Qantara Mosque (Masjid Madhoon) - Taif

Taif is located 70km from Makkah, and one of the historical places it is known for is the Qantara Mosque.

Structure

Qantara Mosque is also known as Al-Madhoun Mosque and it is a small Masjid that is located in Al-Mathnah neighborhood and was built around 162 years ago. Built during the Ottoman era, the design of the mosque was inspired from Abbasid architecture due to this it gives off the impression of being ancient. The mosque has retained its old fashioned structure even on the inside and has a very distinctive minaret that is unlike any other. The circular minaret looks like a cylinder and ends with a spherical peak. A cyclic ladder leads up to the top of the minaret along with a door that opens to the roof of the Masjid. People can climb up the minaret and view the fields, hilly slopes, and mountains.

History

On the opposite side of the mosque is a farm where Prophet Muhammad rested after he was expelled from Taif. This area was known for its fruits at that time. In that farm, the Prophet was then offered fruit by a grape farmer who was a Christian and later converted to Islam. Locals claim that this is where Hazrat Ali performed his official tasks as well. Pilgrims like to visit the mosque and offer two rakat nafl prayers in it.