In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
We are a sun that never sets.
Should the caller summon us, we respond.
We shall restore the truth, whole and intact.
We shall grant victory to the beloved Al-Aqsa.
In it, the best of creation prayed.
It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.
It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.
It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.
What is the reward for prayer in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque?
By divine wisdom,
Allah, glory be to Him and Exalted is He, has singled out
and favored certain places over others.
He chose them for worship and the realization of Tawhid (monotheism),
magnified their reward, elevated their status,
and raised their standing.
Among the greatest of these are the three mosques,
the inseparable siblings,
linked historically, doctrinally,
spiritually, and emotionally to one another:
the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Haram),
the Prophet’s Mosque,
and Al-Aqsa Mosque.
For it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him,
that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"Do not undertake a journey to visit any mosques, but three:
the Sacred Mosque,
the Mosque of the Messenger, peace be upon him,
and Al-Aqsa Mosque."
This hadith contains a general encouragement to travel and set out
for the purpose of worship and drawing near to Allah, the Almighty,
in these noble sites,
due to their unique status,
and the honor bestowed upon them by Allah, the Almighty.
Thus, there is no merit in undertaking a journey for the sake of worship to any other place.
It is narrated from Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
"We were discussing while in the presence of the Messenger of Allah,
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, which is better:
the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
or the Mosque of Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)?"
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, replied:
"One prayer in this mosque of mine
is better than four prayers in it,
and what an excellent place of prayer it is!
A time will soon come when a man will have a plot of land the size of his horse's tether,
from which he can see Bayt al-Maqdis,
and that will be better for him than the entire world,"
or he said, "better than the world and all that is in it."
Al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him, said regarding this hadith:
"It is the most authentic report concerning the virtue of prayer in Al-Aqsa Mosque."
Since a prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque
is equal to a thousand prayers elsewhere,
then a prayer in Al-Aqsa Mosque
is equal to two hundred and fifty prayers elsewhere,
excluding the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque.
This is a great virtue and a massive reward,
that the rak'ah and the prayer therein are multiplied two hundred and fifty times,
encompassing both obligatory and voluntary prayers.
And so that no one might think that this differentiation in the reward of prayer
in terms of number between the three mosques
diminishes the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque,
the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said thereafter:
"And what an excellent place of prayer it is!"
to clarify its status and rank in Islamic law.
The superiority of the mosque is derived from the superiority of the location.
That is why he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said in the hadith before us:
"And what an excellent place of prayer it is!"
It contains praise and commendation, highlighting the importance of prayer and worship therein,
and that the living, faithful souls
remain longing for that place,
no matter how circumstances change or conditions fluctuate.
From 'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr Ibn al-'As, may Allah be pleased with them both,
from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, that he said:
"When Sulayman Ibn Dawud (Solomon, son of David) finished building Bayt al-Maqdis,
he asked Allah for three things:
a judgment that coincides with His judgment,
a kingdom the likes of which no one would have after him,
and that no one should come to this mosque intending only to pray in it
without emerging from his sins like the day his mother gave birth to him."
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"As for two, he has been granted them,
and I hope he has been granted the third."
This is a magnificent hadith,
demonstrating the great virtue and abundant reward for worship and prayer in Al-Aqsa Mosque,
and that this supplication coming from the Prophet-King Sulayman, whose prayers were answered,
serves as an additional merit and further honor and distinction for this place.
The hadith points to an important historical era in the history of this ancient mosque,
when Sulayman, peace be upon him, renovated and restored its structure,
as has been known and practiced from antiquity to this very day.
Kings and leaders continue to care for the construction, renovation, and restoration of important holy sites,
such as the Sacred Mosque, the Prophet’s Mosque, and Al-Aqsa,
to prepare the atmosphere and secure them,
and for these places to appear in their most beautiful attire and finest view,
to achieve a spiritual atmosphere in which reward and recompense are sought from Allah.
Ibn Taymiyyah said:
"For this reason, Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, would come to it and pray there,
and he would not even drink water there,
so that he might attain the supplication of Sulayman, peace be upon him,"
due to the phrase "intending only to pray in it,"
for this requires sincerity of intention in traveling to it,
and that one does not come for a worldly purpose or an innovation.
From Hudhayfah Ibn al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
"The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
'There is no i'tikaf (seclusion for worship) except in the three mosques:
the Sacred Mosque,
the Mosque of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and the Mosque of Bayt al-Maqdis.'"
I'tikaf is standing, remaining, persevering, and residing in worship.
This adds a new virtue and another merit to the previous ones,
such as praying in it, praying towards it before the change of the Qiblah,
visiting it, and staying in it to draw near to Allah.
All this diversity adds further virtue and honor to this place,
and encourages its maintenance through obedience and the realization of servitude to Allah, the Almighty.
Ibn 'Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
"If this hadith is authentic, then it refers to a complete i'tikaf,"
meaning that i'tikaf in these mosques is more complete and better than i'tikaf in other mosques,
just as prayer in them is better than prayer in other mosques.
It is sufficient for this mosque in terms of virtue, sanctity, and status
that it is the place of worship for the prophets, the prayer niche of the pious,
the destination of the chosen, and the site of the miracles of the saints.
“And her Lord accepted her with full acceptance and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth; and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah went into the sanctuary where she was, he found that she had food. He said: O Mary! Whence cometh unto thee this (food)? She answered: It is from Allah. Allah giveth without stint to whom He will.” (3:37)
He said, "O Maryam, from where did you get this?"
“And her Lord accepted her with full acceptance and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth; and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah went into the sanctuary where she was, he found that she had food. He said: O Mary! Whence cometh unto thee this (food)? She answered: It is from Allah. Allah giveth without stint to whom He will.” (3:37)
“And her Lord accepted her with full acceptance and vouchsafed to her a goodly growth; and made Zachariah her guardian. Whenever Zachariah went into the sanctuary where she was, he found that she had food. He said: O Mary! Whence cometh unto thee this (food)? She answered: It is from Allah. Allah giveth without stint to whom He will.” (3:37)
An excellent place of prayer.
We are a sun that never sets.
Should the caller summon us, we respond.
We shall restore the truth, whole and intact.
We shall grant victory to the beloved Al-Aqsa.
In it, the best of creation prayed.
It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.
The landing place of the Trustworthy Revelation.
The mission site for the messengers.
The Qiblah for the Muslims.
The destination for the conquerors.
In it, the best of creation prayed.
It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.
It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.