Renewal and Expansion of Masjid al-Nabawi ﷺ and the Issue of Mosque Decoration
Excerpt taken from Sheikh Muhammad Munir Qamar’s book Ahkam al-Masajid
◈ Renewal and Expansion of Masjid al-Nabawi ﷺ
During the blessed era of the Prophet ﷺ, Masjid al-Nabawi was built with bricks, its roof was made of palm branches and leaves, and its pillars were palm trunks. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (RA) made no additions to it.
Later, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab (RA) expanded the mosque, but he maintained the same simplicity: walls of bricks, roof of palm branches, and pillars of palm trunks.
Afterwards, ʿUthman ibn ʿAffan (RA) expanded it further. He built its walls with engraved stones and lime, its pillars of decorated stone, and its roof of teak wood. This is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari (1/540, Kitab al-Salat, Bab Bunyān al-Masjid) from Ibn ʿUmar (RA) and also from Abu Saʿid al-Khudri (RA).
◈ ʿUmar (RA)’s Warning Against Ornamentation
When ʿUmar (RA) renovated Masjid al-Nabawi, he said:
أكن الناس من المطر
"I am sheltering people from the rain."
إياك أن تحمر وتصفر فتفتن الناس
"Beware! Do not paint it red or yellow, for this will cause fitnah for the people."
This demonstrates the strict prohibition against using decorations or colors that distract worshippers during Salah.
Ibn Battal explained that ʿUmar (RA) derived this understanding from the Prophet ﷺ returning Abu Juham’s cloth because its patterns distracted him in prayer:
إنها ألهتني عن صلاتي
"It distracted me from my prayer."
(Fath al-Bari 1/539)
◈ Hadith on Adorning Mosques
Reported from ʿUmar (RA):
ما ساء عمل قوم قط إلا زخرفوا مساجدهم
"Whenever a people’s actions become corrupt, they begin to adorn their mosques."
(Sunan Ibn Majah 741)
Though the chain includes Jabārah ibn Mughallis (criticized by scholars), the meaning aligns with other reports and the practice of the Salaf.
◈ ʿUthman (RA)’s Expansion and Reactions of the Sahabah
During ʿUthman’s caliphate, abundant wealth in Bayt al-Mal allowed more elaborate construction. He rebuilt the walls with engraved stone, pillars of stone, and roof with teak wood imported from India. Although this was not excessive luxury, it marked a departure from earlier simplicity.
This change was heavy on the hearts of some Sahabah and Tabiʿin, who did not view it with approval. According to Ibn Taymiyyah (al-Jawab al-Bahir, Majmuʿ al-Fatawa 27/418), most of the Sahabah and Tabiʿin did not agree with ʿUthman’s expansion. Similar comments are mentioned in Fath al-Bari (1/540, 1/545), and even Kaʿb al-Ahbar (RA) is named in this regard.
Thus, the general attitude of the Prophet ﷺ, the Khulafaʾ Rashidun, and the Sahabah was one of simplicity—they disliked ornamental beautification of mosques. Decoration began only in the later period, first introduced by Walid ibn ʿAbd al-Malik, and most scholars remained silent out of fear of fitnah.
◈ Opinions on Permissibility
Some scholars allowed decoration under certain conditions. Among them was Imam Abu Hanifah (RA), who permitted it provided:
① It was not done for pride or ostentation but purely out of respect for the mosque.
② The expense was not taken from Bayt al-Mal but from personal wealth.
As al-Badr ibn al-Munir explained:
لما شيد الناس بيوتهم وزخرفوها ناسب أن يفعل ذلك بالمساجد صونا لها عن الاستهانة
"When people built lofty, decorated houses, it was fitting to treat mosques similarly to prevent them from being looked down upon."
(Fath al-Bari 1/541, Nayl al-Awtar 2/1/150)
◈ Ibn Hajar’s Response
Hafiz Ibn Hajar critiqued this reasoning, stating:
- If the prohibition was only about avoiding luxury, then Ibn al-Munir’s point is valid.
- But if the reason was distraction of worshippers, then the prohibition remains—since distraction still exists today.
Thus, the stronger opinion is that prohibition was due to distraction in prayer, not merely imitating the austerity of the Salaf.
◈ Summary
- The Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr (RA), and ʿUmar (RA) kept mosques extremely simple.
- ʿUthman (RA) introduced some decorated construction, but it was not widely approved.
- Scholars generally disapprove of mosque ornamentation as it distracts worshippers.
- Some allowed limited beautification if free of pride, using personal funds, and without distracting decorations.
- The ideal balance today: mosques can be built spacious and beautiful, but kept simple, without floral patterns, images, or intricate designs. Walls should remain plain (white or cream), maintaining beauty without violating the prophetic guidance.
