Ebrahim Moosa – Radio Islam News | 08 December 2017/19 Rabi ul Awwal 1439

In a rare occurrence, congregational Salaah will be led today from the Mihrab of the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wa sallam) in Masjid an Nabawi.

This will be the first time for this to occur in the past quarter of a century, with records showing that Salaah was last led from the Prophetic Mihrab in Ramadan 1414, corresponding with March 1994.

That Salaah happened to be Witr and was led by Sheikh al Hudhaify.

Today’s Jummuah Salaah will be led from the Mibrab of the Prophet SAW, which is situated inside Rawdatul Jannah, and will be led by Imam and Khateeb of Masjid Nabawi, Sheikh Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Buayjaan.

According to Islamic Landmarks, if one were to stand in this mihrab for offering salah, one’s place of sajdah will correspond to the spot where the Prophet’s (SAW) blessed feet used to stand. The Prophet’s (SAW) place of sajdah is intentionally covered by the thick wall of the mihrab.

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) led Salah from this spot for a considerable time after the construction of the Masjid. There was however no mihrab at this spot during the period of the Prophet (SAW) and the four Caliphs. That construction came later, in the year 91H when Umar bin Abdul Aziz (RA) established a structure at its place.

Due to successive expansions of Masjid Nabawi, daily Salaah is not traditionally led from this Mihrab. Instead, the Imam stands at a newer Mihrab that came into being during a renovation of Masjid Nabawi in the year 20AH.