Women prayer areas at Masjid Nabawi

A Guide to Women Prayer Areas at Masjid Nabawi: Gates, Landmarks & Tips

ByVisitalmadinah
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A Guide to Women Prayer Areas at Masjid Nabawi: Gates, Landmarks & Tips

For female visitors, understanding the layout of the Prophet’s Mosque is key to a comfortable experience. The most important gates to find dedicated women prayer areas at Masjid Nabawi are on the eastern and western sides, leading directly to spacious, well-equipped sections on the mezzanine levels.

Here are the most practical gate numbers to remember, paired with easy-to-spot landmarks.

Key Gates for Women Prayer Areas at Masjid Nabawi

This section details the specific gates that provide the best access to the women’s facilities.

Gate 25: Bāb as-Salām (The Gate of Peace)

  • Landmark: This is one of the main historical gates on the western side. It is very large and famous.
  • For Women: It provides excellent access to women prayer areas at Masjid Nabawi on the western mezzanine level. It’s a highly recommended entrance.

Gate 35: Bāb Jibrīl (The Gate of Gabriel)

  • Landmark: Located on the eastern side, this gate is of great historical importance.
  • For Women: It offers direct access to the women’s sections on the eastern side, close to the original Ottoman mosque.

Gate 36: Bāb ar-Raḥmah (The Gate of Mercy)

  • Landmark: Also on the western side, near the southwestern corner. It is another famous historical gate.
  • For Women: Its access to the women prayer areas at Masjid Nabawi is very convenient and well-signposted.

Gates 37, 38, 39

  • Landmark: These gates are clustered on the southeastern side, near the garden of Baqīʿ al-Gharqad (the famous cemetery).
  • For Women: This area is crucial as it is often where the dedicated entrance and queue for visiting the Rawdah (The Noble Garden) is located.

Gates 4, 5, 6 (King Abdullah Gates)

  • Landmark: Part of the modern northern expansion. These gates are massive, ornate, and face a large open plaza.
  • For Women: They provide access to the modern, vast women’s prayer halls on the upper levels, which are often less crowded.

This suggested route helps you experience the mosque’s spiritual highlights and find the different prayer areas.

  • Start in the South (Gates 37-39): Begin your visit at the southeastern gates. This is where you can join the line to visit the sacred Rawdah area.
  • Move to the Historic West (Gates 25 & 36): Walk along the western side. Enter through Gate 25 (Bāb as-Salām) to see the beautiful women prayer areas at Masjid Nabawi and get a panoramic view.
  • End in the North (Gates 4-6): Finish your tour by heading to the modern northern expansion. The women’s areas here are incredibly spacious and peaceful, perfect for longer prayer.

Essential Arabic Phrases to Find Women Prayer Areas at Masjid Nabawi

Using these simple phrases will help you ask for directions confidently.

  • Asking for the Area:
    • Arabic: أين مكان مصلى النساء؟
    • Transliteration: Ayna makān muṣallā an-nisāʾ?
    • Meaning: “Where is the location of the women’s prayer area?”
  • Asking for a Gate:
    • Arabic: أين الباب رقم …؟
    • Transliteration: Ayna al-bāb raqam…?
    • Meaning: “Where is Gate Number…?”
  • Asking for the Rawdah:
    • Arabic: أين مدخل الروضة للنساء؟
    • Transliteration: Ayna madkhal ar-Rawḍah li-n-nisāʾ?
    • Meaning: “Where is the entrance to the Rawdah for women?”

Tip: Start any question with “عذرًا” (ʿUḏran – Excuse me) and end with “شكرًا” (Shukran – Thank you).