Yammama Mosque

Mosque Name: Yammama Mosque

Country: Saudi Arabia

City: Yamama/Al-Kharaj

Year of construction (AH): unknown

Year of construction (AD): 8th century

GPS: 24°11’31.79”N 47°21’7.27”E

Gibson Classification: Between

Rebuilt facing Mecca: never

For a Link to the Qibla Tool Click Here

Description:

For years it was thought that this mosque had been lost. But the Saudi-French Mission during 2011-2012 survey identified a large building, which when excavated in 2012 proved to be the Yammama mosque. As you can see in the photograph below, there are two mihrabs on the right wall. It appears as if these face 280 degrees, which is towards the Between position but somewhat south.

What makes this exciting, is that this mosque is located south of the Between position, meaning that it has to point northward, rather than south to Mecca. This is one of the only mosques in this unique position. The Qibla is not some mistake or error. It points within 10 degrees to the Between position and clearly demonstrates that the Between position actually existed, as it is not some mistake when pointing south to Mecca. Some have called this mosque an enigma, but it fits nicely into the pattern of Between mosques being built at the time of General Hajjaj. This mosque is a good example of a mosque built just north of Mecca, but facing north, not south towards Mecca.