26/06/2024
Masjid al-Khayf.
Masjid al-Khayf (Arabic: مسجد الخيف) is located near the smallest Jamarat at the base of the mountain in the south of Mina and is considered the most important mosque in this area. It is here that the Prophet ﷺ and 70 other prophets before him had performed salah.
Name
Masjid al-Khayf derives its name from Khayf Bani Kinanah. Banu Kinanah was one of the tribes that was hostile to the Prophet ﷺ and his family.
Linguistically, “al-Khayf” refers to that which descends from the height of a mountain and rises above a valley.
History and Significance
Masjid al-Khayf holds special significance as the place of prayer of the Prophet ﷺ in Mina during the days of Hajj. In reference to the mosque, the Prophet ﷺ said:
Seventy prophets offered prayers at al-Khayf mosque.
[Narrated in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir]
On the 10th of Dhul Hijjah, the Prophet ﷺ went to his place of encampment in Mina, situated where Masjid al-Khayf stands today. He housed the Muhajirun to his right and the Ansar to his left, with other pilgrims staying around them. Abdur Rahman ibn Mu’adh I narrates:
The Prophet ﷺ addressed the people at Mina before showing them to their dwellings. He then said, ‘The Muhajirun (Emigrants) should stay here’, and he made a sign to the right side of the Qibla. He also made a sign to the left side of the Qibla, ‘ and the Ansar (helpers) here’. He added, ‘The people should stay around them.’
[Narrated in Sunan Abu Dawud]
He then headed to the place of sacrifice to offer his Hady (animal sacrifice). It was narrated from Jabir I that the Prophet ﷺ said:
All of Mina is a place of sacrifice and all the pathways and roads of Makkah are places of sacrifice.
[Narrated in Sunan Abu Dawud]
The place of sacrifice was in close proximity to where the Prophet’s ﷺ was staying in Mina. With the modern expansion of Masjid al-Khayf, this place of sacrifice is now situated within the confines of the mosque, although it is no longer marked out as it once used to be.
After the sacrifice, the Prophet ﷺ had his head shaved and left the state of Ihram. He then proceeded to Makkah to perform Tawaf al-Ziyarah. He later returned to Mina for the days of Ayyam al-Tashreeq (11th-13th Dhul Hijjah).
At the time, Masjid al-Khayf was an open space and didn’t have any walls. Abdullah ibn Abbas I narrates:
I arrived riding a female donkey and at that time, I had just reached the age of puberty. The Prophet ﷺ was leading people in prayer in Mina. There was no wall in front of him and I passed in front of some of the rows while they were offering their prayers. There, I let the donkey graze and I entered the row with nobody objecting to it.
[Narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari]
During Fajr salah, the Prophet ﷺ noticed two men who hadn’t joined the congregation. Yazid ibn al-Aswad I said:
I attended Hajj with the Prophet. I prayed the Fajr prayer with him in Masjid al-Khayf. When the Prophet finished, he turned (from the Qibla) and saw two men at the back of the people who had not prayed with him. He said, ‘Bring them to me.’ So I brought them to him while they were shuddering with fear. He said: ‘What prevented you from praying with us?’ They said: ‘O Messenger of Allah!’ We prayed at our camp.’ So he said: ‘Do not do that. If you pray in your camp then come to a mosque where there is a congregation, pray with them. That will be regarded as a voluntary prayer for you.’
[Narrated in Sunan Abu Dawud]
He added:
People approached the Prophet ﷺ and I went with them. I was very strong at the time, and I continued to push my way through the crowd until I reached God’s messenger ﷺ. I took his hand and placed it on my face or my chest. I’ve never felt anything cooler or better than the Prophet’s hand ﷺ.
[Narrated in Ahmad]
The exact location where the Prophet ﷺ prayed was once identified by a stone plaque affixed to a minaret. This spot was marked within the dome in the centre of the mosque, which was unfortunately demolished during a renovation of the masjid.
It has been reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
I do not encourage travelling to visit any mosques other than Masjid al-Khayf, Masjid al-Haram, and this mosque of mine (Masjid al-Nabawi).
[Narrated in Fi Rihab al-Bayt al-Haram]
Revelation of a Verse
The following verse was revealed in the vicinity of Masjid al-Khayf:
وَٱلْمُرْسَلَـٰتِ عُرْفًا ❁
By the (Winds) sent forth one after another (to man’s profit).
[Surah al-Mursalat, 77:1]
Abdullah I narrated:
We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in al-Khayf, which is in Mina when the following was revealed: ‘By the winds sent forth one after another.’ A snake came out, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Kill it.’ So they rushed to kill it, but it went back into its hole.
[Narrated in Sunan al-Nisa’i]
Development
Masjid al-Khayf has been a focal point of attention and care by Muslim caliphs throughout history. This is due to its significance as the site where pilgrims perform their rituals during the days of Hajj, particularly during the days of Tashreeq in Mina. In the year 1407 AH (1987 CE), it underwent an expansion and reconstruction at a cost estimated at 90 million riyals. This renovation included the construction of four minarets, 410 air conditioning units, and 1100 hundred fans. Additionally, washroom facilities were built behind the mosque, equipped with over 1000 toilets and 3000 wudhu stations. The mosque now has a total area of approximately 34000 square metres and can accommodate more than 35,000 worshippers. It is normally only open during the days of Hajj.