4/7. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 753 — First Mosques and Prayer Anywhere
Which Mosque Was Built First
Hadith About the First Mosque Built
Sunan Ibn Majah : 753
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 753
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ الرَّقِّيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ الْغِفَارِيِّ، قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ أَوَّلُ قَالَ " الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىٌّ قَالَ " ثُمَّ الْمَسْجِدُ الأَقْصَى " . قُلْتُ كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ " أَرْبَعُونَ عَامًا ثُمَّ الأَرْضُ لَكَ مُصَلًّى فَصَلِّ حَيْثُ مَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلاَةُ " .
Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari Narrated from:
I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Which mosque was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah).' I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'then Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).' I said: 'How many years between them?' He said: 'Forty years, but the whole earth is a mosque for you, so pray wherever you are when the time for prayer comes.'
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 753In-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 19English translation : Vol. 1, Book 4, Hadith 753
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 753
This hadith about the first mosque built answers Abu Dharr’s question. He asked which mosque was built first, and the Prophet answered Al-Masjid Al-Haram. Abu Dharr then asked which came next, and the Prophet said Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. When asked how much time was between them, he said forty years. The hadith then gives a broad and practical teaching: the whole earth is a place of prayer, so a person should pray wherever they are when the time for prayer comes. This joins two ideas together: respect for sacred mosques and ease in daily prayer. Prayer remains possible even away from famous mosques.
What we learn from this hadith
- Al-Masjid Al-Haram is named first in this narration.
- Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa is named after it, with forty years between them.
- A Muslim may pray wherever prayer time reaches them, in a suitable place.
