The Real Mosque of the Prophet

In its original form, the Mosque of the Prophet measured approximately 35 x 30 meters; its area was around 1,000-1,200 m². This simple structure, made of palm trunks for columns, palm branches for the roof, and walls of stone and mud brick, served not only as a place of worship but also as the administrative center of the Islamic state, an educational institution, and a venue for diplomatic meetings. The Prophet's mihrab (the place where he prayed), the Rawdat al-Mutahhara (the paradise garden between the pulpit and the grave), the Prophet's house (the room later known as the Hücre-i Saadet), the Suffa (the section where poor companions were accommodated), and the first pulpit were all located within these original mosque boundaries. Today, this sacred area remains within the massive Mosque of the Prophet, which covers approximately 400,000 m². Even amidst the crowd of visitors, the original boundaries of the Rawda are marked with a green carpet. The Prophet said about the importance of this area: "The space between my house and my pulpit is one of the gardens of Paradise." [Source: "Mosque of the Prophet", TDV Islamic Encyclopedia, https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/mescid-i-nebevi]