Based on their religious and cultural status and their urban and Islamic dimensions, Mosques of the Madinah Region have received the attention of the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Project for Developing Historical Mosques in its second phase that included four mosques in the region. The project is being implemented with the aim of protecting the mosques and restoring them to the closest shape of their original status, in addition to maintaining their functional characteristics and restoring their old beauty. Historical mosques in Madinah Region gain their importance from their close connection to Al-Sira Al-Nabawiyah (Prophetic biography) and the several sites that are related to the Islamic era, such as AlUla governorate that houses several archaeological sites. Among the top targeted Madinah Mosques is Bani Haram Mosques that is only 1.68 kilometers away from the Prophet's Holy Mosque, and it is a mosque that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, prayed at its location. The development project seeks to match the changes in the mosque between old and new eras, where the pre-renovation area of the mosque stands at 266.42 square meters, which will be increased by 10 square meters after renovation with a total capacity of 172 worshipers. Next to Mousa Bin Nusair Historical Castle between AlUla and Hajrah, the project also includes Al-Itham Mosque, which also dates back to the era of Prophet Muhammad, who identified the direction of Al-Qiblah with bones while on his way to Expedition of Tabuk in the ninth Hijri year. The area of the mosque stands at 773.34 square meters and could accommodate 580 worshippers after it was abandoned. In the middle of Kheif Al-Huzami town at Wadi Al-Safra, affiliated with the Badr Governorate in Madinah Region, the Kheif Al-Huzami Mosque, also known as the Prince Radwan Mosque, will also undergo some developments. The mosque was built by the Egyptian Hajj minister Radwan Al-Faqari in the middle of the 11th Hijri century, and its total area will increase from 527.94 square meters to 603.35 square meters after renovation and its capacity will go up from 150 to 180 worshippers. The project will also head 102 kilometers to the northeastern parts of Madinah to the historical Castle Mosque, also known as Hamad Bin Samihah Mosque after the ruler of the town. The mosque dates back to over 100 years and gains its importance for being located in the center of the historical Castle neighborhood at Al-Hanakieh town. The pre-renovation area of the mosque stands at 181.75 square meters that will be increased to 263.55 square meters with a capacity of 171 worshippers after the mosque is renovated. A total of 30 mosques will be included in the second phase of the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Project for Developing Historical Mosques that covers all regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These mosques will be developed according to modern mechanism that guarantee the quality of good material and architectural designs after conducting an accurate assessment of the history, characteristics and features of every mosque. — SPA
