Hadith 3
The Book of Zuhd and Softening of Hearts
Mahmud b. Labid reported that 'Uthman b. 'Affan decided to rebuild the mosque (of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in Medina) but the people did not like this idea and they wished that it should be preserved in the same (old) form. Thereupon he (Hadrat 'Uthman) said:
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who builds a mosque for Allah, Allah would build for him (a house) in Paradise like it.
حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، كِلاَهُمَا عَنِ الضَّحَّاكِ، - قَالَ ابْنُ الْمُثَنَّى حَدَّثَنَا الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، - أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ مَحْمُودِ بْنِ لَبِيدٍ، أَنَّ عُثْمَانَ بْنَ عَفَّانَ، أَرَادَ بِنَاءَ الْمَسْجِدِ فَكَرِهَ النَّاسُ ذَلِكَ وَأَحَبُّوا أَنْ يَدَعَهُ عَلَى هَيْئَتِهِ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ
مَنْ بَنَى مَسْجِدًا لِلَّهِ بَنَى اللَّهُ لَهُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِثْلَهُ
Hadith gradings, numbering and translations can differ between editions. For legal rulings or detailed interpretation, consult qualified scholarship and the referenced edition.