Mosque Alshaby Aljlyl Abw Bydt Bn Aljrah

The mosque of the noble companion Abu Ubaydah ibn al Jarrah, may God be pleased with him, stands in the Balatah neighbourhood of Nablus, in the West Bank of Palestine. Nablus itself is one of the most storied cities of Palestine, nestled between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal in the central highlands, and its ancient quarters contain some of the most important historical sites of the Levant. Abu Ubaydah ibn al Jarrah was among the ten companions given glad tidings of Paradise by the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and he is remembered as the commander who led the Muslim forces into the conquest of Palestine and Syria during the reign of the caliph Umar, may God be pleased with him. Several sites across the Levant carry his name, reflecting his passage through the region, and the mosque in Balatah stands among them. The building is a modest neighbourhood masjid in the Palestinian tradition: dressed stone walls of pale limestone cut from quarries near Nablus, a shallow dome finished in white plaster, a single square minaret, and a small courtyard for ablutions shaded by a venerable olive tree. Inside, the qibla wall is faced in polished stone with calligraphy from Surah al Baqarah, and the prayer hall is floored in green carpet. The congregation is drawn from Balatah, including families from the adjoining refugee camp whose roots reach back to villages of the coastal plain displaced in 1948. Daily prayers are observed with particular devotion, Jumu'ah sermons often touch on patience, the rights of neighbours, and the example set by the companions, may God be pleased with them. Ramadan fills the hall each evening with tarawih and community iftars of maqluba, rice, and olive oil from the surrounding West Bank groves. Eid prayer gathers the community at the adjacent open ground. Visitors reaching the site are advised to travel with knowledgeable local guides. Close by stand the archaeological site of Shechem at Tell Balatah, the ancient Samaritan community on Mount Gerizim, the old city of Nablus with its renowned soap factories and kunafa confectioners, the hot springs of Ain al Sultan north of the city, and the Turkish bath of al Shifa near the old saraya.