Masjid Quba: history, virtue and how to visit

The first mosque of Islam

When the Prophet ﷺ left Makkah for Madinah in the Hijrah, the last stop before the city was the village of Quba. He stayed there for some days, and with his companions he laid the foundation of a mosque. It was the first mosque built in Islam.

The Prophet ﷺ himself carried stones for it. Many scholars say the Qur’an refers to this mosque when it speaks of “a mosque founded on piety from the first day” (9:108), although some apply the verse to Masjid an-Nabawi. Either way, the place has a special love in every pilgrim’s heart.

The reward of praying in Quba

The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever purifies himself in his house, then comes to Masjid Quba and prays in it, will have a reward like that of an Umrah. This is why pilgrims make wudu at the hotel and go straight to Quba, rather than making wudu there.

The Prophet ﷺ also used to visit Quba every Saturday, sometimes riding and sometimes walking, and pray two rak’ah there. Many pilgrims try to follow this sunnah and go on a Saturday, but any day is fine.

This is a visit to a blessed mosque, not an Umrah. You do not need ihram, and it does not replace an Umrah.

Planning your visit

• Make wudu at your hotel, then travel to Quba without breaking it
• Pray two rak’ah of tahiyyatul masjid (or more) inside the mosque
• Mornings after Fajr and the time before Dhuhr are calmer than the evenings
• Saturdays are busier because many pilgrims follow the sunnah of visiting that day
• The ladies’ prayer area has its own entrance; agree a meeting point outside before you go in
• Carry water and wear comfortable shoes if you plan to walk

How to get there from Masjid an-Nabawi

Quba is about 3.5 km south of Masjid an-Nabawi. By taxi or bus it takes around 10 minutes, depending on traffic.

There is also a wide walking path between the two mosques, often called the Quba walkway. Walking takes around 40 minutes. It is pleasant early in the morning or after Asr in the cooler months; in summer, go by car.

With our groups, Quba is part of the Madinah ziyarat by bus, so you do not need to arrange transport yourself.

Quba today

The mosque you see today is a large white building with four minarets and several domes, rebuilt in the 1980s around the old site. A major expansion was announced in 2022 to give room to many more worshippers, so you may see work in the area.

Quba is also where the Ala Khutah Hijrah route ends, so families who walk that route finish with prayer in this mosque.