The Prophet's Masjid inside out

Early afternoon, we were honored to be taught by female teachers in the prophet’s masjid, and were reminded of the greatness of our predecessors, scholars of the caliber of Abu Hurairah (ra) and Saad bin Mu’ad (ra). We learned the lessons of sacrifice in the quest for knowledge, and the importance of supplicating to our Lord relentlessly.

Right after class, we had the privilege to enter an area of the masjid unknown to the general public. We visited the control room, where the masjid's schematics and its supporting facilities challenged our knowledge of architecture, engineering, and control systems. Our guide explained the intricacies of the design, capacity, and coordination of all systems that go into making the masjid safe and comfortable for its worshippers.

He spoke about the moving domes that can be open to regulate air circulation, about the cooling system working through subterranean pipes 7 km away from the masjid, about the power supply sites and generators, pumps, switching boards, and fire prevention systems.

We proceeded to another area underground, below the masjid’s front courtyard, where we had the opportunity to watch a display of photographs on the the recent expansion of the masjid. We were then seated and shown a video on the history of the masjid’s expansion.

The masjid is indeed a jewel in its architectural structure and engineering systems, designed with utmost professionalism, expertise and the latest technology and equipment available. My kind of place!