Mosques and places of Prayer - Section 1

Al-Hasan reported in <i>mursal</i> form that God's Messenger said, “A time is coming when people will talk in their mosques about their worldly affairs, so do not sit with them, for God has nothing to do with them.” Baihaqi transmitted it in <i>Shu'ab al-iman</i>.

وَعَنِ الْحَسَنِ مُرْسَلًا قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَأْتِي عَلَى النَّاسِ زَمَانٌ يَكُونُ حَدِيثُهُمْ فِي مَسَاجِدِهِمْ فِي أَمْرِ دُنْيَاهُمْ. فَلَا تُجَالِسُوهُمْ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ فِيهِمْ حَاجَةٌ» . رَوَاهُ الْبَيْهَقِيّ فِي شعب الْإِيمَان

As-Sa'ib b. Yazid said that when he was sleeping in the mosque a man threw a pebble at him, and when he looked he saw that it was ‘Umar b. al-Khattab, who said, “Go and bring me these two men.” He brought them and ‘Umar asked them what tribe they belonged to, or what place they came from. On their replying that they belonged to at-Ta’if, he said, “If you had belonged to Medina I would have given you a beating for raising your voices in the mosque of God’s Messenger. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنِ السَّائِبِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ: كُنْتُ نَائِمًا فِي الْمَسْجِد فحصبني رجل فَنَظَرت فَإِذا عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ فَقَالَ اذْهَبْ فَأْتِنِي بِهَذَيْنِ فَجِئْتُهُ بِهِمَا فَقَالَ: مِمَّنْ أَنْتُمَا أَوْ مِنْ أَيْنَ أَنْتُمَا قَالَا: مِنْ أَهْلِ الطَّائِفِ. قَالَ: لَوْ كُنْتُمَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ لَأَوْجَعْتُكُمَا تَرْفَعَانِ أَصْوَاتَكُمَا فِي مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Malik said that ‘Umar built a courtyard called al-Butaiha’ in the neighbourhood of the mosque and said, “If anyone wants to make a noise, or recite poetry, or raise his voice, he must go out to this courtyard.” He transmitted it in <i>al-Muwatta'</i>.

وَعَن مَالك قَالَ: بَنَى عُمَرُ رَحَبَةً فِي نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ تُسَمَّى الْبُطَيْحَاءَ وَقَالَ مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ أَنَّ يَلْغَطَ أَوْ يُنْشِدَ شِعْرًا أَوْ يَرْفَعَ صَوْتَهُ فَلْيَخْرُجْ إِلَى هَذِهِ الرَّحَبَةِ. رَوَاهُ فِي الْمُوَطَّأِ

Anas said that the Prophet (ﷺ) saw some mucus in the direction of the <i>qibla</i> and his displeasure was apparent in his face, so he got up, scraped it with his hand and said, “When one of you gets up to pray, he is holding intimate converse only with his Lord, and his Lord is between him and the <i>qibla</i>, so none of you must spit in the direction of the <i>qibla</i>, but towards his left side, or under his foot.” Then he took the end of his cloak, spat in it, folded it up and said, “Or he may do thus.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن أنس: رَأَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نُخَامَةً فِي الْقِبْلَةِ فَشَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى رُئِيَ فِي وَجهه فَقَامَ فحكه بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ: «إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا قَامَ فِي صلَاته فَإِنَّمَا يُنَاجِي ربه أَو إِن رَبَّهُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْقِبْلَةِ فَلَا يَبْزُقَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ قِبَلَ قِبْلَتِهِ وَلَكِنْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ أَوْ تَحْتَ قَدَمِهِ» ثُمَّ أَخَذَ طَرَفَ رِدَائِهِ فَبَصَقَ فِيهِ ثُمَّ رَدَّ بَعْضَهُ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَقَالَ: «أَوْ يفعل هَكَذَا» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

As-Sa'ib b. Khallad, who was one of the Prophet's companions, said:

A man led some people in prayer and spat in the direction of the qibla. Having seen this, God’s Messenger said to the people at the end of the prayer, “He must not lead you in prayer.” The man wanted to lead them in prayer some time afterwards, but they prevented him and told him what God's Messenger had said. He mentioned that to God’s Messenger, who replied, “Yes.” And I think he added, “You have harmed God and His Messenger.’’ Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن السَّائِب بن خَلاد - وَهُوَ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنْ رَجُلًا أَمَّ قَوْمًا فَبَصَقَ فِي الْقِبْلَةِ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَنْظُرُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حِينَ فَرَغَ: «لَا يُصَلِّي لَكُمْ» . فَأَرَادَ بَعْدَ ذَلِك أَن يُصَلِّي لَهُم فمنعوه وَأَخْبرُوهُ بِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ وَحَسِبْتُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِنَّكَ آذيت الله وَرَسُوله» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Mu'adh b. Jabal said:

God’s Messenger was detained one morning from observing the prayer with us till the sun had almost appeared over the horizon. He then came cut quickly, and when the <i>iqama</i> had been uttered he conducted the prayer in a shortened form; then when he had given the salutation he called out to us saying, “Keep to your rows as you were.” Then turning to us he said, “I shall tell you what detained me from you this morning. I got up during the night, performed ablution, and prayed what I could; but during my prayer I dozed and was overcome, and there and then I saw my Lord in the most beautiful form. He addressed me by name, and when I replied, ‘At Your service, my Lord,’ He asked, ‘What do the angels near My presence dispute about?’ and I replied that I did not know. He asked it three times. Then I saw Him put the palm of His hand between my shoulder-blades, so that I experienced the coolness of His fingers between my nipples so everything became clear to me and I attained knowledge. He then addressed me by name, and when I replied, ‘At Your service, my Lord,’ He asked, ‘What do the angels near My presence dispute about?’ I replied, ‘Expiation.’ He asked what they were, and I replied, ‘Walking on foot to the congregational prayers, sitting in the mosques after the prayers are over, and performing complete ablution in difficult circumstances. He asked what next they disputed about, and when I said it was about degrees, He asked what they were and I replied, ‘Providing food, speaking gently, and praying at night when people are asleep.’ He then told me to make a request, and I said, ‘O God, I ask You for power to do good things and abandon objectionable things, for love towards the poor, that You shouldest forgive me and show mercy to me, and that when You intendest to test any people You wilt take me to Thyself without being led astray. And I ask for Your love, the love of those who love You, and a love of doing things which will bring me near to Your love.’” Then God’s Messenger said, “It is true, so study it and learn it.” Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said, “This is a <i>hasan sahih</i> tradition. I asked Muhammad b. Isma'il (Al-Bukhari) about this tradition, and he said it is a <i>sahih</i> tradition.”

وَعَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ قَالَ: احْتَبَسَ عَنَّا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ غَدَاة عَن صَلَاة الصُّبْح حَتَّى كدنا نتراءى عين الشَّمْس فَخرج سَرِيعا فثوب بِالصَّلَاةِ فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَتَجَوَّزَ فِي صَلَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ دَعَا بِصَوْتِهِ فَقَالَ لَنَا عَلَى مَصَافِّكُمْ كَمَا أَنْتُمْ ثُمَّ انْفَتَلَ إِلَيْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَا إِنِّي سَأُحَدِّثُكُمْ مَا حَبَسَنِي عَنْكُمُ الْغَدَاةَ إِنِّي قُمْتُ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَتَوَضَّأْتُ وَصَلَّيْتُ مَا قُدِّرَ لِي فَنَعَسْتُ فِي صَلَاتِي حَتَّى اسْتَثْقَلْتُ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِرَبِّي تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فِي أَحْسَنِ صُورَةٍ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ قُلْتُ لَبَّيْكَ رَبِّ قَالَ فِيمَ يخْتَصم الْمَلأ الْأَعْلَى قلت لَا أَدْرِي رب قَالَهَا ثَلَاثًا قَالَ فَرَأَيْتُهُ وَضَعَ كَفَّهُ بَيْنَ كَتِفَيَّ حَتَّى وَجَدْتُ بَرْدَ أَنَامِلِهِ بَيْنَ ثَدْيَيَّ فَتَجَلَّى لِي كُلُّ شَيْءٍ وَعَرَفْتُ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ قُلْتُ لَبَّيْكَ رَبِّ قَالَ فِيمَ يَخْتَصِمُ الْمَلأ الْأَعْلَى قلت فِي الْكَفَّارَات قَالَ مَا هُنَّ قُلْتُ مَشْيُ الْأَقْدَامِ إِلَى الْجَمَاعَاتِ وَالْجُلُوسُ فِي الْمَسَاجِد بَعْدَ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَإِسْبَاغُ الْوَضُوءِ حِينَ الْكَرِيهَاتِ قَالَ ثُمَّ فِيمَ؟ قُلْتُ: فِي الدَّرَجَاتِ. قَالَ: وَمَا هن؟ إطْعَام الطَّعَام ولين الْكَلَام وَالصَّلَاة وَالنَّاس نيام. ثمَّ قَالَ: سل قل اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ فِعْلَ الْخَيْرَاتِ وَتَرْكَ الْمُنْكَرَاتِ وَحُبَّ الْمَسَاكِينِ وَأَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي وَتَرْحَمَنِي وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ فِتْنَةً قوم فتوفني غير مفتون أَسأَلك حَبَّكَ وَحُبَّ مَنْ يَحْبُكُ وَحُبَّ عَمَلٍ يُقَرِّبُنِي إِلَى حبك ". فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّهَا حَقٌّ فَادْرُسُوهَا ثُمَّ تَعَلَّمُوهَا» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ وَسَأَلْتُ مُحَمَّد ابْن إِسْمَاعِيل عَن هَذَا الحَدِيث فَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيث صَحِيح

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr b. al-‘As said that God’s Messenger used to say on entering the mosque, “I seek refuge in God the mighty, in His noble being, and in His power which is from everlasting from the accursed devil.” He said that when the devil heard that he said, “He is protected from me for the rest of the day.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ إِذا دخل الْمَسْجِد قَالَ: «أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ وَبِوَجْهِهِ الْكَرِيمِ وَسُلْطَانِهِ الْقَدِيمِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ» قَالَ: «فَإِذَا قَالَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ الشَّيْطَان حفظ مني سَائِر الْيَوْم» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

‘Ata’ b. Yasar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “O God, do not let my grave become an idol which is worshipped. God’s anger is severe against people who take the graves of their prophets as mosques.” Malik transmitted it in <i>mursal</i> form.

وَعَن عَطاء بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «اللَّهُمَّ لَا تجْعَل قَبْرِي وثنا يعبد اشْتَدَّ غَضَبُ اللَّهِ عَلَى قَوْمٍ اتَّخَذُوا قُبُورَ أَنْبِيَائهمْ مَسَاجِد» . رَوَاهُ مَالك مُرْسلا

Mu'adh b. Jabal said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to like to pray in <i>al-hitan</i>*. One of its transmitters says that it means gardens. * I have given the Arabic word because it is explained in the text. Why it should need to be explained is not clear. Tirmidhi transmitted it and said, “This is a <i>gharib</i> tradition which we know only among the traditions of al-Hasan b. Abu Ja'far whom Yahya b. Sa'id and others have declared to be weak.”

(وَعَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَسْتَحِبُّ الصَّلَاةَ فِي الْحِيطَانِ. قَالَ بَعْضُ رُوَاتِهِ يَعْنِي الْبَسَاتِينَ رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ إِلَّا مِنْ حَدِيثِ الْحَسَنِ بن أبي جَعْفَر وَقد ضعفه يحيى ابْن سعيد وَغَيره

Anas b. Malik reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A man’s prayer in his house is equivalent to a single observance of prayer, his prayer in a tribal mosque is equivalent to twenty-five, his prayer in a mosque in which the Friday prayer is observed is equivalent to five hundred, his prayer in the Aqsa mosque is equivalent to fifty thousand, his prayer in my mosque is equivalent to fifty thousand, and his prayer in the sacred mosque (the Ka’ba) is equivalent to a hundred thousand.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «صَلَاةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي بَيْتِهِ بِصَلَاةٍ وَصَلَاتُهُ فِي مَسْجِدِ الْقَبَائِلِ بِخَمْسٍ وَعِشْرِينَ صَلَاةً وَصَلَاتُهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الَّذِي يجمع فِيهِ بخسمائة صَلَاةٍ وَصَلَاتُهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفِ صَلَاةٍ وَصَلَاتُهُ فِي مَسْجِدِي بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفِ صَلَاةٍ وَصلَاته فِي الْمَسْجِد الْحَرَام بِمِائَة ألف صَلَاة» . رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه

Abu Dharr said that he asked God’s Messenger which mosque was set up first in the earth and was told that it was the sacred mosque. He asked which came next and was told that it was the Aqsa mosque. He asked how long a space of time separated their building and the Prophet (ﷺ) told him it was forty years, adding, “Then the earth is a mosque for you, so pray wherever you are at the time of prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ: قُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَوَّلُ؟ قَالَ: «الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ» قَالَ: قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ أَيْ؟ قَالَ: «ثُمَّ الْمَسْجِدُ الْأَقْصَى» . قُلْتُ: كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا؟ قَالَ: «أَرْبَعُونَ عَامًا ثُمَّ الْأَرْضُ لَكَ مَسْجِدٌ فَحَيْثُمَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلَاةُ فصل»