The Book of the Masjids

It was narrated from 'Amr bin 'Abasah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Whoever builds a Masjid in which Allah is remembered, Allah, (the Mighty and Sublime) will build for him a house in Paradise."

It was narrated from Anas that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "One of the portents of the Hour will be that people will show off in building Masjids."

It was narrated that Ibrahim said: "I used to recite Qur'an to my father on the road, and if I recited a verse in which prostration was required, he would prostrate. I said: 'O my father, do you prostrate on the street?' He said: 'I heard Abu Dharr say: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): 'Which Masjid was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram.' [1] I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.' [2] I said: 'How long was there between them?' He said: 'Forty years. And the earth is a Masjid (or a place of prostration) for you, so wherever you are when the time for prayer comes, pray.'" [1] In Makkah. [2] "Furthest Masjid", meaning the Masjid in Jerulsalem.

It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that Maimunah the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Whoever prays in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (that is good), for I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ' One prayer offered there is better than a thousand prayers offered elsewhere, except the Masjid of the Ka'bah.'"

It was narrated from Salim that his father said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the House (the Ka'bah), with Usamah bin Zaid, Bilal and 'Uthman bin Talhah, and they locked the door behind them. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) opened it, I was the first one to enter. I met Bilal and asked him: 'Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray inside?' He said: 'Yes, he prayed between the two Yemeni columns.'"

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "When Sulaiman bin Dawud finished building Bait Al-Maqdis, he asked Allah for three things: Judgement that was in harmony with His judgement, and he was given that. And he asked Allah for a dominion that no one after him would have, and he was given that. And when he finished building the Masjid he asked Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, that no one should come to it, intending only to pray there, but he would emerge free of sin as the day his mother bore him."

It was narrated from Abu Salamah bin 'Abdur-Rahman and Abu 'Abdullah Al-Agharr, the freed slave of the Juhanis - better of whom were companions of Abu Hurairah - that they heard Abu Hurairah say: "One prayer in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is better than one thousand prayers offered in other mosques, except Al-Masjid Al-Haram, for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was the last of the prophets and his Masjid was the last of the Masjids." Abu Salamah and Abu 'Abdullah said: "We do not doubt that Abu Hurairah was speaking on the basis of the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), but we could not verify that Hadith with Abu Hurairah before he died. Then we remembered that and we blamed one another for not having spoken to Abu Hurairah about that, so that he could attribute it to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) if he had indeed heard it from him. While we were arguing, we went and sat down with 'Abdullah bin Ibrahim bin Qariz, and we told him about the Hadith and how we had been negligent in not checking it with Abu Hurairah. 'Abdullah bin Ibrahim said to us: 'I bear witness that I heard Abu Hurairah say: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: I am the last of the prophets and it is the last of the Masjids.'"

It was narrated that 'Abdullah bin Zaid said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The area between my house and my Minbar is one of the gardens of Paradise.'"

It was narrated from Umm Salamah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The columns of this Minbar of mine will be in Paradise."

It was narrated from Ibn Abi Sa'eed Al-Khudri that his father said: "Two men argued about the Masjid which was founded on piety from the first day. [1] One man said that it was the Masjid of Quba', and the other said that it was the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'It is this Masjid of mine.'" [1] At-Tawbah 9:108.

It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to come to Quba' riding and walking." [1] Quba' is about three miles to the south of the Prophet's Masjid. This area is named after in that district.

Abu Umamah bin Sahl bin Hunaif said: "My father said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever goes out to his Masjid - the Masjid of Quba' and prays therein, that will be equivalent to 'Umrah.'"

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Mounts are not saddled for except to (travel to) three Masjids: Al-Masjid Al-Haram, this Masjid of mine, and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa."

It was narrated that Talq bin 'Ali said: "We went out as a delegation to the Prophet (ﷺ); we gave him our oath of allegiance and prayed with him. We told him that in our land there was a church that belonged to us. We asked him to give us the leftovers of his purification (Wudu' water). So he called for water, performed Wudu' and rinsed out his mouth, then he poured it into a vessel and said to us: 'Leave, and when you return to your land, demolish your church, and sprinkle this water on that place, and take it as a Masjid.' We said: 'Our land is far away and it is very hot; the water is far away and it is very hot; the water will dry up.' He said: 'Add more water to it, for that will only make it better.' So we left and when we came to our land we demolished our church, then we sprinkled the water on that place and took it as a Masjid, and we called the Adhan in it. The monk was a man from Tayy', and when he heard the Adhan, he said: 'It is a true call.' Then he headed toward one of the hills and we never saw him again."

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Al-Madinah, he alighted in the upper part of Al-Madinah among the tribe called Banu 'Amr bin 'Awf and he stayed with them for fourteen nights. Then he sent for the chiefs of Banu An-Najjar, and they came with their swords by their sides. It is as if I can see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on his she-camel with Abu Bakr riding behind him (on the same camel) and the chiefs of Banu An-Najjar around him, until he dismounted in the courtyard of Abu Ayyub. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to offer the prayer wherever he was when the time for prayer came, and he would pray even in sheepfolds. Then he ordered that the Masjid be built. He sent for the chiefs of Banu An-Najjar, and when they came, he said: 'O Banu An-Najjar, name me a price for this grove of yours.' They said: 'By Allah, we will not ask for its price except from Allah.'" Anas said: "In (that grove) there were graves of idolators, ruins and date-palm trees. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered that the graves of the idolators be dug up, the ruins be leveled and the date-palm trees be cut down. The trunks of the trees were arranged so as to form the walls facing the Qiblah. The stone pillars were built at the sides of its gate. They started to move the stones, reciting some lines of verse, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was with them when they were saying: 'O Allah! There is no good except the good of the Hereafter. So bestow victory on the Ansar and the Muhajirin.'"

'Ubaidullah bin 'Abdullah reported that 'Aishah and Ibn 'Abbas said: "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was on his deathbed, he had a Khamisah over his face. When his temperature rose, he would uncover his face. When his temperature rose, he would uncover his face. While he was like that he said: 'May Allah curse the Jews and Christians, for they took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.'"

It was narrated from 'Aishah that Umm Habibah and Umm Salamah mentioned a church that they had seen in Ethiopia, in which there were images. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Those people, if there was a righteous man among them, when he died they built a place of worship over his grave and made those images. They will be the most evil of creation before Allah on the Day of Resurrection."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "When a man goes out of his house to his Masjid, one foot records a good deed and the other erases a bad deed."

It was narrated from Salim that his father said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'When the wife of any one of you asks for permission to go to the Masjid, do not stop her.'"

It was narrated that Jabir said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever eats of this plant' - the first time he said 'garlic' then he said, 'garlic, onions and leeks' [1] - 'let him not approach us in our Masjids, for the angels are offended by that which offends mankinds.'" [1] In Fath, Al-Bari, Ibn Hajar is of the opinion that it was Ibn Juraij who was talking, explaining that 'Ata' - who reported it from Jabir - narrated it both ways.

It was narrated from Ma'dam bin Abi Talhah that 'Umar bin Al-Khattab said: "O people, you eat of two plants which I do not think are anything but bad, this onion and garlic. I have seen the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ), if he noticed their smell coming from a man, ordering that he be taken out to Al-Baqi'. Whoever eats them, let him cook them to death."

It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wanted to observe I'tikaf, [2] he would pray Fajr then enter the place where he wnated to observe I'tikaf. He wanted to observe I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadan, so he commanded that a Khiba' (tent) be pitched for him. Then Hafsah ordered that a Khiba' be pitched for her, and when Zainab saw her tent she ordered that a Khiba' be pitched for her too. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw that he said: 'Is it righteousness that you seek?' And he did not observe I'tikaf in Ramadan, and observed I'tikaf for ten days in Shawwal (instead)." [1] Al-Khiba': "One of the house of the Bedouins made of Wabir (camel or goat fur) or wool, not of hair (from other pelts). And it would have two or three posts." (An-Nihayah) [2] Seclusion in the Masjid for the sake of devotion to Allah.

It was narrated that 'Aishah said: "Sa'd was wounded on the day of Al-Khandaq [1] when a man of Quraish shot him in the medial arm vein. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pitched a tent (Khaimah) for him in the Masjid so that he could visit him close at hand." [1] Al-Khandaq means the trench. This indicates the battle of the trench which took place during the fifth year after Hijrah.

It was narrated from 'Amr bin Sulaim Az-Zuraqi that he heard Abu Qatadah say: "While we were sitting in the Masjid. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out to us carrying Umamah bint Abi Al-'As bin Ar-Rabi', whose mother was Zainab, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She was a little girl and he was carrying her. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed with her on his shoulder, putting her down when he bowed and picking her up again when he stood up, until he completed his prayer."

It was narrated from Sa'eed bin Abi Sa'eed that he heard Abu Hurairah say: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent some horsemen toward Najd, and they brought back a man from Banu Hanifah who was called Thumamah bin Uthal, the chief of the people of Al-Yamamah. Then he was tied to one of the pillars of the Masjid."

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performed Tawaf during the Farewell Pilgrimage atop a camel, touching the Rukn [1] with a stick that was bent at the top. [1] The corner of the Ka'bah in which the Black Stone is situated.

It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade sitting in circles on Friday before Jumu'ah prayer, and buying and selling in the Masjid.

It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade reciting poetry in the Masjid.

It was narrated that Sa'eed bin Al-Musayyab said: "Umar passed by Hassan bin Thabit while he was reciting poetry in the Masjid, and glared at him. He said: 'I recited poetry when there was someone better than you in the Masjid.' Then he turned to Abu Hurairah and said: 'Did you not hear the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he said: "Answer back on my behalf. O Allah, help him with the Holy Spirit!'" He said: 'Yes, by Allah.'"

It was narrated that Jabir said: "A man came making announcement of a lost camel in the Masjid, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'May you never find it!'"

Sufyan said: "I said to 'Amr: 'Did you hear Jabir say: "A man passed through the Masjid carrying arrows, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him: 'Hold then by the blades.'? He said: 'Yes.'"

It was narrated that Al-Aswad said: "Alqamah and I entered upon 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud and he said to us: 'Have these people prayed?' We said: 'No.' He said: 'Get up and pray.' So we went to stand behind him, and he put one of us on his right and the other on his left, and he prayed with no Adhan and no Iqamah. When he bowed he interlaced his fingers and placed his hands between his knees, and he said: 'I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) doing that.'"

It was narrated that Sulaiman said: "I heard Ibrahim (narrate) from 'Alqamah and Al-Aswad from 'Abdullah," and he narrated something similar.

It was narrated from 'Abbad bin Tamim, from his paternal uncle, that he saw the messenger of Allah (ﷺ) lying on his back in the Masjid, placing one leg on top of the other.

It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar, that when he was young and single, with no family, at the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he used to sleep in the Masjid of the Prophet (ﷺ).

It was narrated that Anas said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Spitting in the Masjid is a sin, and its expiation is to bury it.'"

It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw some sputum on the Qiblah wall. He scrapped it off then he turned to the people and said: "When any one of you is praying, let him not spit in front of him, for Allah is in front of him when he prays."

It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri that the Prophet (ﷺ) saw some spittle in the Qiblah of the Masjid. He scratched it off with a pebble and forbade a man to spit to his front or to his right. He said: "Let him spit to his left or beneath his left foot."

It was narrated that Tariq bin 'Abdullah Al-Muharibi said: 'When you are praying, do not spit to the front or to your right. Spit behind you or to your left if there is no one there, otherwise do this.' And he spat beneath his foot and rubbed it.'"

It was narrated from Abu Al-'Ala' bin Ash-Shikhir that his father said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) spit and then rub it with his left foot."

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw some sputum in the Qiblah of the Masjid, and he became so angry that his face turned red. Then a woman from the Ansar went and scratched off, and put some perfume in its place. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'How good this is.'"

It was narrated that 'Abdul-Malik bin Sa'eed said: "I heard Abu Humaid and Abu Usaid say: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "When any one of you enters the Masjid, let him say: 'Allahumma aftahli abwaba rahmatik (O Allah, open to me the gates of your mercy). And when he leaves let him say: Allahumma inni as'aluka min fadlik (O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty).'"

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "When any one of you enters the Masjid, let him pray two Rak'ahs before he sits down."

'Abdullah bin Ka'b said: "I heard Ka'b bin Malik telling the story of when he stayed behind from going out on the campaign of Tabuk with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came back in the morning, and when he came back from a journey he would go to the Masjid first and pray two Rak'ahs there, then he would sit to (meet with) the people. When he did that, those who had stayed behind came to him and started giving their excuses, swearing by Allah. There were eighty-odd men, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) accepted what they declared and accepted their oaths of allegiance; he prayed for forgiveness for them and left whatever was in their hearts to Allah. Then when I came and greeted him, he smiled as one who is angry, then he said: 'Come here.' So I came and sat in front of him, [1] and he said: 'What kept you behind? Did you not buy a mount?' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, if I were to sit before anyone other than you of those who hold high positions in this world, I would find a way to avoid his anger. I am an eloquent man but, by Allah, I know that if I were to tell you a lie today to make you pleased with me, Allah would soon make you angry with me, but if I tell you the truth, it will make you angry with me, but I will still have the hope that Allah may forgive me. I have never been in a better position, physically or financially, than the time when I stayed behind and did not join you.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'This man has spoken the truth. Go away until Allah decides concerning you.' So I got up and went away." This is an abridged version of narration. [1] It is this which the author cited the narration for. While the absence of the mention of a thing - in this case prayer - is not a proof that it does not exist.

It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed bin Al-Mu'alla said: "We used to go to the marketplace in the morning at the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and we would pass through the Masjid and pray there."

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "The angels send Salah upon any one of you so long as he is in the place where he prays, and so long as he does not invalidate his ablution, (saying): 'O Allah, forgive him, O Allah, have mercy on him.'"

Sahl As-Sa'idi, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: 'Whoever is in the Masjid waiting for the prayer, he is in a state of prayer.'"

It was narrated from 'Abdullah bin Mughaffal that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade praying in the camel pens. [1] A'tan: Kneeling places, or, where they kneel to drink water.

It was narrated that Jabir bin 'Abdullah said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The earth has been made for me a place of prostration and a means of purification, so wherever a man of my Ummah is when the time for prayer comes, let him pray.'"

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that Umm Sulaim asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to come to her and pray in her house so that she could take (the place where he prayed) as a Musalla (prayer place). So he came to her and she went and got a reed mat and sprinkled it with water, and he prayed on it, and they prayed with him.

It was narrated from Maimunah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray on a mat.

Abu Hazim bin Dinar narrated that some men came to Sahl bin Sa'd As-Sa'idi. They were wondering what kind of wood the Minbar was made of, so they asked him about that. He said: "By Allah, I know what it is made of. I saw it the first day it was set up and the first day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat on it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent word to so-and-so" - a woman whose name Sahl mentioned - "telling her: 'Tell your carpenter slave to make me something of wood that I can sit on when I speak to the people.' So she told him, and he made it from tamarisk wood from Al-Ghabah (a place near Al-Madinah). Then he brought it and it was sent to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), who commanded that it be set up here. Then I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ascend it and praying on it, and saying the Takbir while he was on top of it, then he bowed when he was on top of it, then he came down backward and prostrated at the base of the Minbar, then he went back. When he had finished he turned to face the people and said: 'O people, I only did this so that you can follow me in prayer and learn how I pray.'"

It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) praying on a donkey, when he was heading toward Khaibar."

It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that he saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) praying on a donkey while he was riding, praying toward Khaibar with the Qiblah behind him. Abu 'Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasa'i) said: We do not know of anyone who reported anything to support what 'Amr bin Yahya said about praying on a donkey. As for the Hadith of Yahya bin Sa'eed from Anas, what is correct is that it is Mawquf. [1] And Allah knows best. [1] That is a saying or action of a Companion of the Prophet (ﷺ)