What Scholars say about the Mihraab

Mihraab is a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the Qiblah; that is the direction of the Ka’bah.

Shaykh al-Albaanee said:

As regards the mihraab in the mosque, what is apparent is that it is an innovation because we have not come across any narration which indicates that it was in existence during the era of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam); and it is established from him (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) that he said: “Avoid these mihraabs.” Recorded by al-Bayhaqee and the chain is hasan. 

ath-Thamr al-Mustataab, (1/472)

Shaykh Ibn Baaz said:

The mihraab is not an innovation. In fact it was constructed by the righteous predecessors from the end of the first generation till this day of ours. It has a lot of benefits as it indicates that this is a mosque, and it also shows the direction of the Qiblah. So through it, people would recognize the direction of the Qiblah. It may also be needed for additional row if the Imaam enters inside it when there is need for it or when there is tightness in the mosque. So it is not an innovation and it contains benefits.

Fataawaa Noor ala ad-Darb 2/716

Shaykh Ibn al-‘Uthaymeen said:

The scholars differ concerning the construction mihraab. Is it Sunnah or recommended or permissible? The correct view is that it is recommended. Meaning it has not been reported in the Sunnah, but the sharee’ah texts indicate that it is recommended because it contains a lot of advantages. One of it is that it shows the direction of the Qiblah to the ignorant.

With regard to what has been reported from the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) that he forbade the construction of mihraabs like the mihraabs of the Christians, this prohibition applies only to the mihraab that is built like the mihraab of the Christians. However, if the mihraab is constructed in a way that it is peculiar to the Muslims, then there is no prohibition concerning it.

Sharh al-Mumti’ (2/332-333)