Muslim Views . February 201920

SALIM PARKERYOUMUL Tarwiyah, the firstday of Hajj, means ‘the day offetching water and quenching thethirst’. The first day of Hajj isspent in Mina, a valley just outside Makkah, where Al-KhaifMasjid, the most importantmosque in Mina, is situated.

‘Al-Khaif’, in Arabic, means‘what has risen above the streamof water and inclined the width ofthe mountain’. ‘Khaif’ also refersto the feet of the mountain, theland between two mountains orthe land higher than its neighbour-ing lands. Therefore, the mosquebuilt at the foot of Al-Dhiba’amountain in Mina is called Al-

Khaif Masjid.Most hujaaj are aware of the

existence of this mosque due to itssize and impressive facade but thevast majority have never set footin it as moving from their campsin Mina to the mosque and backcan be quite a mission.

Al-Khaif Masjid has a notewor-thy history and important eventsare associated either where thecurrent mosque is or in its imme-diate vicinity. It is only open dur-ing the days of Hajj.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Ab-dullah Ibn Masud said: “While wewere with the Messenger of Allahin a cave on Mina, the 77th surahof the Holy Quran, Surah Mur-salat, was revealed to the Prophet

(SAW). He was reciting it and Iwas learning it from his mouth.

“Verily, his mouth was moistwith it when a snake leaped out atus. The Prophet (SAW) said: ‘Killit!’ So we quickly went after it butit got away. Then the Prophet(SAW) said: ‘It was saved fromyour harm just as you all weresaved from its harm.’ The snakewas not found.”

Most authorities contend thatthis was one of the early Makkanrevelations before the Hijra. In thefifth year after the Hijra (migra-tion to Madinah, about 636/7),the polytheists of Makkah wereinvoked by the Jews and signed apact of allegiance with some Arabtribes to attack Madinah and up-root Islam.

This attack became known asthe Battle of Khandaq (Battle ofthe Trench).

The place they chose for signingthe pact was where Al-KhaifMasjid is currently situated.

It is known that the Prophet(SAW) prayed in Al-Khaif Masjidand also gave a sermon there dur-ing his one and only Hajj. Yazeedbin Aswad reported that when heperformed Hajj with the Prophet(SAW) it was at Al-Khaif Masjidthat he performed Fajr Salaahwith the Prophet (SAW).

Abu Dawood reported thatAbdur-Rahman bin Muadh saidthat when the Prophet (SAW) de-livered a sermon in Mina, he in-structed the muhajireen (theimmigrants from Makkah toMadinah) to set up camp in frontof Al-Khaif Masjid and the Ansar(the Helpers of Madinah, whowelcomed the prosecuted Mus-lims) to set up camp behind it. Therest of the Muslims were to campbehind them.

Abdullah bin Abbas narratedthat it was in Al-Khaif Masjid thatthe Prophet (SAW) addressedthem. After praising Allah, NabiMuhammad (SAW) said: ‘Allahwill set right the affairs of the per-son whose prime concern is theakhirah (hereafter), Allah will alsogrant him self-sufficiency and theworld will humble itself beforehim.

‘As for the person whose primeconcern is this world, Allah willscatter his affairs, place poverty infront of him and all he will get ofthis world will be what has beenpredestined for him.’ It is reportedthat seventy prophets, includingNabi Musa, prayed in the area ofthis masjid.

A few scholars proposed thatNabi Adam (AS) and some otherprophets may have been buried inAl-Khaif Masjid but this is notwidely accepted. Some others havesuggested that it was at Mina thatNabi Adam said that his wish wasto re-enter from where he was ex-pelled but, again, this is not widelyaccepted. In 1987, Al-KhaifMasjid was expanded and recon-structed at a cost estimated at 90

million Saudi Riyals ($24 million).Four towers were built, 410 air-conditioning units were installed,as well as 1 100 fans. A toilet com-plex was constructed behind themosque with more than 1 000 toi-lets and 3 000 taps.

The masjid is situated veryclose to the small jamaraat and ad-jacent to the large Mina hospital.Numerous lectures are deliveredthere during the five days of Hajjand the compulsory prayers thatconsist of four rakaats (Dhuhr, Asrand Isha) are reduced to the qasrnumber of two rakaats each, aswas the practice during the Hajj ofour beloved Prophet (SAW).

It is worthwhile, if possible, tomake some prayers in this verylarge and important masjid.

Al-Khaif Masjid, where 70 prophets prayed

Al-Khaif Masjid, which is only open during the days of Hajj, is situated very close to the jamaraats, in Mina.Photo SALIM PARKER

During the days of Tashreeq, pilgrims stream past Al-Khaif Masjid (on the left ofthe photograph) on their way to pelt the jamaraats, throughout the day and intothe night. Photo SALIM PARKER

A close up of one of the four minarets of Al-Khaif Masjid, which are brilliantly illuminated at night during the days of Hajj. Photo SALIM PARKER

Pilgrims enter Mina on the first day of Hajj, referred to as Youmul Tarwiyah. Oneof the minarets of Al-Khaif Masjid can be seen in the left of the photograph, andthe jamaraat area can be seen in the background. Photo SALIM PARKER