Masjid al-Ji’rranah

Masjid al-Ji’rranah (Arabic: مسجد الجعرانة) is situated approximately 24km north-east of Masjid al-Haram and is one of the Miqat places where pilgrims enter into the state of Ihram for the performance of Umrah. In the year 8 AH the Prophet (ﷺ) camped in this location for a few days after the Battle of Hunayn, entered into the state of Ihram and then proceeded to Makkah for Umrah.

Origin of the name Ji’rranah

• This area has been named after a woman from the Quraysh who belonged to the Banu Tameen tribe. Her name was Reeta and her title was Ji’irranah. She was mentally unstable and spent the entire day knitting cloth and then tearing it up in shreds. According to a narration of Abdullah bin Abbas (رضي الله عنه), it is this very lady that the Quran refers to in Surah Nahl where it states:

And do not become like the woman who, after painstakingly spun her yarn, caused it to disintegrate into pieces…“

(Quran 16:92)

Distribution of the Booty after the Battle of Hunanyn

• In the year 8 AH, the Muslim army camped a few days at Ji’irranah, where the Prophet (ﷺ) distributed the booty the Muslims had captured from the Hawaazin tribe during the Battle of Hunayn. When this was done, the people of the Hawaazin came to the Prophet (ﷺ) in repentance and requested to have their prisoners and wealth back.
• The Prophet (ﷺ) gave them the option of settling for either their prisoners or their wealth. When they opted for their prisoners, the Prophet (ﷺ) instructed the Sahabah to hand over the prisoners to them. The Sahabah did so obligingly. That evening, the Prophet (ﷺ) entered into the state of Ihram for Umrah and after completing the Umrah, he left for Madinah the same night.

An interesting incident at Ji’rranah

• It was here at Ji’rranah that an incident took place which was a great source of pride for the Ansar. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave large shares of the booty to the people with the intention of winning them over to Islam and to strengthen the conviction of the new Muslims.
• Because none of the Ansar received such generous sums, some Ansar youth were disturbed by it. This news reached the Prophet (ﷺ) who gathered the Ansar and proclaimed, “O assembly of Ansar! Does it not please you that while others may take goats and sheep home with them, you will be taking the Messenger of Allah home with you?” This filled their eyes with tears and they expressed their pleasure with the distribution.

• It was also at Ji’irranah that the following verse of the Quran in Surah Baqarah was revealed:

And complete the Hajj and Umrah exclusively for Allaah … “

(Quran 2:196)

References: The History of Makkah Mukarramah – Dr. Muhammad Ilyas Abdul Ghani