According to Islamic history, after his Hijrah (migration) from Makkah to Madinah, with the aim to spread Islam, Prophet Muhammad PBUH along with his companions started to travel from one city to another. They left Madinah on Monday, 12 Rabi Al-Awwal, 1 AH. During their journey, Prophet Muhammad PBUH and his companions decided to stay at Quba for four days, after which, on Friday, they resumed their expedition back to Madinah.

On their way back and about a kilometre away from Quba, Prophet Muhammad PBUH stopped at the village of Banu Salim bin Auf. On seeing the beloved Prophet Muhammad PBUH, Banu Salim requested, “O Prophet of Allah, you stayed at the homes of our cousins for a number of days, reward us too with something, for they will pride themselves over us till the Day of Judgement that you stayed with them.”

On hearing the heartfelt request, Prophet Muhammad PBUH got off his camel and offered and led the first-ever Jummah prayer (salah) there. It is said that close to a hundred Muslims participated in the first Jummah prayer; among whom were Prophet Muhammad’s PBUH relatives from Bani Amr (who had escorted him from Quba) and from Bani an-Najjar (who had come to meet him at the village of Banu Salim bin Auf). Soon after the Jummah prayer, Prophet Muhammad PBUH mounted his camel Qaswa and set off towards Madinah. Later, to mark the historical event, Masjid Al Jummah was built on this same site.

Architecture

Masjid Al Jummah was initially built from stone, comprising 4.5 metres in width, 8 metres in length, and 5.5 metres in height. Masjid Al Jummah’s dome was constructed using red bricks. There is also a yard attached to the eastern part of Masjid Al Jummah. The yard measures 6 metres in width and 8 metres in length.

However, the Masjid has been demolished and renovated several times during the late King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz’s reign. According to the most recent renovations, Masjid Al Jummah today incorporates a beautiful and modernized design with more facilities and services. The present-day Masjid Al Jummah features a school for memorizing the Holy Quran, a residence for an imam and muezzin, female bathrooms and prayer rooms, and a library. Moreover, its structure now has a main dome in the centre, surrounded by four small domes. Masjid Al Jummah can accommodate 650 Muslims at once.

Built and Demolished Several Times

A highlight of Masjid Al Jummah’s architectural timeline is as follows:

Second Renovation conducted during the Caliphate of Hazrat Umar (RA).

Third Renovation conducted between 734 and 748 AH, during the time of the Abbasid Caliphate.

Fourth Renovation conducted during the 14th Century by Syamsuddin Qawan.

Masjid Al Jummah was also renovated by Sultan Bayazid, during the rule of the Ottoman Empire.

The final renovation was led by Syed Hassan Asy-Syarbatli, in the middle of the 19th