09. Saudi daur mein Masjid-e-Haraam ki tosee’ [Expansion of Al-Masjid AI-Haram during the Saudi Era]

Expansion of Al-Masjid AI-Haram during the Saudi Era

The area of the Mosque remained as it had been during the reign of Al-Muqtadir Billah for 1069 years, but construction around the Mosque did not cease, in fact it kept growing closer until houses and buildings were actually attached to the Mosque. Similar developments happened in the Mas’a (area where Sa’y is performed), until there were buildings in between, separating the Mas’a from the Mosque, leaving a narrow street surrounded by shops and multi-storied house

The Mosque became too small for the pilgrims in its restricted courtyards, for the number of pilgrims was no longer as it had been before, in the days of pack animals and sailing boats. The numbers multiplied greatly because of the developments in means of transportation and the introduction of modem cars, jet planes and steamships. The Mosque was too small for such great numbers of people, and as years went by, the numbers of pilgrims increased and the overcrowding became more severe. Residents and pilgrims alike felt the pressure on space in Makkah, and it is strange indeed that not one of the kings or rulers of the Muslims thought of adding even a single hand span to the area of the Mosque for over one thousand years.

▶️Beginning of Expansion

The good news that a start was to be made on expansion came when it was announced that the expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque, which had begun in 1370 AH, had been completed. On that occasion an official announcement was made stating that orders had been issued for all the tools and equipment that had been used in the expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque would now be moved to Makkah Al-Mukarramah to make an immediate start on the expansion of Al-Masjid Al-Haram. This announcement was broadcast on 5th Muharram 1375 AH

▶️The First Expansion-1375 AH/1956 CE

King’Abdul-‘Aziz bin ‘Abdur-Rahman Aal Sa’ud (may Allah have mercy on him and reward him greatly on behalf of Islam) took a keen interest in the affairs of the two Sacred Mosques. Based on this, he issued commands that the Mosque should be repaired, which included paving it with marble, repainting it and repairing the doors and floors of the porticos. He was the first one to pave the Mas’a (place of Sa’y) and renew its roof.[95]

The first expansion during the Saudi era was during the reign of King Sa’ud bin ‘Abdul-‘Aziz, who knocked down both levels of houses on both sides of the Mas ‘a. On the first level he added a low barrier to separate the people traveling in opposite directions, from As-Safa to Al-Marwah and coming back from Al-Marwah to As-Safa. He added sixteen doors on the lower level, and two entrances to the upper level, one of them at As-Safa and the other at Al-Marwah. Then he

knocked down the buildings on the southern side, and built a two-level portico. He also built a level of basements underneath the expansion but not underneath the Mas’a Then he completed the expansion on the western and northern sides in a similar manner to his expansion on the southern side. He added a number of doors, bringing the total to fifty-one, including large and small ones. He also built seven minarets to replace the seven old minarets, which has been destroyed during the expansion.

The area added during the first Saudi expansion added up to 153,000 square meters, bringing the total area of the Mosque to 180, 850 square meters, thus increasing the area of the mosque sixfold. Before this expansion the Mosque had covered only 27,850 square meters.

The new expansion was well built and fine looking, as the walls were covered with marble, and the roofs and pillars with artificial stone, making the Mosque a work of art and an architectural wonder

[95:The first one who made a roof over the Mas’a to provide shade was King Ash-Sharif Al-Husain bin’Aliin 1339 AH.]

▶️The Expansion of King Fahd bin ‘Abdul-’Aziz Aal Sa’ud (may Allah protect him)1409AH/988CE.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd bin ‘Abdul-‘Aziz Aal Sa’ud (may Allah protect him) took a deep interest in the sanctuary and spent a great deal of money on it. His projects, which have been carried out,had two aims:

1. Improvement and upgrading

2.Increasing the area of the Mosque

With regard to increasing the area, an addition was made on the western side, which extends from the King ‘Abdul-‘Aziz Gate to the ‘Umrah Gate, including two upper levels and a basement. He also prepared the roof of the mosque so that people may offer prayer there. The roof is considered to be a true addition as it may contain more than 80,000 worshippers. After the roof was improved and prepared, and with the addition of three escalators, it is like having added a third level to the two previous levels. The expansion also included a major gate, which is the King Fahd Gate, plus fourteen minor gates, and entrances to the basements. This brings the number of principal gates of Al-Masjid Al-Haram to four, and the number of minor entrances to fifty-four,besides six entrances to the basements and the upper entrances to the second level and the escalators.

Two new minarets were also added, which resemble the previous seven minarets.

The area covered by this extension is 76,000 square meters,which is three times the area ofAl-Masjid Al-Haram before the first Saudi extension. This means that the two Saudi expansions together increased the area of the Mosque ninefold. New areas have been added for worshippers on the eastern side of the Mosque, next to the Mas’a. This is known as As-Sahah Ash-Sharqiyah (the eastern courtyard), located at the bottom of Jabal Abi Qubais. This area covers approximately 40,000 square meters. It has been equipped with everything that the worshippers need. This is in addition to spacious areas on the southern and western sides that are paved with white marble, to accommodate a larger number of worshippers, especially at the time of Hajj.

Unification of the Prayer Halls of the Haram

Uniting all the worshippers in the Haram behind a single Imam is a matter that is no less important than expanding and improving the Haram and preparing it for the worshippers; indeed it is far more important. Before the prayers were united behind one Imam, there used to be different prayer stations in the Haram, one for Imam Malik, one for Imam Ash-Shafi’i, one for Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal and one for Imam Abu Hanifah, and in each of these prayer stations therebwas an Iam who would lead people in prayer. The Adhan would be given once, but then the prayers in each station would be done at different times. First the prayer would be done at the station of Imam Ahmad, then when it was over, the prayer would be done at the station of Imam Ash-Shafi’i, then at the station of Imam Malik, and finally at the station of Imam Abu Hanifah, and each station had its own Imam. This arrangement was set up by the Ottomans, and this odd situation continued until the time of King ’Abdul-‘Aziz bin ‘Abdur-Rahman Aal Sa’ud (may Allah have mercy on him), who was keen to remove all negative features from the lives of Muslims, and to restore things to the way they had been at the time of Allah’s Messenger(ﷺ) and the righteous Salaf. So,he commanded that the Muslims should be united behind one Iman.

Book: “History of Makkah”

Prepared by a Group of Scholars under the Supervision of Shaikh Saifur -Rahman Mubarakpuri.

Translated by: Nasiruddin al- khattab.