Al Rajhi Mosque

Al Rajhi Mosque
جامع الراجحي
Al Rajhi Mosque, 2024
Religion
Affiliation	Sunni Islam
Location
Location	Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Municipality	Al-Sulay
Geographic coordinates	24°40′38″N 46°46′44″E / 24.67722°N 46.77889°E / 24.67722; 46.77889
Architecture
Founder	Sulaiman al-Rajhi
Funded by	Sulaiman al-Rajhi
Date established	26 September 2004
Specifications
Capacity	20,000
Interior area	13,260 square metres (3.28 acres)
Dome(s)	1
Dome height (outer)	37 m
Dome dia. (outer)	28.8 m
Minaret(s)	2
Minaret height	55 m
Site area	43,568 square metres (10.766 acres)

Sheikh Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Mosque (Arabic: جامع الشيخ سليمان الراجحي), simply known as Al-Rajhi Mosque (Arabic: جامع الراجحي), is a Friday mosque in the al-Jazirah neighborhood of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Opened in 2004, it is the largest mosque in Riyadh and one of the most popular landmarks of the city besides being considered among the largest mosques in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. It is named after the Saudi businessman and billionaire Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz al-Rajhi, who primarily funded the mosque's construction.^[1][2][3][4]

The construction of the mosque was financed by Saudi businessman Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz al-Rajhi. The mosque was set to replace an old mosque of the same name situated in the east of al-Safa neighborhood since 1985.

The mosque is locally known for providing Islamic funerary services to the deceased, such as ritual baths and prayers, which was previously located in the al-Rabwah neighborhood.^[5][6][7]

The mosque was inaugurated on 26 September 2004 by the-then governor of Riyadh, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.^[8] Around two months after its inauguration, local street vendors had turned the mosque's eastern parking lot into an open-air marketplace, resulting in overcrowding and disorder.^[9] The local Al-Riyadh daily reported the issue and asked the city's municipal authorities to intervene in the matter.^[9]

The mosque's library was opened in 2005, which initially contained around 3 thousand books, which by 2013, increased to around 16 thousand books and 47 thousand volumes.^[10]

The mosque hosted the funeral prayers of Saudi businessman and philanthropist Saleh bin Abdulaziz al-Rajhi, the founder of Al Rajhi Bank upon his death in 2011.^[11] In 2012, the mosque also hosted the funeral prayers of Mohamed bin Abdulaziz al-Rajhi, the brother to both Saleh and Sulaiman.^[12]

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared coronavirus a global pandemic. Weeks later, King Salman announced a three-week nationwide curfew, barring all types of gatherings across Saudi Arabia.^[13] Al Rajhi Mosque subsequently got closed to worshippers until June 2020,^[14] when the Saudi government eased restrictions and worshippers were allowed in limited numbers provided that they maintain social distancing. In 2021, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs recognized Al Rajhi Mosque as one of the 12 mosques in Riyadh designated for Islamic funerary rituals in order to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.^[15][16]