Al-Masjid al-Aqsa

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta

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Fatwa No. ( 5387 )
Q: Is Al-Masjid al-Aqsa a sanctuary like Al-Masjid al-Haram and the Noble Prophet’s Mosque , and who built it?
A: First: We are not aware of any evidence indicating that Al-Masjid al-Aqsa is a sanctuary like Al-Masjid al-Haram and the Noble Prophet’s Mosque . Yes, it is established in the Shari'ah that it is permissible to travel to it and that there is virtue in praying in it. What indicates this is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

Do not undertake a journey to visit any Mosque, but three: this Mosque of mine, the Mosque of al-Haram and the Mosque of Aqsa (Bait al-Maqdis).

لا تشد الرحال إلا إلى ثلاثة مساجد: مسجدي هذا، ومسجد الحرام، ومسجد الأقصى

Sahih Muslim 1397a

It was narrated by Malik and al-Bukhari and Muslim from the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), and this is the wording of Muslim . As for the evidence regarding the virtue of praying in it, it is what al-Bayhaqi narrated in
Shu'ab al-Iman from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

A prayer in Al-Masjid al-Haram is worth a hundred thousand prayers, a prayer in my mosque is worth a thousand prayers, and a prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis is worth five hundred prayers.

صلاة في المسجد الحرام بمائة ألف صلاة وصلاة في مسجدي بألف صلاة وفي بيت المقدس خمسمائة صلاة

. Second: There is disagreement regarding who built Al-Masjid al-Aqsa . It was said: The Prophet of Allah, Ya'qub ibn Ishaq ibn Ibrahim, and this is the most likely. It was also said: Sulayman. The correct view is that Sulayman’s construction was a renovation, not a foundation; because between him and Ibrahim there were many periods, more than forty years; as mentioned by al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him). And Muslim narrated in his Sahih from the hadith of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

I said: Messenger of Allah, which mosque was set up first on the earth? He said: Al-Masjid al-Haram (the sacred). I (again) said: Then which next? He said: It was the Masjid Aqsa. I (again) said: How long the space of time (between their setting up)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: It was forty years. And whenever the time comes for prayer, pray there, for that is a mosque

قلت: يا رسول الله أي مسجد وضع في أرض أولاً؟ قال: المسجد الحرام ، قلت: ثم أي؟ قال: المسجد الأقصى ، قلت: كم بينهما؟ قال: أربعون سنة، وأينما أدركتك الصلاة فصل فهو مسجد

Sahih Muslim 520a

. And in the hadith of Abu Kamal :

Then wherever the prayer overtakes you, pray it, for it is a mosque.

ثم حيثما أدركتك الصلاة فصله فإنه مسجد

. And al-Nasa'i narrated with a sound chain from the hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with them both), from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):

When Sulayman ibn Dawud (peace be upon him) built Bayt al-Maqdis, he asked Allah for three things: He asked Allah for a judgment that would coincide with his own judgment, and it was granted to him. He asked Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for a kingdom that would not be fitting for anyone after him, and it was granted to him. And he asked Allah (Mighty and Majestic) when he finished building the mosque that no one would come to it motivated by anything other than prayer in it, except that He would take him out of his sins as on the day his mother gave birth to him.

أن سليمان بن داود عليه السلام لما بنى بيت المقدس سأل الله خلالاً ثلاثة: سأل الله حكمًا يصادف حكمه فأوتيه، وسأل الله عز وجل ملكًا لا ينبغي لأحد من بعده فأوتيه، وسأل الله عز وجل حين فرغ من بناء المسجد ألا يأتيه أحد لا ينهزه إلا الصلاة فيه أن يخرجه من خطيئته كيوم ولدته أمه

. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.

Source www.alifta.gov.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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