There is a mosque in our village where the Friday prayer is held, but some of the brothers prefer to go to a mosque in another village located about thirty kilometers away.
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The questioner : This is a listener to the program, Muhammad Sudani, who works in the Kingdom. He has several questions. His first question says: There is a mosque in our village where the Friday prayer is held, but some of the brothers prefer to go to a mosque in another village located about thirty kilometers away. Some of the brothers objected to them on the grounds that one does not travel to any mosque other than the three mosques, as is well known. We ask for clarification and detail. May Allah reward you?
The Shaykh : Yes. We say that these people who go to a mosque outside the town do not intend the mosque itself, but rather they intend the knowledge, benefit, and admonition they receive from the sermon of the imam who preaches in the mosque they visit. This is not in the category of traveling to mosques other than the three mosques, but rather it is traveling for the sake of knowledge. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 2699a So their going to this imam for the benefit of his sermon, for admonition and the explanation of Islamic legal rulings, is not in the category of traveling to the mosque, because the intent of traveling to a mosque is for a person to travel to the mosque and the place itself.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Therefore, the distinction must be made, and the difference between these two must be known. Accordingly, we say that there is nothing wrong with their action; rather, if they intend knowledge in it, it is required and commanded, as it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 2699a
The Shaykh : Yes. We say that these people who go to a mosque outside the town do not intend the mosque itself, but rather they intend the knowledge, benefit, and admonition they receive from the sermon of the imam who preaches in the mosque they visit. This is not in the category of traveling to mosques other than the three mosques, but rather it is traveling for the sake of knowledge. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
he who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah would make that path easy, leading to Paradise for him
من سلك طريقا يلتمس فيه علما سهّل الله له به طريقا إلى الجنةThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Therefore, the distinction must be made, and the difference between these two must be known. Accordingly, we say that there is nothing wrong with their action; rather, if they intend knowledge in it, it is required and commanded, as it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: