Initially, when the mosque was first built, it was situated some 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) south of Medina in the village of Quba, before Medina expanded to include this village. Depending on whether the Mosque of the Companions in the Eritrean city of Massawa is older or not, it may be the first mosque in the world that dates to the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad in the early 7th century CE.

According to one tradition it is believed, this is the mosque, where first Friday Prayer (Salat al-Jummah) was offered.

The current structure was designed by the Driehaus Prize winner and New Classical architect Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil. Initially it was planned that the older structure will be incorporated in the new one, but this idea was abandoned and the older building was torn down entirely.

One of the gates of Masjid an-Nabawi, the Bab Quba, is named after the village where this mosque is located.

circa 622 CE

When prophet Muhammad arrived here, the area was inhabited by the tribe of Bani Amr bin Auf. According to a tradition, at the time, there was a water well at the site as well, probably owned by Abu Ayub Ansari.

According to tradition, its first stones (foundation-stones) were positioned by prophet Muhammad as soon as he arrived on his emigration from the city of Mecca to Medina, and the mosque was completed by his companions. Prophet Muhammad is said to have spent 14 days in this mosque praying qaṣr (a short prayer) while waiting for Ali to arrive in Medina.

After it was first constructed during the lifetime of prophet Muhammad, it has been renovated quite often, subsequently. The third Caliph Uthman ibn Affan made the first renovations. Then again Caliph Omar bin Abdul Aziz built the mosque’s first minaret. It was renovated again in 1043 CE (435 Hj.) by Abu Yali Al-Husaini who constructed a prayer niche known as the "Mihrab". In the year 1160 CE (555 Hj.), several additions were made to the mosque by Kamal Al-Din Al-Isfahani. Successive renovations of the mosque took place in the years 1272, 1332, 1436, 1476 CE (671, 733, 840, 881 Hj. respectively), and the latest changes were made in the era of Sultan Abdul Majid in the year 1830 CE (1245 Hj.) during the era of the Ottoman Empire.

circa 622 CE

Domes and Minarets
It total the mosque has 54 domes of three sizes, out of which 48 are small domes, five mid-sized domes and one is the large one built over the mihrab area. Mosque building has four minarets, one on each corner. Originally, there was one minaret, the new renovations included the addition of the other three minarets, they rest on square bases, have octagonal shafts which take on a circular shape as they reach the top.

circa 622 CE

Central Courtyard
The courtyard of this mosque is constructed out of black, red, and white marble. The courtyard, is flagged with black, red and white marble. It is screened overhead by day from the scorching heat with shades. Arabesque latticework filters the light of the palm groves outside.

circa 622 CE

Minbar and Mihrab
Along with majority of the internal architecture, the minbar and mihrab are all composed of white marble as well.