The arrival at Qouba and the mosque of Qouba

The blessed year of the Hijra opened while the Messenger of Allah was still residing in Mecca, after receiving from the Ansar the pledge of the second Aqaba, in the middle of the days of at-tachriq, on the night of the twelfth of Dhoul-Hijja, before the year of the Hijra. The Ansar departed, the Messenger of Allah permitted the Muslims to emigrate to Medina, and there emigrated all of his companions who could, until none remained in Mecca but he. Abou Bakr held himself back with the Messenger of Allah to accompany him on the road. Then the two set out, and Ali ibn Abi Talib remained behind the Prophet by his command, to return the deposits entrusted to him, and then joined them at Qouba. The Messenger of Allah arrived on a Monday, near midday, when the heat was intense.

The Waqidi reports that this was after two nights of the month of Rabi’ al-Awwal had passed. Ibn Ishaq also reports it, but inclines rather to twelve nights having passed: that is the well-known view adopted by the majority. The duration of the Prophet’s stay in Mecca after his mission was, in the soundest view, thirteen years: that is the version of Hammad ibn Salama, from Abou Jamra ad-Dou’bi, from Ibn Abbas: the Messenger of Allah was sent at forty years of age and remained in Mecca thirteen years. Ibn Jarir also reports it from Amr ibn Dinars, from Ibn Abbas. It has already been mentioned that Ibn Abbas cited the verses of Sirmat bint Abi Anas: He dwelt among Quraysh ten and some pilgrim seasons. The Waqidi reports, from Ikrima, from Ibn Abbas, that he cited this same verse as evidence. Ibn Jarir also reports a version with fifteen seasons: a very strange claim.

Stranger still is what Ibn Jarir reports from Qatada: the Quran came down upon the Messenger of Allah eight years in Mecca and ten in Medina. Al-Hasan, however, said: ten in Mecca and ten in Medina. This second view, that of al-Hasan al-Basri, was also held by Anas ibn Malik, Aïcha, Sa’id ibn al-Moussayyab and Amr ibn Dinars. It rests on a version from Ibn Abbas: the Prophet received revelation at forty-three years of age, and remained in Mecca ten years. It is also reported from ach-Cha’bi that Israfil attended the Messenger of Allah for three years, conveying the word to him; in one version: he heard his breath but did not see his person; then afterward came Jibril. The Waqidi reports that some of his elders rejected the claim of ach-Cha’bi. Ibn Jarir attempted to reconcile the views of ten and of thirteen by what ach-Cha’bi had said. And Allah is most knowing.

When the prophetic rider’s mount was set down in Medina, the first halt was in the house of the Banu Amr ibn Awf, that is, Qouba. He stayed there, by the most widely reported account, twenty-two nights; it is said eighteen nights; it is said ten and some; Moussa ibn Oqba said three nights. The best known is what Ibn Ishaq mentioned: that he remained at Qouba from Monday to Friday. In that debated span he founded the mosque of Qouba. As-Souhayli claims that the Messenger of Allah founded it on the first day of his arrival, leaning on the words of the Most High: a mosque founded upon piety from the first day. That mosque is noble and eminent: upon it descended the words of the Most High: a mosque founded upon piety from the first day is more worthy that you stand in it: therein are men who love to purify themselves, and Allah loves those who purify themselves (at-Tawba, 108), as we have established in the tafsir.

Imam Ahmad reports through Chourahbil, from Ouwaym ibn Sa’ida, that the Messenger of Allah came to them in the mosque of Qouba and said: "Allah has praised you in goodness for your purification in the story of your mosque. What is this purification by which you purify yourselves?" They said: by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, we know of nothing except that we had neighbours among the Jews, who washed themselves after relieving themselves, and we washed as they washed. Ibn Khuzayma reported it in his Sahih, and it has other supporting reports. Abou Dawoud, the Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah report through Younous ibn al-Harith, from Ibrahim ibn Abi Maymouna, from Abou Hourayra, that the words: therein are men who love to purify themselves, descended concerning the people of Qouba, who purified themselves with water; the Tirmidhi said: strange by this route. We say: Younous ibn al-Harith is weak.

As for those who said the mosque founded upon piety was that of Qouba, they include Abd ar-Razzaq from Ma’mar, from az-Zouhri, from Urwa ibn az-Zoubayr, Ali ibn Abi Talha from Ibn Abbas, as well as ach-Cha’bi, al-Hasan al-Basri, Qatada, Sa’id ibn Joubayr, Atiyya al-Awfi and Abd ar-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam. The Prophet used to visit it afterward and pray in it, coming to Qouba every Saturday, sometimes riding and sometimes on foot. It is related in the hadith: a prayer in the mosque of Qouba equals an Umra. And it is related that Jibril pointed out to the Prophet the qibla of the mosque of Qouba. This mosque was thus the first mosque built in Islam in Medina, indeed the first mosque established for all people in this faith. We add this qualification to distinguish it from the mosque the Truthful One built in Mecca at the door of his dwelling, in which he worshipped and prayed: for that one was for his own private use, not for people in general. And Allah is most knowing.

The Islam of Salman the Persian has already been related among the glad tidings announcing the emigration: when he heard of the Messenger of Allah’s arrival in Medina he went to him at Qouba, bringing food, and said: this is charity. The Messenger of Allah held back and did not eat, and ordered his companions to eat of it. Then Salman came another time with food and said: this is a gift, and the Prophet ate of it and had his companions eat, as the long hadith has already been related.