Mosque Abw Bydt Bn Aljrah

Inside the agricultural town of Bani Suhayla in the southern Gaza Strip, Masjid Abu Ubaydah ibn al Jarrah draws its noble name from one of the earliest and most respected companions of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. Abu Ubaydah ibn al Jarrah, may God be pleased with him, was among the ten companions given glad tidings of Paradise during their lifetimes, and he was entrusted by the Prophet as Amin al Ummah, the Trustee of the Community. As the commander of the Muslim armies in the Levant during the reign of Umar ibn al Khattab, he led the opening of Damascus, Homs, and much of greater Syria in the 630s, before dying of plague in the town of Amwas in 639 at the age of fifty eight.

The town of Bani Suhayla itself lies a few kilometres east of Khan Younis and has long been known for its citrus orchards, olive groves, and agricultural fields that ring the edge of the Gaza Strip. The population is largely descended from Palestinian families displaced in 1948, and the spiritual life of the town has been shaped by generations of Qur'an memorisation, teaching, and endurance through repeated hardship.

The prayer hall follows the Palestinian urban tradition, with walls of smooth plaster over reinforced concrete, a single minaret topped by a small cupola, and a modest dome above the main sanctuary. Inside, carpets in deep red bear prayer line medallions, the mihrab is framed by calligraphy drawn from Surat al Fatiha, and a carved wooden minbar stands beside it. Bookshelves hold the Qur'an, biographies of the Prophet, and works recounting the exploits of the companions.

Daily prayers gather farmers returning from the fields, teachers, young men from the nearby vocational institutes, and elders who remember the names of each martyred neighbour from every period of difficulty. Friday khutbahs in classical Arabic speak often of the patience and sincerity of Abu Ubaydah and his fellow companions, and of the importance of holding fast to prayer in every season. Accurate daily prayer times are provided on this page for travellers, neighbours, and the wider Gaza community.