Omar bin Abdul Aziz (RU) installed twenty doors during the extension of the Prophet’s Mosque in 91 Hijrah. Eight of these doors were in the eastern wall. Similarly eight doors were in western wall of the Mosque. Remaining four doors were in the northern wall of the mosque. 

When Caliph Mehdi Abbasi further extended the Mosque in 165 Hijrah, he did not install any additional door. However, the location of these doors was somewhat changed as needed.

Many historians have described the surrounding of the Mosque with reference to these twenty doors of Mehdi extension. Most of these doors assumed their names from the names of the companions or other persons whose homes happened to be situated near that door. Hence these doors were very helpful for the earlier scholars in searching for the location of various houses around the Mosque.

It will, therefore, be very appropriate to describe these twenty doors one by one to make ourselves familiar with them.

Eastern Doors

Door No.1: It was called Bab-un-Nabi. This name does not mean that Prophet Mohammad (SAS) used to enter and leave his home through this door. In fact this door did not exist at the time of the Prophet (SAS). This door, however, assumed above name since it happened to be opposite to the Hujrah of Aisha (RUA). This door was closed during a later extension and a window was installed at its location. This window still exists in the eastern wall of the mosque and has the following writing on top of it. Al-Ahzab # 56

Allah sends His Graces on the Prophet (SAS) and also His Angels ask Allah to bless him. O you who believe! Send your Salat on him (ask Allah to bless him) and greet him with the Islamic way of greeting.

Door No. 2: It was called Bab Ali since it was located opposite to Ali’s (RU) Hujrah. This door was also closed during a later extension and a window was also installed at its location. This window can be seen in the eastern wall of the present mosque. These two windows are between Bab Jibreel and Bab Baqee.

Door No. 3: It was called Bab Jibreel and it does exist even now.

Door No. 4: It was called Bab-un-Nisa and it does exist even now.

Door No. 5: This was opposite to the house of Asma bint Hussain bin Abdullah bin Obaidullah bin Abbas (RU).

Door No. 6: This door was opposite to the house of Khalid bin Waleed (RU).

The following wording was written inside this door

This extension is made by the order of Caliph Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi and was carried out by the workers of Basra during 162 H. This is where the Mehdi extension starts.

                       (History of Madina by Ibn Shubba and Vafa-ul-Vafa)

Door No. 7: This door was opposite to the route leading to open space used for toilet needs by women of Madina.

Door No. 8: This door was opposite to the houses built on donated land. This was the last door in the eastern wall.

Northern Doors

Door No. 9: It was opposite to the house of Hameed bin Abudur Rehman bin Auf (RU).

Door No. 10: It was opposite to the house of Abu Algais bin Mugheera.

Door No. 11,12: Both these doors were opposite to the Hujrah of Caliph’s freed slave Khalisa.

Western Doors

Door No. 13: This was opposite to the house of Abdullah (RU) son of Jaafar bin Abi Talib.

Door No. 14: It was opposite to house of Munira.

Door No. 15: It was opposite to the house of Sakina bint Husain (RUA).

Door No. 16: It was opposite to the house of Hassan bin Thabit (RU) who was a famous poet at the time of the Prophet (SAS).

Door No. 17: It was called Bab Rahmat and it does still exist.

Door No. 18: This was between Bab Abu Bakr (RU) and Bab Rahmat and was on the site of Bab Ziyad.

Door No. 19: It was known as Bab Abu Bakr and it does still exist.

Door No. 20: It was called Bab-us- Salam and it does still exist.