Al Madinah
Destinations / Al-Qiblatain Mosque

Al-Qiblatain Mosque

Here, in the homes of Banu Salamah, the Prophet ﷺ once stood for dhuhr. Within a rakʿah, the course of history changed. The verse commanding the qiblah change was revealed, and his noble face shifted from Bayt al-Maqdis to the Ka‘bah, binding the ummah to Ibrāhīm’s qiblah. The masjid still bears witness to the moment when Allāh turned His beloved toward the qiblah He favors. Stand here, close your eyes… and feel time rewind to that monumental call: “Turn your face toward Al-Masjid Al-H̱arām.”

We have seen you turning your face towards the sky. Now We shall make you turn towards a qiblah that pleases

you. So turn your face towards Al-Masjid Al-Ḥarām [Qur’an 2:144]

 

Historical Overview:

Located south of Bir Rūmah, about 3.8 km northwest of Al-Masjid An-Nabawī, Masjid Al Qiblatayn

commemorates the historic change of the qiblah.

While visiting Banu Salimah, the Prophet ﷺ prayed Dhuhr toward Bayt al-Maqdis, then was instructed after two rak‘ahs to turn toward the Ka‘bah (Qur’an 2:144). This 2 AH (623 CE) event gave the masjid its name. The masjid’s roof was renovated in 893 AH by Shāhīn al-Jamālī and again in 950 AH. Later, King ‘Abdul’Azīz Āl Saʿūd renewed it, expanded the courtyard, and added a minaret and staircase. King Fahd rebuilt and enlarged it in 1408 AH (1987 CE). The masjid features a ground floor with service facilities, an upper prayer hall, a spacious women’s gallery, a courtyard with trees, two minarets, and two domes. Masjid Al-Qiblatayn remains a distinguished landmark of Madīnah, reflecting the authenticity of Islamic architecture in both form and essence.