The demolition or burning of Masjid al-Dirar (Arabic: مسجد الضرار‎), also referred to as the Masjid of Opposition, the Masjid of Dissent, or the Masjid of Harm is mentioned in the Qur'an. Masjid al-Dirar was a Medinian mosque that was erected close to the Quba' Masjid and which the Islamic prophet Mohammad(peace be upon him) initially approved of but subsequently had destroyed while he was returning from the Battle of Tabuk (which occurred in October 630 AD). There are two version of what happened in this event. . In the main account narrated by the majority of scholars, the masjid was built by twelve disaffected men from the Ansar on the commands of Abu 'Amir al-Rahib; a Christian monk who refused Mohammad's invitation to Islam and instead fought along with the Meccan non-Muslims against Islam in the Battle of Uhud. Abu 'Amir reportedly urged his men to establish a stronghold and prepare whatever they can of power and weapons as he promised and insinuated to them that he will lead an army, backed by Heraclius, to fight Mohammad (peace be upon him) and his companions, and defeat his message by expelling him from Medina. Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri however, also relates that the Masjid was built by some men who refused to pray in Masjid al-Quba because it was built in a place where a donkey was tied up.
Mohammad(peace be upon him) prepared himself to go to the Masjid, before he was prevented by a revelation about the hypocrisy and ill design of the builders of the Masjid
Mohammad (peace be upon him) and his companions believed they were Hypocrites (munafiqs) and had ulterior motives for building the Al-Dirar masjid. Thus he ordered his men to burn it down.
According to the Islamic tradition, Mohammad (peace be upon him) was asked to lead prayer there but received a revelation (mentioned in the Qur'anic verses 9:107 and 9:110) in consequence of which the masjid was destroyed by fire. Hencerforth, it was known as the Masjid of Opposition.
Accounts
Abu Amir ar- Rahib was a Hanif. Hanif's stood closer to Christianity than Judaism. He disliked Mohammad (peace be upon him), and reportedly fought in the Battle of Badr. He wanted to uphold the Medinaian status quo, which allowed him to practice his religion freely. He also joined the Quraysh against the Muslim in the Battle of Uhud. The Majority have said that Abu Amir asked the ruler of the Byzantine for help against Mohammad (peace be upon him). Mohammad's companion Abd-Allah ibn Ubayy was his nephew. Abu Amir died in 9AH or 10AH of the Islamic calendar in the courtyard of Heraclius.
There are 2 versions of what happened in this event.
First version
George Sale sates that the Mosque was built just before the Battle of Tabouk and was designed to "engage" Mohammad.
Mohammad (peace be upon him) prepared himself to go, but was forbidden by the revelation of a Quran verse.
Ibn Kathir mentions in his Tafsir that Abu `Amir Ar-Rahib (a Christian monk) told some disaffected Muslim Ansar to build the masjid. Abu Amir is reported to have said to some people that he will go to the emperor (Caesar) of the Byzantine Empire and return with Roman soldiers, to expel Mohammad (peace be upon him).
According to Ar-Rahīq al-Makhtum (the Sealed Nectar), a modern Islamic hagiography of Mohammad (peace be upon him) written by the Indian Muslim author Saif ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri, a mosque called Masjid-e-Darar (the mosque of harm) was created by the Munafiq (hypocrites). When the masjid was completely built, the creators approached Mohammad (peace be upon him) and asked him to pray in it. But Mohammad (peace be upon him) put the request on hold till his return from the Battle of Tabuk. Mubarakpuri claims that through a "Divine Revelation", Mohammad (peace be upon him) was told that the Masjid was promoting anti-Islamic elements. Thus, on Mohammad's (peace be upon him) return from Tabuk, he sent a party of Muslim fighters to demolish the masjid.
Second version
According to George Sale, one version states that the Banu Amir ibn Awf had built Masjid al-Quba and told Mohammad (peace be upon him) to pray in it, and he complied with the request. But their brother tribe Banu Ghan ibn Awf was jealous and also built a Masjid (Masjid al-Dirar).
Ahmad ibn Yahya al-Baladhuri also mentioned this. He said the Masjid was built by some men who refused to pray in Masjid al-Quba because it was built in a place where a donkey was tied up. Rather they said they will build another masjid until Abu Amir could lead the service in it. But Abu Amir did not convert to Islam, rather he left Medina and converted to Christianity. The Banu Amir ibn Awf built Masjid al-Quba and Mohammad (peace be upon him) led the prayer in it, but there brother tribe, the Banu Ghan ibn Auf were jealous and also wanted Mohammad (peace be upon him) to pray in the Masjid, they also said that: "Abu Amir may pass here on his way from Syria, and lead us in prayer" Mohammad (peace be upon him) prepared himself to go to the Masjid, before he was prevented by a revelation about the hypocrisy and ill design of the builders of the Masjid
Burning of Masjid al-Dirar
Details of the burning
When Mohammad (peace be upon him) was returning from Tabuk, the Muslims halted at Dhu Awan. Some Muslims constructed the masjid claiming it was for the sick and needy, but Mohammad (peace be upon him) knew that it was a masjid by hypocrites, he sent Muslim fighters to burn it down. According to author Richard Gabriel, the men entered the masjid and set fire to it with its people inside, "and the people ran away from it".
Analysis and speculation about the burning
Isma'il Qurban Husayn (translator of Tabari, Volume 9, Last years of the prophet) speculated by saying in footnote 426, that the people were "probably" linked to those who wanted to kill Mohammad (peace be upon him) in the Battle of Tabuk, but Tabari himself did not make that claim.
William Muir mentions that Mohammad (peace be upon him) believed the Masjid was built to create disunity among Muslims by drawing people away from another Masjid in Quba i.e. Masjid al-Quba, which was the first Masjid to be built by Muslims.
Mohammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab at-Tamimi (founder of the Wahabbi movement) mentioned in an abridged version of Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya biography of Mohammad (peace be upon him), Zad al-Ma'ad, that the masjid was burnt down, and he also used this event to justify his belief that burning down places of sin is permissible in Islam.
Islamic sources
Primary sources
The event is mentioned in the Quran verse 9:107, the verse states:
The Muslim scholar Ibn Kathir's commentary on this verse is as follows:
The event is mentioned by the Muslim jurist Tabari as follows:
Secondary sources
Mohammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab at-Tamimi (founder of the Wahabbi movement) mentioned in an abridged version of Ibn Qayyim Al-Jawziyya biography of Muhammad, Zad al-Ma'ad, about this event:
See also
- Masjid