The first Companions Mosque built in 615 in Abyssinia

The Companions Mosque (Massawa/Mesavva Companions Mosque) is a historical structure located in the city of Massawa, Eritrea, claiming to be the first mosque built in Africa. The Prophet Muhammad sent a group of Muslims to Abyssinia in 615 AH (before the migration) to escape the oppression of the polytheists. This first migration group — consisting of about 15 people, including Uthman and Ruqayyah — crossed the Red Sea and reached present-day Eritrea. The port of Massawa was an important stop on this journey. Some sources and local traditions state that a mosque was built at the place where these early Muslims prayed in Massawa. For this reason, the Massawa Companions Mosque is recognized as one of the oldest mosques in the world. This mosque symbolizes the transition of Islam from Arabia to Africa and the desire of the early Muslim community to pray in a sacred place. The Companions' emphasis on worship and the mosque even during their difficult migration journey highlights this fundamental aspect of the Islamic way of life. [Source: TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, "Abyssinian Migrations" article, islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/habesistan-hicreti; Ibn Hisham, as-Sira, I, 344-360]