The Prophet's Mihrab: Difference between revisions

  | title = Mihrab of the Prophet (s)

  | reconstructors = Qaytbay

'''Mihrab of the Prophet (s)''' (Arabic: {{ia|محراب النبي}}) is the place where [[Prophet Muhammad(a)]] used to pray, which is located in the [[al-Masjid al-Nabawi]] between the [[Prophet's pulpit]] and his grave. During the time of the Prophet (s), there was nothing in the form of a mihrab, until later during the development of the al-Masjid al-Nabawi during the period of al-Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik, a mihrab was built in the place of his prayer. Qaitbay, the king of Egypt (9th/15th century) rebuilt the hollow-shaped mihrab by renewing the mosque. this mihrab was decorated during the era of Ottoman rule and is still located in al-Masjid al-Nabawi.

During the time of [[Prophet Muhammad(a)]], in the place of [[al-Masjid al-Nabaw]] where he prayed, there was no mihrab in any form<ref>Ṣalihi Lumaʿi, ''Al-madina al-munawwara'', P. 59.</ref> and the place of prayer of the Prophet (s), had no sign except that it was next to the [[al-Mukhallaqa pillar]].<ref>ʿAṭṭar, ''Al-Taʿrif bi tarikh wa maʿalim al-masjid al-nabawii al-sharif'', p. 162.</ref> This was the first time in the development of al-Masjid al-Nabawi, during the period of al-Walid b. 'Abd al-Malik (r. 86/705 -96/714-5), that a mihrab was built at the place of the Prophet's prayer.<ref>Sayyid al-Wakil, ''Al-masjid al-nabawii ʿabar  tarikh'', p. 128; Jaʿfariyan,  ''athar-i islami-yi Makka wa Madina'', p. 260.</ref>

===During the Mamluk Period===

Although historical sources do not have any reports about the reconstruction of the mihrab during the period of [[Baybars al-Bunduqdari]] (r. 658/1259-60 - 676/1277-8), the fourth [[Mamaluk]] king, some researchers, by examining historical evidence, believe that the first hollow-shaped mihrab (carved into the wall) in the reconstructions of the Baybars period was made in the place that [[Prophet Muhammad(a)]] prayed; Because the reports of the sources before this date did not mention the existence of a hollow-shaped mihrab in the place of the Prophet's prayer.<ref>al-Shahri, ''ʿImara al-masjid al-nabawii'', p. 227.</ref>

In the reconstruction of [[al-Masjid al-Nabawi]] during the period of Qaitbay, the Mamluk sultan, in 888/1483-4 after the fire in al-Masjid al-Nabawi, the mihrab was rebuilt in the place of the Prophet's prayer, and in the same period, it was decorated with marble and verses from the Quran were engraved on it.<ref>al-Shahri, ''ʿImara al-masjid al-nabawii'', P. 342.</ref>

===In the Ottoman Period===

In the reconstruction of [[al-Masjid al-Nabawi]] during the reign of [[king Abdul-Majid I]], the mihrab of the Prophet, which was left over from the time of [[Qaitbay]], was gilded. Also, during this time, ʿAbd Allah al-Zuhdi, a Turkish calligrapher, engraved verses of the Quran, texts and poems on the mihrab.<ref>Ṣalihi Lumaʿi, ''Al-madina al-munawwara'', p. 96.</ref> In the Saudi period, the same mihrab of the Qaitbay period remained.<ref>Ansari, ''ʿImarah wa tawsiah al-masjid al-nabawii'', p. 170.</ref>

==Location==

The Prophet's mihrab was built in the place of [[al-Masjid al-Nabawi]] where [[Prophet Muhammad(s)]] prayed.<ref>Sayyid al-Wakil, ''Al-masjid al-nabawii ʿabar  tarikh'', p. 128; Jaʿfariyan,  ''athar-i islami-yi Makka wa Madina'', p. 260.</ref> This mihrab is located next to the [[al-Mukhallaqa pillar]]<ref>Sayyid al-Wakil, ''Al-masjid al-nabawii ʿabar  tarikh'',p. 163.</ref> and in the distance between the pulpit of the Prophet (a) and his grave ([[al-Rawḍa al-Sharifa]]).<ref>Sayyid al-Wakil, ''Al-masjid al-nabawii ʿabar  tarikh'',p. 163.</ref> Researchers are of the opinion that this place is the place where the Prophet(s) prayed. <ref>Sayyid al-Wakil, ''Al-masjid al-nabawii ʿabar  tarikh'', p. 128; Jaʿfariyan,  ''athar-i islami-yi Makka wa Madina'', p. 260.</ref>

 

The mihrab is placed in such a way that the one who prostrates in it places his forehead on the Prophet's sitting place, not his prostration place. <ref>Sayyid al-Wakil, ''Al-masjid al-nabawii ʿabar  tarikh'',p. 163.</ref> The Prophet's prostration place is placed under the mihrab.<ref>ʿAṭṭar, ''Al-Taʿrif bi tarikh wa maʿalim al-masjid al-nabawii al-sharif'', p. 164.</ref>

file:محراب النبی.jpg|The mihrab of the Prophet(s) is connected to the al-Mukhallaqa pillar.

file:نقشه مسجد النبی، محراب پیامبر.jpg|The location of the mihrab of the Prophet(s) on the map of [[al-Masjid al-Nabawi]].

file:محراب پیامبر۲.jpg|Decorations of the mihrab of the Prophet(s) with marble and gilding and verses from the Quran are written on it.

*Ansari, Naji Muhammad hasan ʿabdu l-qadir al-. ʿImarah wa tawsiah al-masjid al-nabawii al-sharif ʿabar  tarikh.  [n.p], Nadi l-madina al-munawwara al-adabi, 1996.

*Hazzaʿ al-Shahri, Muhammad .ʿImarah al-masjid al-nabawii munzu inshaʾihi hatta nihaya al-ʿasr al-mamlūki. Cairo: Cairo: Maktabat al-qahira li-l kutub, 2001.

*Hazzaʿ al-Shahri, Muhammad .Al-masjid al-nabawii al-sharif fi al-ʿasr al-ʿuthmani. . Cairo: Dar al- qahira, 2003.

*Jaʿfariyan, Rasūl. ‘’athar-i islami-yi Makka wa Madina’’. Tehran: Mashʿar, 1391 Sh

*Ṣalihi Lumaʿi,  Muṣṭafa .Al-madina al-munawwara taṭawwuriha al-ʿumrani wa turathiha al-miʿmari. Beirut: Dar al-Nihḍa al-‘Arabiyya, 1981.

*Sayyid al-Wakil, Muhammad al- .Al-masjid al-nabawii ʿabar  tarikh. [n.p], Dar al-mujtamaʿ li-lnashr wa al-tawziʿ, 1988.

*Sayyid Ḍiyaʾ b. Muhammad b. Maqbūl ʿAṭṭar.Al-Taʿrif bi tarikh wa maʿalim al-masjid al-nabawii al-sharif. Jeddah: Kunūz al-maʿrifa, 1432 AH.