The Courtyards of the Prophet's Mosque
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) built his mosque in the first year of the Hijrah (622 CE), with an initial area of 1,030 square meters. In the seventh year of the Hijrah, he expanded it to 2,475 square meters. Subsequent expansions occurred under the Rightly Guided Caliphs and various Islamic dynasties, culminating in the most extensive expansion in modern times. The kings of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have successively contributed to the mosque’s growth, starting with the founder, King Abdul Aziz ibn Abdul Rahman Al Saud (may Allah have mercy upon him).
During his reign, King Abdul Aziz carried out an expansion in 1948 CE (1367 AH), increasing the mosque’s area to 16,327 square meters, along with numerous renovations. Further Saudi expansions have brought the mosque’s total area to 400,500 square meters today, accommodating approximately 707,000 worshippers. Modern expansions have prioritized preserving and restoring the original structure to harmonize with new constructions, including the renewal of the Prophet’s Mihrab, reinforcement of the Noble Rawdah’s columns and old structure, and equipping the buildings with modern facilities.
Courtyards and Protective Shading Umbrellas
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah ibn Abdul Aziz (may Allah have mercy upon him), ordered the completion of the remaining work on the Prophet’s Mosque expansion project. This included installing 68 additional shading umbrellas, supplementing the existing 182, to cover all external courtyards of the mosque. The project aims to protect worshippers and visitors from the sun’s glare and rainfall.
These umbrellas are equipped with rainwater drainage systems and integrated lighting, operating automatically to open and close. Designed at two different heights, they overlap in an interconnected arrangement, aligning at over 21 meters when closed. Collectively, they cover an area of 144,000 square meters.
The shading umbrellas add elegance and beauty to the courtyards, complementing the spiritual and tranquil atmosphere of the place. They enable over 200,000 worshippers and visitors to perform their acts of worship comfortably at any time, day or night.