Islam’s two holy mosques are witnessing the largest ever expansion in their history.
After launching the massive expansion works of the Grand Mosque in Makkah in Ramadhan last year, King Abdullah has now issued an order to expand the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, a move described as “unprecedented”. Under the move, the central Haram area will be expanded threefold. Once the three-phase expansion is completed, the mosque will have a total area of 1.1 million square meters with the capacity to accommodate an additional 1.6 million worshippers.
The historic expansion will be made as part of a comprehensive plan that also encompasses development of the central Haram area and underdeveloped neighbourhoods. While lauding King Abdullah’s care in serving the two holy mosques and improving the facilities for the growing number of Haj and Umrah pilgrims, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, described the new expansion work of the Prophet’s Mosque as unprecedented.
He said the first phase of the expansion would cover construction of multi-storey buildings within the periphery of the existing northern courtyard, and the flat roof of the entire mosque structure after the expansion would have a total area of about 1.1 million square meters. There will be a main gate for the new building with two main minarets and two side minarets at the corners of the building.