Sheikh Mohammed Bin Ibrahim Mosque, Riyadh

The Sheikh Mohammed bin Ibrahim Mosque, also known as Dakhna Grand Mosque, is an architectural and spiritual landmark originally founded in 1773 by Abdullah bin Muhammad Al Sheikh during the era of the First Saudi State. The mosque has long served as both a place of worship and a renowned centre of Islamic scholarship.

Over the centuries, the mosque underwent several reconstructions, with the most recent taking place between 2001 and 2005 as part of efforts to revitalize the Qasr al-Hukm District. It was formally reopened in December 2005, symbolizing both its deep historical legacy and its renewed role in the modern urban landscape. The main prayer hall features twenty-five substantial columns, each nine meters square.

Named in honour of Sheikh Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al ash‑Sheikh-who served as Saudi Arabia’s first Grand Mufti from 1953 until 1969 and led as imam of the mosque-the building honours his pivotal role in shaping religious life in modern Saudi Arabia. During his tenure, the mosque became famed for its dense schedule of Islamic and Hanbali jurisprudence teachings, drawing scholars and students daily from dawn until dusk.