Life of Ahmad — Page 119
as MASJID MUB A RAK 119 Mecca. Then the believers began to pray in a house. The simple mosque at Medina consisted of a courtyard open to the sky enclosed by walls of sunbaked clay. As a protection from the sun the Holy Prophet sa later extended the flat roof (palm leaves and clay) from his adjacent house to cover the whole open court. The first mosque erected in a conquered land was that of Basrah. This place of prayer was at first an open space fenced round with reeds. The edifice was later rebuilt of clay and sun-dried bricks and the roof was covered with grass. The Masjid Mub a rak was built under a Divine command. Ahmad as recieved several revelations concerning it. i. e. There are blessings for the people in this mosque and he who enters it enters into peace. The following revelation contains the date of its construction (1300) i. e. Blessor and blessed is this mosque and everything blessed takes place in it. This mosque is considerably extended now towards the south. It was first extended in 1907 and then in 1944. Prayers are also offered in the open space on the flat roof of the mosque according to weather. I give below its dimensions: