Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques

Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques aims to restore and develop 130 historical mosques in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. People have stopped visiting these mosques for decades due to their decay and the destruction of their structures. The project was launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, crown prince and prime minister. It is equally supervised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah, and Guidance, the Ministry of Tourism, the Heritage Commission which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, and the Saudi Heritage Preservation Society.

The project was inaugurated in 2018 to develop and rehabilitate 130 historical mosques in ten regions in the Kingdom. During the first phase, thirty mosques were completed in 2020, at a cost of SAR50 million within 423 days.

Al-Dakhlah historical mosque in Sudayr prior the restoration process. (SPA)

The oldest mosque targeted by the project is around 1,432 years old, and the newest is sixty years old. Some of them date back to the times of the Prophet's Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, while others stood as a beacon of knowledge across different eras.

Prior to the restoration process, the architectural and historical dimensions of each mosque were studied and documented. Moreover, the challenges and factors that brought the mosques to their current state were examined before the restoration began in order to determine the suitable methods of rehabilitation and development for each mosque.

After hundreds of modern mosques were built during the Kingdom's renaissance period, people neglected ancient mosques over the years, which is the main reason for their decay, and thus the need to be restored.

The project's implementation depends on Saudi companies with experience in rehabilitating and restoring heritage buildings to preserve the architectural style of each individual mosque since its establishment, and taking into consideration the minute details reflective of its spirit and identity.

A picture of the interior of al-Dakhlah Historical Mosque, which is over five hundred years old, in al-Majma'ah Governorate. (Saudipedia)

The historical Qasr al-Sharia in al-Hayathem before the restoration process. (SPA)

Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques provides a number of contemporary services for mosques that fall within the scope of the project’s work. These services include: services for people with special needs, women's prayer rooms, service facilities such as audio systems, in addition to air conditioning and lighting through urban methods designed to integrate modern services with old urban buildings.

The importance of those historical mosques targeted by the project stems from the characteristics they acquired over time. They were used as shelters for passers-by, as a meeting spot for villagers on special occasions, and as a place to debate important matters and resolve conflicts.

Mosques rehabilitated and developed in Riyadh include: Al-Dakhlah Mosque in Sudayr, al-Zarka Mosque in Tharmada'a, al-Tuwaim in the town of al-Tuwaim, Qasr al-Sharia in al-Hayathem, al-Mansaf in al-Zulfi, and Sudayra Mosque in Shaqra. Furthermore, many mosques were rebuilt in Makkah al-Mukarramah, such as Suleiman (PBUH) Mosque, and al-Bajali Mosque in Taif Governorate.

In the Eastern Province, al-Habeesh Mosque and Mosque of Abu Bakr were restored, in addition to the rehabilitation of al-Saru Mosque in Aseer, al-Nasb in Abha, Sader Ayd and Akasha mosques in al-Namas, and al-Madfat Mosque in Billasmar. In al-Qassim Province, al-Ajlan and al-Muqbil mosques in Buraydah were restored, in addition to al-Barqa'a in al-Asyah, and the old mosque of Uqlat as-Suqur. In al-Baha, al-Atawlah and al-Dhafir heritage mosques, as well as al-Malad Mosque were restored. In Jazan, Taboot Mosque on Farasan Island was also rebuilt.

In Hail, al-Mughayda, Qafar, al-Jaloud Mosque in Sumaira'a were rehabilitated. In al-Jawf Province, al-Ruhaybeen Mosque in Sakaka, al-Hadeetha, and al-Issawiya Mosques were restored, in addition to Abu Bakr Mosque in Najran.

The work of the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Project for the Development of Historical Mosques' second phase continued to include thirty mosques in all thirteen provinces of the Kingdom. They were distributed as follows: six mosques in Riyadh, five in Makkah al-Mukarramah, four in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, three in Aseer, two in the Eastern Province, two in al-Jawf and Jazan, and one in each of the Northern Borders, Tabuk, al-Bahah, Najran, Hail, and al-Qassim.

In 2023, the second phase of the project included al-Jami' Mosque in the city of Duba, Tabuk Province, which is considered one of the oldest historical mosques and a heritage symbol in the province.