RIYADH: Located in the heart of the historic village of Laynah, in the Rafha governorate of the Northern Borders region, Laynah Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in the province.
It stands out with its traditional construction style using mud bricks, stones, palm fronds, and Athel wood and still hosts prayer meetings.
Mohammed Al-Dulaim, a history enthusiast from Laynah, told the Saudi Press Agency that the mosque was established around 1951.
At the time, Sheikh Abdullah bin Dulaim had requested then Hail Gov. Prince Abdulaziz bin Musaid bin Jiluwi to choose a location for the mosque outside the Emirate Palace. Laynah was part of the Hail region at the time.
Sheikh Abdullah was considered the first teacher and educator of the Katatib stage, which was the first stage of informal education in the region. He used to gather his students in the palace mosque to teach them the Holy Qur’an and the principles of reading and writing.
Construction began using mud and stone on a 600-square-meter area, Al-Dulaim said. It includes a well which provides water for the worshippers to drink and perform wudu (ablution).
The mosque was built in the traditional Najdi style, with beautiful columns, Qur’an shelves inside the walls, and magnificent lanterns.
It can accommodate more than 200 worshippers and is located near to the old market. Established in 1933, the market is one of the oldest in the Northern Borders region and was the largest commercial center in the Kingdom in the mid-20th century.
The market is an important heritage site, spanning 5,000 square meters and housing around 80 shops.
