Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque
Mosque in Al Jawf Province, Saudi Arabia
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The Mosque of Umar ibn al-Khattab (Arabic: مسجد عمر بن الخطاب) is a Sunni Islam mosque, located within the historic city of Dumat al-Jandal in the Al Jawf Province of Saudi Arabia. The mosque is named after the Rashidun caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab, who is believed to have constructed the mosque, although this claim has been contested. The mosque's minaret is the first of its kind to be built in North Arabia as well.
| Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque | |
|---|---|
Arabic: مسجد عمر بن الخطاب | |
The mosque, in 2017 | |
  Location of the mosque in Saudi Arabia | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Sunni Islam |
| Mosque | |
| Status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Dumat al-Jandal, Al Jawf Province |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Coordinates | 29°48′43″N 39°52′03″E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Mosque architecture |
| Style | Islamic |
| Completed | 7th–8th centuries CE |
| Specifications | |
| Minaret | One |
| Materials | Brick |
The mosque is part of the historic core of Dumat al-Jandal, standing adjacent to Marid Castle and within the Al-Darʿi quarter of the old city. Its minaret, set at the south-west corner of the prayer hall and rising in tapering tiers, is considered the earliest surviving minaret of its type in northern Arabia.[1]
History
The mosque was built during the reign of the Umayyad Caliphate.[2] Islamic tradition reports that Umar ibn al-Khattab built the mosque to pray at, while on his journey to Jerusalem, hence the mosque's name.[3][4] However, the structure of the mosque does not resemble architecture contemporary to the time period of the Rashidun Caliphate, so the attribution of its construction to Umar is considered by some historians to be unreliable.[2][3][4]
In 1793, the Saud family renovated the mosque, as well as rebuilt the prayer hall so that it faced the qibla in a more accurate direction.[3][4] The mosque itself is still a popular tourist destination in the modern age.[5]
Architecture
Gallery
Inside the mosque's prayer hall
A columned arcade within the mosque
The courtyard of the mosque
