One of the oldest mosques in the world, located in a palm grove about 12 km northeast of Hofuf. The original mosque from the 7th century CE was built by the Bani Abd al-Qays tribe, among the first in eastern Arabia to embrace Islam. The current structure, a careful restoration completed in 2007 by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, follows the original footprint using traditional mud-brick and stone construction. The minaret and surrounding park are pleasant and the mosque draws Muslim visitors who come as much for its historical significance as for prayer.
Non-Muslim visitors are generally welcome in the mosque grounds; entry into the prayer hall may be restricted depending on prayer times and the presence of worshippers. The adjacent Jawatha Park has picnic areas and is a popular spot for local families on weekends. The combination of the mosque's antiquity and the surrounding oasis setting — date palms, cultivated fields, the drone of irrigation — makes this one of the most evocative stops in Al-Ahsa.