Albaia mosque lies around half a kilometer from Jamrat al-Kubra. It is visible from a distance with its bright brown color. It represents a perfect balance between sustainable architecture and a historical landmark and still stands in its Islamic glory, depicting a heavenly sight symbolizing eternity and longevity. Pilgrims, throughout the 270-day Pilgrimage season, come together to witness the miracles of the fifth pillar in Islam: The Haj. As constant renovations and developments happen, pilgrims pass by taking pictures and marveling at the sights before them. Many pilgrims visit Albaia historical mosque to perform their prayers and take memorable photos as this is the mosque where the first bay'ah in Islam (oath of allegiance to a leader) was made before Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) migrated to Madinah. Before 2007, Albaia mosque was surrounded by high mountains making it the perfect hideaway, in fact, the Prophet used to hide from non-believers here. He would also preach Islam behind the safety and serenity of these high mountains. After 12 years of prophecy, the Prophet sealed the bay'ah here under the witness of 12 men from Yathrib (the historical name of Madinah). The second bay'ah in Islamic history happened at the exact same location with the witness of 73 men and two women from Yathrib. This bay'ah was the beginning of the Islamic State. The then Abbasid Caliphate Abu Jafar Almansour built a mosque at the location in commemoration of the Prophet's uncle Abbas Bin Abd Almutalib who signed the bay'ah both times. Exterior and Interior With a capacity of around 500 square meters, the mosque still stands in good shape. One of its unique features is the tilted Mihrab. In pilgrimage season, all of the mosques in the area are closed except for Albaia mosque. According to a historical study conducted in 1988 by Dr. Naser Abdullah Albarakati from the Culture and History Department at Umm Al-Qura University along with his colleague Dr. Mohammad Naisan Sulaiman Mana, the measurements of the mosque are as follows: the north wall of the mosque stands 27.90 meters tall and the west wall of the mosque measures 17 meters wide and 4 meters tall. The mosque has only one door on the north wall and its floor is furnished with red carpet. The mosque itself is surrounded by a steel fence. The mosque does not have any restrooms for performing Wudu. Maintaining the mosque For many years, Albaia mosque was only remembered by few. According to scholar Ali Bin Abd Alqader Altabri, the last renovation the mosque received was during the rule of Sultan Ahmad Bin Mohammad Khan by the Pasha Hassan Almimar. It underwent minor renovations in 2007. The expansion plans in the area had initially slated the mosque for demolition to make way for a parking lot for buses that ferry pilgrims. Many citizens of Makkah gathered to defend the location and the historical monument. They called the municipality in Riyadh to exclude the mosque from the demolition plans. They also brought to light the importance of the monument to our history and Islamic culture. The protest went up to the Ministry of Civil and Rural Affairs where it was discussed and considered. Eventually, the citizens won and more attention was drawn to the mosque and its maintenance and renovation to preserve our prophetic history. – SG
