Saudi ArabiaPeople & Culture

Saudi: Early mosques are focus of latest renovation project

Five mosques in Saudi Arabia, including several that date back to the foundation of Islam, are to be renovated in a project to safeguard the kingdom’s heritage.

Saudi engineers will pick through original features and seek to safeguard the cultural significance of each.

The move is part of the broader project by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Announced in 2018, work has been under way to restore 130 mosques across Saudi Arabia.

First to be renovated is Al Bay’ah Mosque that was built at the request of Caliph Abu Jaafar Al Mansur in 144 AH, which was 761AD in the Gregorian calendar. Located below the Wadi Mina, the mosque’s unique architectural features were unearthed 16 years ago during the expansion project of the Jamrat Al Aqaba, the site where devil stoning ritual is performed during pilgrimage.

Renovations will also include Al Khidr Mosque, which is located about 66km from Makkah’s Grand Mosque and dates back to more than 700 years. It accommodates about 355 worshippers.

Al Fath Mosque, which was built after the conquest (meaning Fath in Arabic) of Muslims in the Battle of the Trench (Al Ahzab), will be restored and expanded. It was named after Prophet Mohammed prayed in that spot during the battle that took place in the fifth hijri year — 627 AD. The area of the mosque, which was subject to neglect, will be increased from 455.7 square metres to 553.5 square metres to accommodate 333 worshippers.

The area of 300-year old Al Jubail mosque in the Saudi city of Taif will also be upsized to 310 square metres.

Two more mosques in Jeddah, including Abu Anaba Mosque in Harat Alsham, in historic Jeddah, will be restored.

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The National

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