The oldest mosques in the world can refer to the oldest, surviving mosque building or to the oldest mosque congregation. There is also a distinction between old mosque buildings in continuous use as mosques and others no longer used as mosques. In terms of congregations, there are early established congregations that have been in continuous existence, and early congregations that ceased to exist.

The major regions, such as Africa and Eurasia, are sorted alphabetically, and the minor regions, such as Arabia and South Asia, are sorted by the dates in which their first mosques were reportedly established, more or less, barring those that are mentioned by name in the Quran.

To be listed here a site must: be the oldest mosque in a country, large city (top 50), or oldest of its type (denomination, architectural, etc.); be the oldest congregation of its type (denomination).

Mentioned in the Quran The following are treated as the oldest mosques or sanctuaries mentioned in the Quran:Quran 17:1-7

BuildingImageLocationCountryFirst builtNotesAl-Haram MosqueMeccaSaudi Arabia, considered the oldest mosque, associated with AbrahamAl-Masjid al-Ḥarām, the holiest sanctuary, containing the Ka'bah, a site of the Ḥajj ('Pilgrimage'), the Qiblah (direction of formal prayers of Muslims), and the first mosque in Islamic thought.Mecca: From Before Genesis Until Now, M. Lings, p. 39, Archetype Rebuilt many times, notably 1571 by the Ottomans, and the late 20th century by the Saudis, further enlargement under way since 2010.Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound (Al-Aqsa)East JerusalemAdministered by Israel, part of occupied PalestineConsidered the second oldest mosque in Islamic tradition, associated with Abraham. First prayer hall built in it in 637/638. The Dome of the Rock was constructed in 692, the Qibli Mosque in 705.Al-Masjid al-Aqṣá, the former Qiblah,"The Spiritual Significance of Jerusalem: The Islamic Vision. The Islamic Quarterly. 4 (1998): pp. 233–242 site of the significant event of Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj), considered the third holiest site in Islam. The Qur'an does not specify the precise location of "the furthest place of prayer", and its meaning was debated by early Islamic scholars.Khalek, N. (2011). Jerusalem in Medieval Islamic Tradition. Religion Compass, 5(10), 624–630. . "One of the most pressing issues in both medieval and contemporary scholarship related to Jerusalem is weather the city is explicitly referenced in the text of the Qur'an. Sura 17, verse 1, which reads [...] has been variously interpreted as referring to the miraculous Night Journey and Ascension of Muhammad, events recorded in medieval sources and known as the isra and miraj. As we will see, this association is a rather late and even a contested one. [...] The earliest Muslim work on the Religious Merits of Jerusalem was the Fada'il Bayt al-Maqdis by al-Walid ibn Hammad al-Ramli (d. 912 CE), a text which is recoverable from later works. [...] He relates the significance of Jerusalem vis-a-vis the Jewish Temple, conflating 'a collage of biblical narratives' and comments pilgrimage to Jerusalem, a practice which was controversial in later Muslim periods." Eventually, a consensus emerged its identification with the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.Busse, H. (1968). The sanctity of Jerusalem in Islam. Judaism, 17(4), 441. "Tradition varies as to the location of the Ascension; Syrian local tradition was able to prevail, by maintaining that the Ascension started in Jerusalem rather than in Mecca, directly following the Night Journey". The term Al-Aqsa properly refers to the whole Temple Mount compound (seen as a single mosque). The mosque compound should not be confused with the silver-domed congregational mosque or prayer hall facing Mecca, commonly referred to in English as Al-Aqsa Mosque, and also known as Al-Qibli Mosque (see below).Quba MosqueMedinaSaudi ArabiaThe first mosque built by Muhammad in the 7th century CE, mentioned as the "Mosque founded on piety since the first day" in the Quran. Classical scholars generally identify the mosque in the verse as Quba Mosque. However, a well-known narration also identifies it as the Prophet's Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Nabawi), leading some scholars to discuss both mosques in relation to the verse.

Africa

Northeast Africa + Northeast AfricaBuildingImageLocationCountryFirst builtTraditionNotesMosque of the CompanionsMassawaEritreaBelieved by some to be the first mosque in Africa and built by the companions of Muhammad in the 7th century.Al Nejashi MosqueNegashEthiopiaBy tradition, the burial site of several followers of Muhammad who, during his lifetime, fled to the Aksumite Kingdom to escape persecution in Mecca. It was recently renovated by TIKA, a Turkish cooperation organization.Mosque of Amr ibn al-AsCairoEgyptNamed after 'Amr ibn al-'As, commander of the Muslim conquest of Egypt. First mosque in Egypt and claimed to be the first mosque in Africa.Mosque of Ibn TulunCairoEgyptAl-Azhar MosqueCairoEgyptSunniArba'a Rukun MosqueMogadishuSomaliaSunni

Northwest Africa + Northwest AfricaBuildingImageLocationCountryFirst builtTraditionNotesGreat Mosque of Kairouan (or Uqba ibn Nafi Mosque)KairouanTunisiaSunniAlternatively named after Uqba ibn Nafi. Believed to be the first mosque in the Maghreb. The current mosque dates from a total reconstruction starting in 836 under the Aghlabids, with further restorations and additions in later periods.Sidi Okba MosqueSidi OkbaAlgeriaMosque and tomb dated between 686 and 1025, starting with the tomb in 686. The mosque was subsequently built around it.Al-Zaytuna MosqueTunisTunisiaSunniThere are some doubts about the exact foundation date: usually attributed to 698 but it could have been a bit later in 734. The current mosque dates from a total reconstruction in 864 under the Aghlabids, with further modifications and renovations in later eras.Mosque of AgadirTlemcenAlgeria790Mosque founded in 790 by Idris I at a settlement called Agadir, site of former Roman settlement Pomeria, now within the modern city of Tlemcen. Only its foundations remain today, along with a minaret added in the 13th century by Yaghmurasan.Bu Ftata MosqueSousseTunisiaDated by an inscription to the reign of Abu Iqal al-Aghlab ibn Ibrahim (838–841). Minaret added later under the Hafsids.Great Mosque of SfaxSfaxTunisiaExact construction date uncertain, but probably around 849.Great Mosque of SousseSousseTunisiaGreat Mosque of Sousse. Museum with No Frontiers. Retrieved 8-1-2017.Al-Qarawiyyin mosqueFezMoroccoSome doubts exist about its foundation; with possible alternative of 877 CE, based on an inscription discovered in the 20th century. The present building dates from multiple later expansions and reconstructions, with the oldest elements dating from the 10th century. Significantly expanded under the Almoravids between 1135 and 1143.Mosque of the AndalusiansFezMoroccoThere are doubts about its foundation; and the oldest parts of the present building date from the 10th century. It was mostly reconstructed by the Almohads between 1203 and 1207.Al-Naqah MosqueTripoliLibyaOldest Islamic monument in Tripoli, though its history is not well-known. Likely built by the Fatimid caliph al-Mu'izz, though it may be older. Reconstructed in .Great Mosque of TlemcenTlemcenAlgeriaFounded under the Almoravids, decoration completed or redone in 1136 by another Almoravid ruler. Important renovation and additions took place in 1236 under the first Zayyanid ruler.

Southeast Africa + Southeast Africa (including nearby islands of the Indian Ocean, but barring countries that are also in Southern Africa)BuildingImageLocationCountryFirst builtTraditionNotesShanga MosqueShanga, Pate IslandKenyaFoundation discovered, with coins attesting dates, during the 1980s excavations. The earliest concrete evidence of Muslims in East Africa.Great Mosque of KilwaKilwa KisiwaniTanzaniain ruinsKizimkazi MosqueDimbani, ZanzibarTanzaniaAccording to an inscription.Malindi MosqueStone Town, ZanzibarTanzaniasome sources claim an origin in the 15th century.Mandhry MosqueMombasaKenyait retains its Swahili architecture.Tsingoni MosqueTsingoni, MayotteFranceAl-Fatah Mosque (Green Mosque)KigaliRwanda1913Founded by coastal Swahili-speaking Tanzanian Muslims who came to Rwanda to work in the German administration, of what was then German East Africa.

Southern Africa + Southern AfricaBuildingImageLocationCountryFirst builtTraditionNotesAuwal MosqueCape ColonySouth Africa1798Recognised as the first mosque established in the country, at the time Cape Colony.Palm Tree MosqueCape ColonySouth Africa1807Building constructed in .Masjid al-QudamaUitenhage, Eastern CapeSouth Africa1849It has been deduced that the mosque was a completed in March 1849Grey Street Mosque (Juma Mosque)DurbanSouth Africa1881Soofie MasjidButha ButheLesotho1900Founded by Soofie Saheb at the turn of the century; the community is described as African Muslim yet speaking an Indian language.Habibia Soofie Saheb Jamia MasjidRylands, Cape TownSouth Africa1905Lobatse MasjidLobatseBotswanaFounded by Indian Muslims who were brought over during the British colonial period.Ezulwini MosqueEzulwini, near MbabaneEswatini1982

West Africa + West AfricaBuildingImageLocationCountryFirst builtTraditionNotesGreat Mosque of DjennéDjennéMaliDjinguereber MosqueTimbuktuMaliLarabanga MosqueLarabangaGhanaThe oldest existing mud-brick mosque in Ghana.Great Mosque of KanoKanoNigeriaBuilt in for Emir Muhammad RumfaAgadez MosqueAgadezNigerNiger's oldest mosque.Grand Mosque, SokodéSokodéTogo

Asia

Arabian Peninsula + Arabian Peninsula (including the island-state of Bahrain)BuildingImageLocationCountryFirst builtTraditionNotesQuba MosqueMedinaSaudi ArabiaConsidered to be the first mosque built by Prophet Muhammad , and the second largest mosque in MedinaAl-Masjid al-NabawiMedinaSaudi ArabiaSecond holiest site in Islam (after Al-Haram Mosque) and Muhammad's mosque, which houses his tomb in what was initially his and his wife Aisha's house. Largely rebuilt and greatly enlarged in the late 20th century, whilst retaining at its heart the earlier construction of the Ottomans, and landmark Green Dome atop the prophet's mausoleum.Masjid al-QiblatainMedinaSaudi ArabiaMosque originally with two Qiblah walls: One facing Jerusalem, the first Qiblah and another facing Mecca Mazin Bin Ghadoubah MosqueSamailOmanFounded by Mazin Ben Ghadooba, who is considered to be the first Omani to adopt Islam during Muhammad's lifetime.Al-Shawadhna MosqueNizwaOmanOriginal foundation attributed by some to . A construction or renovation dated to 1529 CE is recorded by an inscription above the mihrab.Jawatha MosqueAl-AhsaSaudi ArabiaHas recently been renovated and prayers are still held in this mosque.Khamis MosqueKhamis, ManamaBahrainThough most of the structure is dated to the 11th or 12th century, it is popularly believed to have been founded by the Caliph Omar in the 600s.Great Mosque of Sana'aSana'aYemenPossibly the oldest mosque in the countryAl-Janad MosqueTaizYemenAl-Hadi MosqueSa'dahYemenAl Badiyah MosqueFujairahUnited Arab EmiratesSome much earlier estimates have been proposed.

Levant