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Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque

Coordinates: 29°48′43″N 39°52′03″E / 29.81196°N 39.86758°E / 29.81196; 39.86758
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Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque
Arabic: مسجد عمر بن الخطاب
The mosque, in 2017
Religion
AffiliationSunni Islam
Ecclesiastical or organisational statusMosque
StatusActive
Location
LocationDumat al-Jandal, Al Jawf Province
CountrySaudi Arabia
Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque is located in Saudi Arabia
Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque
Location of the mosque in Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates29°48′43″N 39°52′03″E / 29.81196°N 39.86758°E / 29.81196; 39.86758
Architecture
TypeMosque architecture
StyleIslamic
Completed7th–8th centuries CE
Specifications
Minaret(s)One
MaterialsBrick

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.

Adjacent to the mosque is the historic Marid Castle which dates from around the 1st century CE.

History

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The mosque was built during the reign of the Umayyad Caliphate.[1] 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.[2][3] 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.[1][2][3]

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.[2][3] The mosque itself is still a popular tourist destination in the modern age.[4]

Architecture

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The spiral, pyramidal-base minaret of the mosque is considered the oldest minaret in North Arabia.[5] The mosque, including the prayer hall and minaret, are made out of brick.[2][3][5]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Charloux, Guillaume; Loreto, Romolo (January 2013). "Dûmat al-Jandal". 2800 Years of History in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  2. ^ a b c d "Masjid 'Umar ibn al-Khattab". www.archnet.org. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d "Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque". Nabataea.
  4. ^ "Dûmat al-Jandal". Archéologie.culture.gouv.fr (in French).
  5. ^ a b "Historical Mosques in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Investigating Architectural Styles Typology". Abdullatif Al Fozan Award for Mosque Architecture. March 7, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2024.