Masjid al-Qiblatain, the mosque of the two qiblas in Madinah

What Masjid al-Qiblatain is

Saudipedia describes the mosque as the place where, according to Islamic history, the revelation came to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, telling him to turn in prayer from Bayt al-Maqdis in Jerusalem to the Kaaba in Makkah. This is dated to the middle of Sha’ban in the second year after the hijrah.

Saudipedia links the event to a visit the Prophet made to Umm Bishr of the Banu Salama tribe. He was praying Dhuhr when the revelation came to turn towards the Kaaba. Saudipedia says the mosque was first built in the second year of the Hijrah by the Banu Sawad ibn Ghanm ibn Ka’b, from palm trunks and fronds, and that it has carried the name al-Qiblatayn since the time of the Prophet.

The first building dates to the second year of the hijrah, and Saudipedia says it was made of palm trunks and fronds. It was restored in 1488 by Shahin al-Jamali, expanded under King Abdulaziz in 1931, and rebuilt in 1987 under King Fahd to about 3,920 square metres. A cultural centre project is under way.

Where it is and how far from Masjid an-Nabawi

What visitors usually do there

Visitors normally:

1. Stop outside to look at the building and the domes.
2. Go in to pray two rakat if the mosque is open for visitors at that time.
3. Take a moment to remember the story of the change of qibla.
4. Take photographs of the exterior and the courtyard.

Saudipedia notes that the earlier mosque had two sections, an inner one with a mihrab facing the Kaaba and an outer one with a mihrab facing the Levant.

Why the story matters to visitors

Many people say this is the Madinah stop they remember best, because the story is simple and is told in the Quran and in the biographies of the Prophet. The change of qibla is placed in Islamic history in the second year after the hijrah, when the first community in Madinah was still small. A visit gives you a few quiet minutes to think about that moment, in the place tradition links to it. Your driver will tell you the short version of the story on the way, if you ask, and then leave you to your own time.

Practical notes

• Prayer times. The mosque fills up near the adhan. Plan the stop between prayers.
• Dress. Dress modestly. Take your shoes off at the door.
• Wheelchairs. A folding wheelchair travels in the Staria or Hiace boot at no extra charge, and the driver helps the passenger into a seat. Tell us before booking if the passenger cannot leave the wheelchair.
• Questions of practice. If you want guidance on prayer here, ask a scholar or your group leader.
• Name. You will see it spelled Qiblatain, Qiblatain and Kiblatain. All mean the same mosque.

Which of our tours includes Masjid al-Qiblatain

The Madinah ziyarat has two tiers on one page, the Madinah ziyarat taxi. The two hour ziyarat covers Jannat al-Baqi, the mosques near the Haram, Quba, Qiblatain, Uhud and the Seven Mosques. The four hour full ziyarat adds Masjid al-Jumu’ah, Bir Uthman, time at Masjid al-Fath, a longer stop at Uhud, the date market or a date farm, and the King Fahd Quran Printing Complex and Dar al-Madinah Museum, with longer stops.

Fares are for the whole vehicle, in Saudi Riyal, with the return to your hotel included.

Time beyond the tour is charged at the hourly rate, from SAR 80 an hour, and the driver tells you before that starts. You pay the driver at the end, in cash in SAR or by bank transfer, with no deposit and no booking fee. See every place in the ziyarat hub and every fare on Routes and prices.

Masjid al-Qiblatain is in both tiers.

Nearby: Masjid Quba, Mount Uhud, Seven Mosques and Madinah ziyarat with Wadi Jinn.