MOSQUE AS-SABAQ (OF HORSE RACING)
The Mosque of Horse Racing.
The Prophet ﷺ and Horses
Many people do not know that the Prophet ﷺ deeply loved horses. And that he organized horse races in Medina.
This is one of the forgotten dimensions of his life — that of a man rooted in his time, who practiced the sports of his era, who enjoyed physical activities, and who knew how to reward the best with meticulous fairness.
The Authentic Hadith
Abdullah ibn Umar (رضي الله عنه) reported: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ organized races between trained horses (al-mudammar). The start was from 'al-Hafyaa' and the finish at 'Thaniyat al-Wada'. And for untrained horses, the start was from Thaniyat al-Wada and the finish at the Mosque of Banu Zurayq." (Sahih al-Bukhari no. 2868 · Sahih Muslim no. 1870)
The distance between Al-Hafyaa and Thaniyat al-Wada' was about 5 to 6 km. For untrained horses, about 1 km. The Prophet ﷺ adjusted the distance to the condition of the animal — a demonstration of compassion towards horses.
The Teaching
1. Sports are permissible and encouraged — horse racing, archery, swimming, wrestling, walking
2. Fairness takes precedence over pure competition — adjust to the level
3. Gambling is only permitted in certain cases — horses, camels, archery (military utility)
"No betting except on the hoof, the split hoof, or the arrow." (Sunan Abu Dawud · Tirmidhi)
Why This Mosque
The Mosque As-Sabaq was built at the traditional location of the arrival of prophetic races. It reminds us that:
1. The Prophet ﷺ fully lived his life as an Arab man of the 7th century
2. Islam is not a religion of austerity — it is a religion of balance
3. The Muslim community was born in a culture that practiced, played, ran, laughed, and worshiped Allah together.