Masjid al-Khayf: the mosque of Mina

Where it is

“Khayf” means land at the foot of a mountain, a little higher than the valley floor. Masjid al-Khayf stands on such ground on the southern side of Mina, near the first (small) Jamrah. In a narration in Sahih al-Bukhari, the small Jamrah is described as the one “near the Khayf mosque” (Bukhari 1751).

The mosque has four minarets and a large courtyard, and is fully used only during Hajj. Around it are the tents of the Mina camps.

Its place in history

The Prophet ﷺ spent the days of Hajj in Mina, praying each prayer at its time and stoning the Jamarat after midday (Muslim 1218). Pilgrims have prayed at this spot since his time, and the mosque has been rebuilt and enlarged many times.

A narration reported outside the two Sahih collections says that seventy prophets prayed in Masjid al-Khayf. Some scholars accept it and others consider it weak. Either way, Mina is a place where Allah asks pilgrims to remember Him on the appointed days (2:203).

Praying there during Hajj

• If your camp is close, praying a few prayers in Masjid al-Khayf is a beautiful part of the Mina days
• If your camp is far, pray in the camp. The reward of prayer in congregation is there too, and the walk in the heat is tiring
• Go early before the prayer, keep your Nusuk or camp card with you, and note which gate you used
• Combine the visit with your walk to the Jamarat where the route allows, so you do not walk twice

For families and elderly pilgrims

Women’s areas are available, but the mosque and its roads are very crowded at prayer times. Elderly parents are usually better off praying in the air-conditioned tent and saving their strength for the rami and tawaf al-ifadah.

Outside the Hajj season

Mina stands empty most of the year, and Masjid al-Khayf is normally closed outside Hajj. Umrah pilgrims sometimes drive past it on a ziyarat tour of Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat, but it is usually not possible to go inside.