Al-Sulaymani Mihrab: Difference between revisions

Al-Sulaymani Mihrab, which is also called al-Hanafi Mihrab, is one of the mihrabs of [[al-Masjid al-Nabawi]] in [[Medina]]. This mihrab is located within the area of the mosque in the time of the [[Prophet(a)]], outside the [[Rawda]], at the southern area of the mosque (before the southern developments in the time of 'Umar and 'Uthman), in front and on the right side of the [[the Prophet's Mihrab]] and the left side of the Prophet's pulpit, in the place of the third column west of this pulpit and the seventh column of [[Bab al-Salam]].<ref>Ṣabri Pasha, ''Mawsu'a Mir'at al-haramayn'', vol. 4, p. 609;  Rafi'i sudani, ''Ittihaf al-Mu'minin'',  p. 82; Najafi, ''Madina shinasi'', vol. 1, p. 168.</ref>

Al-Sulaymani Mihrab was built in 861/1456-7 during the era of [[Malik al-Ashraf Abu Nasr Inal]], the Mamluk sultan (Ruled: 857/1453-4 - 865/1460-1) by the supervisor of the affairs of [[al-Masjid al-Haram]], Tughan Sheikh al-Ahmadi al-Hanafi (881/1476-7) the manager of al-Masjid al-Haram.<ref>Sakhawi, ''Al-Tuhfat al-laṭifa'', vol. 1, p. 474; Raf'at Pasha, ''Mir'at al-haramayn'',  vol. 1,  p. 469; ''M'alim dar al-hijra'',  p. 250,251.</ref> Before that, leaders of congregational prayer used to stand in [[the Prophet's Mihrab]] and in the [[al-'Uthmani Mihrab]] during the hajj season. Tughan Sheikh built a new mihrab in the mosque so that a separate congregational prayer could be held with a Hanafi leader.  

After this date, the first congregational prayer was held following Shafi'i imam standing in the [[Prophet's Mihrab]]. Then a Hanafi imam led another congregational prayer in the new mihrab (which became known as the al-Hanafi mihrab and later the al-Sulaymani Mihrab). The Hanafi and Shafi'i imams performed the Tarawih prayer simultaneously on the nights of [[Ramadan]].<ref>Samhudi,''Wafa' al-wafa'', vol. 2, p. 210; Raf'at Pasha, ''Mir'at al-haramayn'', vol. 1, p. 469-470.</ref> This arrangement was followed in [[Mecca]] as well.<ref>Samhudi, ''Wafa' al-wafa'', Vol. 2, p. 210.</ref>

The al-Hanafi Mihrab was rebuilt in 938/1531-2 by the order of [[Sultan Suleiman I]], with the style of [[the Prophet's Mihrab]], and was decorated with black and white marble, and from then on, it became known as the al-Sulaymani Mihrab<ref>Raf'at Pasha, ''Mir'at al-haramayn'', vol. 1, p. 470;  Najafi, ''Madina shinasi'', Vol. 1, p. 168,169</ref> Today, imam of congregational prayers of [[al-Masjid al-Nabawi do not stand in this mihrab rather they stand in [[al-'Uthmani Mihrab]].

Behind the building of the mihrab, there is an inscription in gold script on a shiny red oil background, about the construction of the mihrab by the order of Sultan Suleiman I in the year 938/1531-2.<ref>Raf'at Pasha, ''Mir'at al-haramayn'', vol. 1, p. 470; Najafi, ''Madina shinasi'', Vol. 1, p. 168,169.</ref>

Inside and around the mihrab is also decorated with inscriptions of verses of the [[Quran]]. The verses are: al-Baqara:162, Al 'Imran:95 and al-Tawba:112.<ref>Ṣabri Pasha, ''Mawsu'a mir'at al-haramayn'', vol. 4, p. 610; Raf'at Pasha, ''Mir'at al-haramayn'', vol. 1, p. 470; Najafi, ''Madina shinasi'', vol. 1, p. 169.</ref>

 

*Najafi, Sayyid Muhammad Baqir. Madina shinasi. Tehran: Mash'ar, 1387 sh.

*Raf'at Pasha, Ibrahim. ‘'Mir'at al-haramayn, aw, al-rahlat al-hijaziyya wa al-haj wa masha'irihi al-diniyya''. Beirut: Dar al-Ma'rifa, [n.d].

*Rafi'i sudani, Musṭafa b. Muhammad . Ittihaf al-Mu'minin bi tarikh masjid khatam al-nabyyin. Medina: Maktabat al- Maktabat al-'Ilmiyya, 1404 AH.

*Ṣabri Pasha, Ayyub. ‘'Mawsu'a mir'at al-haramayn''. 1st edition. Cairo: Dar al-Āfaq al-'Arabiyya, 1424 AH.

*Sakhawi, Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Rahman. ‘'Al-Tuhfat al-laṭifa fi tarikh al-Madina al-sharifa''. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya, 1414 AH-1993.

*Samhudi, 'Ali b. 'Abd Allah. ‘'Wafa' al-wafa bi akhbar dar al-Muṣṭafa''. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya, 2006.

*Yusuf ,'Abd al-razzaq. M'alim dar al-hijra. Medina:  Maktabat al-'Ilmiyya, 1401 AH.