The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer

Anas b. Malik reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Medina and stayed in the upper part of Medina for fourteen nights with a tribe called Banu 'Amr b 'Auf. He then sent for the chiefs of Banu al-Najir, and they came with swords around their inecks. He (the narrator) said: I perceive as if I am seeing the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on his ride with Abu Bakr behind him and the chiefs of Banu al-Najjar around him till he alighted in the courtyard of Abu Ayyub. He (the narrator) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said prayer when the time came for prayer, and he prayed in the fold of goats and sheep. He then ordered mosques to be built and sent for the chiefs of Banu al-Najjar, and they came (to him). He (the Prophet) said to them: O Banu al-Najjar, sell these lands of yours to me. They said: No, by Allah. we would not demand their price, but (reward) from the Lord. Anas said: There (in these lands) were trees and graves of the polytheists, and ruins. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered that the trees should be cut, and the graves should be dug out, and the ruins should be levelled. The trees (were thus) placed in rows towards the qibla and the stones were set on both sides of the door, and (while building the mosque) they (the Companions) sang rajaz verses along with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): O Allah: there is no good but the good of the next world, So help the Ansar and the Muhajirin.

Anas reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray in the folds of the sheep and goats before the mosque was built.

Abu al-Tiyyah reported:

I heard from Anas a narration like this from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Al-Bara' b. 'Azib reported:

I said prayer with the Messenger (ﷺ) turning towards Bait-ul-Maqdis for sixteen months till this verse of Surah Baqara wis revealed:" And wherever you are turn your faces towards it" (ii. 144). This verse was revealed when the Messenger (ﷺ) had said prayer. A person amongst his people passed by the people of Ansar as they were engaged in prayer. He narrated to them (this command of Allah) and they turned their faces towards the Ka'ba.

Abu Ishaq reported:

I heard al-Bara' saying: We prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (with our faces) towards Bait-ul-Maqdis for sixteen months or seventeen months. Then we were made to change (our direction) towards the Ka'ba.

Ibn 'Umar reported:

As the people were praying at Quba' a man came to them and said: It has been revealed to file Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) during the night and he has been directed to turn towards the Ka'ba. So turn towards it. Their faces were towards Syria and they turned round towards Ka'ba.

Ibn 'Umar reported:

As the people were engaged in the morning prayer a man came to them. The rest of the hadith is the same.

Anas reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray towards Bait-ul-Maqdis, that it was revealed (to him):" Indeed We see the turning of the face to heaven, wherefore We shall assuredly cause you to turn towards Qibla which shall please you. So turn your face towards the sacred Mosque (Ka'ba)" (ii. 144). A person from Banu Salama was going; (he found the people) in ruk'u (while) praying the dawn prayer and they had said one rak'ah. He said in a loud voice: Listen! the Qibla has been changed and they turned towards (the new) Qibla (Ka'ba) in that very state.

'A'isha reported:

Umm Habiba and Umm Salama made a mention before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) of a church which they had seen in Abyssinia and which had pictures in it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When a pious person amongst them (among the religious groups) dies they build a place of worship on his grave, and then decorate it with such pictures. They would be the worst of creatures on the Day of judgment in the sight of Allah.

'A'isha reported:

They (some Companions of the Prophet) were conversing with one another in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (during his last) illness. Umm Salama and Umm Habiba made a mention of the church and then (the hadith was) narrated.

'A'isha reported:

The wives of the Messenger of Allah (may peace be Upon him) made a mention of the church which they had seen in Abyssinia which was called Marya, and the rest of the hadith is the same.

'A'isha reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said during his illness from which he never recovered: Allah cursed the Jews and the Christians that they took the graves of their prophets as mosques. She ('A'isha) reported: Had it not been so, his (Prophet's) grave would have been in an open place, but it could not be due to the fear that it may not be taken as a mosque.

Abu Huraira reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Let Allah destroy the Jews for they have taken the graves of their apostles as places of worship.

Abu Huraira reported:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Let there be curse of Allah upon the Jews and the Christians for they have taken the graves of their apostles as places of worship.

'A'isha and Abdullah reported:

As the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was about to breathe his last, he drew his sheet upon his face and when he felt uneasy, he uncovered his face and said in that very state: Let there be curse upon the Jews and the Christians that they have taken the graves of their apostles as places of worship. He in fact warned (his men) against what they (the Jews and the Christians) did.

Jundub reported:

I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) five days before his death and he said: I stand acquitted before Allah that I took any one of you as friend, for Allah has taken me as His friend, as he took Ibrahim as His friend. Had I taken any one of my Ummah as a friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a friend. Beware of those who preceded you and used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous men as places of worship, but you must not take graves as mosques; I forbid you to do that.

Ubaidullah al-Khaulini reported:

'Uthman b. 'Affan listened to the opinion of the people (which was not favourable) when he rebuilt the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Thereupon he said: You have not been fair to me for I have heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying: He who built a mosque for Allah, the Exalted, Allah would build for him a house in Paradise. Bukair said: I think he (the Prophet) said: While he seeks the pleasure of Allah (by building the mosque). And in the narration of Ibn 'Isa (the words are):" (a house) like that (mosque) in Paradise."

Mahmud b. Labid reported:

When 'Uthman b. 'Affan intended to build the mosque (of the Prophet) the people did not approve of it. They liked that it should be kept in the same state. Thereupon he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: He who built a mosque for Allah, Allah would build a house for him like it in Paradise.

Al-Aswad and 'Alqama reported:

We came to the house of 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud. He said: Have these people said prayer behind you? We said: No. He said: Then stand up and say prayer. He neither ordered us to say Adhan nor Iqama. We went to stand behind him. He caught hold of our hands and mode one of us stand on his right hand and the other on his left side. When we bowed, we placed our hands on our knees. He struck our hands and put his hands together, palm to palm, then put them between his thighs. When he completed the prayer he said. There would soon come your Amirs, who would defer prayers from their appointed time and would make such delay that a little time is left before sunset. So when you see them doing so, say prayer at its appointed time and then say prayer along with them as (Nafl), and when you are three, pray together (standing in one row), and when you are more than three, appoint one amongst you as your Imam. And when any one of you bows he must place his hands upon hie thighs and kneel down. and putting his palms together place (them within his thighs). I perceive as if I am seeing the gap between the fingers of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

This hadith is narrated on the authority of Alqama and Aswad by another chain of transmitters and in the hadith transmitted by Ibn Mus-hir and Jabir the words are:

" I perceive as if I am seeing the gap between the fingers of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as he was bowing."