Masjid Quba Hadith: Reward, 2 Rak’ahs and What to Recite

Many visitors to Madinah search for one thing before they go to Quba: what exactly should I do there? The authentic Masjid Quba hadith answer it simply. Purify yourself at home, go to the mosque, and pray, and the reward is like that of an Umrah.

Masjid Quba’ stands on the southern edge of Madinah, around 3.5 kilometers from Masjid Nabawi. It was the first mosque the Prophet ﷺ built after the Hijrah, when he stopped at Quba’ before entering Madinah. Here is what the authentic hadith say about praying there.

1. The Masjid Quba hadith: a reward like an Umrah

Sahl bin Hunaif (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:

The hadith links the reward to two steps: purifying yourself at home first, then coming to Quba’ to pray. Usaid bin Zuhair al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported the same reward in a shorter wording:

A third narration in Sunan an-Nasa’i 699 (Hasan, Darussalam) says the same: whoever goes out to Masjid Quba’ and prays there has a reward equal to an Umrah.

Try this: make wudu at your hotel or home before you leave, so your visit starts the way the hadith describes.

2. He prayed two rak’ahs there

Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) described what the Prophet ﷺ did once he arrived:

This is the authentic basis for the two rak’ahs many people ask about. The same addition appears in Sahih al-Bukhari 1194. The hadith give no special wording for the intention or the recitation in these two rak’ahs.

Try this: when you enter Masjid Quba’, pray two rak’ahs before you sit down or take photos.

3. Every Saturday, walking or riding

Ibn Umar also described how regular these visits were:

Ibn Umar kept this habit himself. In Sahih al-Bukhari 1191, Nafi’ reports that when Ibn Umar entered Masjid Quba’ he disliked leaving it without praying. HadeethEnc explains that “every Saturday” means the Prophet ﷺ set aside particular days for the visit.

Try this: if you are in Madinah over a Saturday, plan your Quba’ visit for that day, walking part of the way if you can.

4. A mosque founded on taqwa

Allah describes a mosque “founded on righteousness from the first day” in Surah at-Tawbah, in contrast to the mosque the hypocrites built to cause harm (9:107):

Tafsir Ibn Kathir explains the verse as referring to Masjid Quba’. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the second half of the verse was revealed about the people of Quba’:

Try this: treat purity as part of the visit, not a formality: a careful wudu is how the people of Quba’ earned this praise.

5. Which mosque did he mean?

When Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ which of the two mosques was founded on taqwa, he pointed to his own mosque in Madinah:

So both mosques are described as founded on taqwa: Quba’ through the verse and its context, and Masjid Nabawi through this hadith. You can read more about the second in Reward of Praying in Masjid Nabawi.

Try this: visit both mosques on your trip, and pray in each with the same care.

Masjid Quba dua: what to recite when you enter

No dua specific to Masjid Quba’ is narrated in these hadith. What the Prophet ﷺ taught is the dua for entering any mosque, narrated by Abu Usaid (may Allah be pleased with him):

In the same hadith, he taught that when leaving the mosque you say: “O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty.” Beyond that, you can make any dua you wish in your own words during your prayer there.

Bringing it together

Reflection: the reward of an Umrah here comes from something small and repeatable. Wudu at home, a short walk or ride, two rak’ahs. The Prophet ﷺ did not visit Quba’ once in his life; he made it part of his week. That is a reminder that great reward often sits inside simple habits kept with sincerity.

Questions people ask

Key lessons

• One prayer in Masjid Quba’ carries a reward like an Umrah (Ibn Majah 1412).
• Purify yourself at home before you set out.
• The Prophet ﷺ prayed two rak’ahs there (Muslim 1399b).
• He visited it every Saturday, walking or riding (Bukhari 1193).
• No special dua is narrated for Quba’; use the dua for entering any mosque.

Part of our Salah series: see all our salah articles in one place.

If you are travelling to Madinah, I highly recommend visiting Masjid Quba’ after Masjid Nabawi. Take a moment there to reflect on its history and the Sirah behind this beautiful mosque.

May Allah grant you the reward of an Umrah for the prayer you offer there.

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