The Prophet's Door to the Mosque

The Prophet's house (Hujr al-Saadah) was built adjacent to the eastern wall of the Prophet's Mosque. There is a door through which the Prophet himself passed between the chamber and the mosque; through this door, the Messenger would directly enter the mosque at prayer times and return home after prayers. This door holds great significance in terms of the rhythm of the Prophet's daily life. The transition from home to the mosque before the morning prayer, praying in congregation, and then returning home... This cyclical movement of the Prophet indicates that the distance between the chamber and the mosque was extremely short. After the Prophet's death, this door was closed, and the chamber was integrated into the mosque. In later periods, during the expansion of the Prophet's Mosque, the original position of the chamber was carefully preserved; the integrity of this space was considered in every expansion. Today, the part accessible to visitors symbolizes the area where the Prophet's actual house was located. [Source: TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, "Hujr al-Saadah" article, islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/hucre-i-saadet; "Prophet's Mosque" article, islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/mescid-i-nebevi]