facing Bayt al-Maqdis in Jerusalem for sixteen or seventeen months, while wishing to face the Ka‘bah. The first prayer he offered facing the Ka‘bah was ‘Asr; a man who had prayed it with him then passed by people in a mosque who were bowing in prayer, told them of the change, and they turned towards the Ka‘bah (Sahih al-Bukhari 40). The command to turn towards al-Masjid al-Haram is in Qur’an 2:144.
The news reached the people of Quba the following morning while they were praying Fajr, and they too turned to face the Ka‘bah (Sahih al-Bukhari 403).
Why it is called the Mosque of the Two Qiblahs
The mosque was known in early times as the mosque of Banu Salimah, the clan in whose lands it stood. Later historical tradition identifies it as the place where a congregation turned from one qiblah to the other within a single prayer, which gave it the name al-Qiblatayn, “the two qiblahs”. That specific identification comes from historical reports rather than the hadith collections, which is why its source status here is Documented tradition.
The mosque today
Masjid al-Qiblatayn stands about 5 km north-west of the Prophet’s Mosque. The present building was redesigned in 1987 by the architect Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil; its twin domes recall the two directions of prayer.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called Masjid al-Qiblatayn?
Al-Qiblatayn means “the two qiblahs”. Historical tradition identifies this mosque as the place where a congregation turned from Jerusalem towards the Ka‘bah in Makkah within a single prayer.
When did the qiblah change?
About sixteen or seventeen months after the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Madinah (Sahih al-Bukhari 40), in the second year after the Hijrah.
Visiting today
Usually visited on the ziyarah route together with Quba and the Seven Mosques. Follow current mosque guidance for visitors.
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 40: The Prophet ﷺ prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months; the first prayer towards the Ka‘bah was ‘Asr
- Sahih al-Bukhari 403: The people of Quba turned towards the Ka‘bah during the Fajr prayer
- Qur’an 2:144: The command to turn towards al-Masjid al-Haram
- Masjid al-Qiblatayn: Wikipedia: location, Banu Salimah and the 1987 redesign