{"id":2725,"date":"2021-02-26T16:12:55","date_gmt":"2021-02-26T16:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alqudsmalaysia-001-site4.itempurl.com\/?p=2725"},"modified":"2021-04-01T07:32:37","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T07:32:37","slug":"al-aqsa-mosque-in-the-sunnah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.aqsapedia.net\/staging\/2725","title":{"rendered":"Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Sunnah"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Dr. Sharif Abu Shammala<\/span><\/strong><\/span>
\nCEO of al-Quds Foundation Malaysia<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Sunnah<\/em>\u00a0has an abundance of\u00a0hadith<\/em>s and events that indicate the great\u00a0sanctity\u00a0of Masjid Al-Aqsa and its significance and holiness, as well as the Prophet\u2019s (pbuh) and his companions\u2019 attention to the Masjid. Nothing is more indicative of this than their prayers towards Masjid al-Aqsa, taking it as their\u00a0Qibla<\/em>\u00a0throughout the Meccan period and nearly one and a half year in the Medinan period.<\/span><\/p>\n

Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) narrated that \u201cThe Prophet (pbuh) prayed while he was in Mecca towards\u00a0Bait al-Maqdis<\/em>, and\u00a0Kaaba<\/em>\u00a0in between his hands, and [he did the same] for sixteen months after they emigrated to\u00a0Medina,<\/em>\u00a0then he changed his direction to\u00a0Kaaba<\/em>.”[<\/sup>1]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

In another hadith, Abu Dzar (ra) reported that he asked the Prophet (pbuh), “O Messenger of Allah, which Masjid was first built on earth”? The Prophet (pbuh) replied, “Masjid Al-Haram”. Abu Dzar (ra) again asked, “Which was next”? The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Masjid Al-Aqsa”. Abu Dzar (ra) further asked, “How long was the period between the building of the two Masjids”? The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Forty years”.[2]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

This hadith signifies the manifestation of Masjid Al-Aqsa\u2019s great holiness, which has been associated with Masjid Al-Haram to be the second Masjid on earth where\u00a0Allah<\/em>\u00a0is worshiped. As such, the Masjid has the honor of the precedence and the association with Masjid Al-Haram.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, the Prophet (pbuh) mentioned that Al-Aqsa mosque is one of the three mosques which is specifically prescribed the hardship of travel to pray in, in search of their blessings and a great reward. He (pbuh) said \u201cFor three Masjids a special journey may be undertaken: The Masjid Al-Haram, my Masjid and Masjid Al-Aqsa.\u201d[3]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

When we talk about the Isra and Mi\u2019raj journey\u00a0it is inevitable to mention Al-Aqsa mosque and how they are associated. The\u00a0Sunnah<\/em>\u00a0has a plenty of hadiths and events that describe the journey in details such as; traveling on\u00a0a steed known as\u00a0(al-Buraq)<\/em>\u00a0between the two masjids in a very brief time, the gathering of all the prophets (peace be upon them)\u00a0there, then the Prophet (pbuh) led them in a congregational prayer. After that, the prophet\u00a0ascended\u00a0from al-Aqsa to the heaven, where he (pbuh) received the\u00a0commandment\u00a0for the Muslims to pray. Prophet (pbuh) described\u00a0(al-Buraq)<\/em>\u00a0as\u00a0\u201ca long white beast, slightly bigger than a donkey but smaller than a mule\u2026 [W]hen trotting, [it] would place its next step as far as its eyesight could see. I mounted it until I reached Beit al-Maqdis [al-Aqsa]. There I tied it up to the same ring used by the Prophets,\u00a0then I entered the mosque and prayed two prayers. After that, Gabriel brought me a vessel of wine and a vessel of milk; I chose the latter. Gabriel said, \u201cYou have chosen your natural disposition, then we ascended to the heaven.\u201d\u00a0[4]<\/sup>\u00a0-It\u2019s a part from a long hadith\u00a0narrated\u00a0in Sahih Muslim. <\/span>(for further details about Isra and Mi\u2019raj journey)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

The journey of Isra and Mi\u2019raj have asserted the association between Masjid Al-Haram and Masjid Al-Aqsa and the significance of Al-Aqsa. However, prophet (pbuh) said\u00a0in the hadith narrated by Umm Salamah -the Prophet\u2019s\u00a0(pbuh) wife- said, \u201cI heard the messenger of Allah (pbuh) says,\u201d \u201cIf anyone puts on\u00a0ihram\u00a0<\/em>for\u00a0hajj\u00a0<\/em>or\u00a0umrah<\/em>\u00a0from Al-Aqsa mosque to Masjid Al-Haram, his former and latter sins will be forgiven\u201d.[5]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

I<\/em>hram\u00a0<\/em>means: Reciting\u00a0Talbiah\u00a0<\/em>or putting on\u00a0Ihram\u00a0<\/em>wearing the prescribed\u00a0<\/em>attire,\u00a0<\/em>the pilgrim raises his voice while reciting\u00a0Talbiah<\/em>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Al-Aqsa mosque is one of four mosques that\u00a0Dajjal<\/em>\u00a0will never enter as mentioned in the\u00a0authentic\u00a0hadith. This clearly indicates the significance and holiness of these four mosques. Prophet (pbuh) said about\u00a0Dajjal<\/em>, \u201cHe\u2019ll govern the earth for 40 mornings [days], his power will reach everywhere but he will not enter four mosques; Ka\u2019aba, Al-Nabawi mosque, Al-Aqsa mosque and\u00a0At-Tur (Mount Sinai)\u201d[6]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

In addition, there are a multitude of hadiths that set forth the virtue of praying in Masjid Al-Aqsa. Abdullah bin Umar (ra) narrated that the prophet (pbuh) said: “When Solomon the son of David [peace be upon them] finished building\u00a0Bait al-Maqdi<\/em>s [Al-Aqsa Mousque], he asked Allah the Almighty for three things: to give him a rule that accords with God\u2019s will, a kingdom never to be attained by anyone after him, and whomever comes to this Masjid only to pray shall be removed from his sins as the day he was born.” Then the prophet (pbuh) said \u201cHe was given two of these things, and I hope that he has been given the third\u201d[7]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

In this particular hadith, there is an implication toward the significance of Masjid Al-Aqsa and the virtue of praying there. By Allah\u2019s permission the Prophet\u2019s (pbuh) hope shall be fulfilled, similar to how Allah had answered the invocations of Solomon (pbuh).<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the many blessings of Masjid Al-Aqsa is the doubling of the rewards for prayers established there. Abu Darda\u2019 (ra) narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “A prayer in Masjid Al-Haram is worth 100,000 prayers offered in other places, and a prayer in my Masjid (in Medina) is worth 1,000 times and a prayer in Al-Aqsa Mosque is worth 500 times more than anywhere else”.[8]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

In another hadith, it was mentioned that a prayer in Masjid Al-Aqsa equals to a quarter of a prayer in Masjid Al-Nabawi. Abu Dzar (ra) narrated:\u201c<\/em>He asked the Prophet (pbuh) pertaining which prayer is better; in Bait al-Maqdis [al-Aqsa] or in Masjid Al-Nabawi?\u201d The Prophet (pbuh) said: \u201cOne prayer in my Masjid is better than four prayers offered there (in al-Aqsa), and what a good place of prayer it is. Soon there will come a time when, if a man has a piece of land the size of a horse\u2019s rope from which he can see Bait al-Maqdis, that will be better for him than the entire world.\u201d[9]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

This hadith indicates that the reward for one prayer in Masjid Al-Aqsa amounts to two hundred and fifty prayers, because a prayer in Masjid al-Nabawi is equal to a thousand prayers anywhere else other than in Masjid Al-Haram. This is known from the hadith when the Prophet (pbuh) said, \u201ca prayer in my mosque is worth a thousand prayers more reward than elsewhere, except in Masjid Al-Haram”.[10]<\/sup><\/span><\/p>\n

It is also worth noting that the Prophet (pbuh) paid tribute to Al-Aqsa mosque by saying, \u201cwhat a good place of prayer it is\u201d, and then revealing that Bait al-Maqdis will be the land of gathering on the Day of Resurrection. From this hadith and numerous others, we can deduce the importance and significance of Al-Aqsa mosque and its situation, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n