2/16. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 451 — Prophet's Mosque
On (The Reward) Of Building Masajid
Prophet's Mosque Hadith: A Simple Beginning
Sunan Abi Dawud : 451
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 451
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ فَارِسٍ، وَمُجَاهِدُ بْنُ مُوسَى، - وَهُوَ أَتَمُّ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، حَدَّثَنَا نَافِعٌ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ كَانَ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَبْنِيًّا بِاللَّبِنِ وَالْجَرِيدِ - قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ وَعَمَدُهُ مِنْ خَشَبِ النَّخْلِ - فَلَمْ يَزِدْ فِيهِ أَبُو بَكْرٍ شَيْئًا وَزَادَ فِيهِ عُمَرُ وَبَنَاهُ عَلَى بِنَائِهِ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِاللَّبِنِ وَالْجَرِيدِ وَأَعَادَ عَمَدَهُ - قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ عُمُدَهُ خَشَبًا - وَغَيَّرَهُ عُثْمَانُ فَزَادَ فِيهِ زِيَادَةً كَثِيرَةً وَبَنَى جِدَارَهُ بِالْحِجَارَةِ الْمَنْقُوشَةِ وَالْقَصَّةِ وَجَعَلَ عَمَدَهُ مِنْ حِجَارَةٍ مَنْقُوشَةٍ وَسَقَّفَهُ بِالسَّاجِ . قَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ وَسَقْفُهُ السَّاجُ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ الْقَصَّةُ الْجِصُّ .
`Abdullah bin `Umar Narrated from:
The mosque (of the Prophet) during his lifetime was built with bricks, its roof with branches of the palm-tree, and its pillars with palm-wood, as Mujahid said: Abu Bakr did not add anything to it. But 'Umar added to it; he built as it was built during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with bricks and branches, and he changed its pillars. Mujahid said: Its pillars were made of wood.'Uthman changed it altogether with increasing addition. He built its walls with decorated stone and lime. And he built the pillars with decorated stone and its roof with teak. Mujahid said: Its roof was made of teak. Abu Dawud said: Al-Qassah means lime used as mortar.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 451In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 61English translation : Book 2, Hadith 451
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 451
This hadith describes the building materials and later changes of the Prophet's Mosque. During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, it was built with bricks, roofed with palm branches, and supported by palm-wood pillars. Abu Bakr did not add to it. Umar added to it but kept the style like it had been in the Prophet's time, using bricks and branches and changing the pillars. Uthman later made a larger change and added much more, using decorated stone, lime, decorated pillars, and a teak roof. The core topic is the Prophet's Mosque. The narration gives a plain record of how the mosque began simply and how later building work changed over time.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet's Mosque was first built with simple materials.
- Abu Bakr did not add anything to it in this report.
- Umar expanded it in a similar style, while Uthman later made larger changes.
