Masjid al-Qiblatayn
| Masjid al-Qiblatain | |
|---|---|
Arabic: مسجد القبلتين | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Ecclesiastical or organisational status | Mosque |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Medina |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Geographic coordinates | 24°29′02.71″N 39°34′44.07″E / 24.4840861°N 39.5789083°E |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Founder | Sawad ibn Ghanam ibn Ka'ab |
| Completed | 1987 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 2,000 worshippers |
| Dome(s) | 2 |
| Minaret(s) | 2 |
The Masjid al-Qiblatayn (Arabic: مسجد القبلتين, lit. 'Mosque of the Two Qiblas', standard pronunciation: [mas.dʒid al.qib.la.tajn], Hejazi Arabic pronunciation: [mas.dʒɪd al.ɡɪb.la.teːn]), also spelt Masjid al-Qiblatain, is a Sunni Islam mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia. The mosque is believed by Muslims to be the place where the final Islamic prophet, Muhammad, received the command to change the Qibla (direction of prayer) from Jerusalem to Mecca. The mosque was built by Sawad ibn Ghanam ibn Ka'ab during the year 2 AH (623 CE) and is one of the few mosques in the world to have contained two mihrabs (niches indicating the qibla) in different directions.
In 1987, during the reign of King Fahd, the mosque was completely torn down and rebuilt. In the course of the reconstruction, the old prayer niche facing Jerusalem was removed, while the one facing Mecca was kept. The Qiblatayn Mosque is among the earliest mosques that date to the time of Muhammad, along with the Quba'a Mosque and Masjid an-Nabawi, considering that the Great Mosques of Mecca and Jerusalem are associated with earlier prophets in Islamic thought.