Deeply rooted in history, Uhud Camii stands as a testament to time. Today, let’s unravel the story of this mosque closely tied to the battle of Uhud.
Uhud Camii is at the foot of Uhud Mountain. It sits behind the combat zone about 700-800 meters away. It serves as a monument to a significant event. The Prophet strategically positioned Muslim fighters facing Medina. Their backs were to the hills of Uhud Mountain. The enemy army stood between the Muslims and Medina.
The earliest mention of Uhud Camii comes from Umar b. Shibbah al-Basri. He referenced it in his book “Tarikh al-Madinah al-Munawwarah.” He noted the Prophet prayed in a small mosque at the foot of Uhud Mountain. Umar b. Shibbah considered the mosque important. He mentioned it as the first of Medina’s mosques where the Prophet prayed. This was after the Prophet’s mosque and Quba Mosque. Later historians agreed this was Masjid al-Fash.
Umar b. Abd al-Aziz, the Umayyad governor of Medina, might have initially built Uhud Camii. After expanding the Prophet’s Mosque, he asked locals to show him ancient mosques where the Prophet prayed. At each site, he built a mosque with incised stones. This immortalized these places. One such place was Masjid al-Fash. During Umar b. Shibbah’s time, the mosque was still standing and in use.
Jamaluddin al-Matari also mentioned the mosque in his work. He noted that after the battle of Uhud, the Prophet performed prayers at this site. By al-Matari’s time, however, the mosque was nearly destroyed.
Near the mosque towards Makkah, there was a carved place in the mountain. It was the size of a human head. People believed the Prophet rested his head there. North of the mosque, there was a cave 150 meters up the mountain. Some suspected the Prophet entered it after withdrawing from the battle. Jamaluddin al-Matari dismissed these beliefs as folktales.
Al-Samahudi, in his book, didn’t mention these fallacies when speaking about Masjid al-Fash. He relied on the views of Umar b. Shibbah and Jamaluddin al-Matari. Today, Uhud Camii lies partly in ruins, though somewhat refurbished. Traces of its ground plan remain. The south qiblah wall stands at about two meters. The mihrab is discernible.
The qiblah wall was thick, adding to its sturdiness. The mosque was rectangular, about six meters long and four meters wide. Walls vary in thickness. The qiblah wall is 1.1 meters thick. The other walls are about 0.8 meters thick. The mosque was constructed from Medina’s dark lava stone.
Most of the mosque’s remnants likely date back to the Ottoman period. Historians of the Ottoman period speak of the mosque as a subsisting entity. Ali b. Musa al-Afandi referred to it as complete, but without a roof in 1885. Before the Ottomans, the mosque was derelict. The Ottomans rebuilt it. In modern times, it has again fallen into neglect.
Recently, there have been efforts to restore Uhud Camii. The Al Madinah Region Development Authority led the initiative. Plans included preserving the mosque’s remnants. Beautifying the surroundings and creating a wooden canopy were also considered.
The mosque is called al-Fash, meaning “giving place to” or “spaciousness.” The reason for this name is unknown. Some connect it to a verse about making space in assemblies. However, scholars and historians do not support this connection. The mosque is also called the mosque of Uhud. It was built at the base of Uhud Mountain. The mosque and the landscape of Uhud were organically connected.
It’s worth noting a typographical error in modern editions of al-Samahudi’s work. The mosque is misspelled as “masjid al-qabih.” Muhammad Ilyas Abd al-Ghani clarified this was an error. Thus, al-Samahudi is absolved of any wrongdoing. As we stand here, remember the echoes of history. Consider the layers of time and faith that have shaped this sacred space. Uhud Camii stands not just as a structure. It stands as a symbol of resilience and remembrance.