The Seven Mosques of Madinah and the Battle of the Trench

What the seven mosques are

The Battle of the Trench, also called the Battle of al-Khandaq or al-Ahzab, took place in 5 AH (626 CE according to Saudipedia; some sources give 627 CE), when Madinah was besieged and the defenders dug a trench to protect the city. The mosques are associated with places where the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and his companions are said in Islamic history to have stood and prayed during that time.

The name “seven mosques” is a traditional one, and sources do not agree on a clean list. Saudipedia names six small mosques on the western side of Mount Sala, including Masjid al-Fath, which is the largest, and mosques named for Fatimah, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and Salman al-Farisi. Saudipedia adds that Masjid al-Fath was built in stone under Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, who governed Madinah between 705 and 711 CE. The seventh mosque usually counted is Masjid al-Qiblatayn, about 1 km away, because visitors to the six mosques usually see it on the same trip, according to Saudipedia.

The Visit Madinah site gives a different picture of the present day. It says the group was originally six mosques and a seventh was added for tourist routes, that only five of the old ones remain, and that a modern mosque was built in 1428 AH to serve worshippers and visitors. That is why guides, maps and signs may not match each other. We describe the place as it is and do not claim more than the sources support.

Where they are

What visitors usually do there

Visitors usually:

1. Park close by and walk between the small mosques.
2. Look at Masjid al-Fath and the others from outside, and read the signs.
3. Pray or make supplication, and take photographs.

Because everything is close together, this is a short stop, and it makes a good ending to the tour before the drive back to your hotel.

Practical notes

• Heat. Little shade. Go earlier or later in the day.
• Signs may differ from guides. Because sources differ on names and numbers, listen to your driver and read the official signs.
• 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 at these mosques, ask a scholar or your group leader.

Why the place matters to visitors

The Battle of the Trench is remembered in Islamic history as a siege that ended without a full fight, after weeks in which the defenders held their ground. Many visitors like to see the area because it makes that story concrete: the position of the mountain, the open ground in front of it, and how close it all is to the city.

Which of our tours includes the seven mosques

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.

The Seven Mosques are in both tiers. The four hour full ziyarat adds time at Masjid al-Fath.

Nearby: Masjid Quba, Masjid al-Qiblatain, Mount Uhud and Madinah ziyarat with Wadi Jinn.