The Forty Gems of Jerusalem Hadiths
The Divine Election of al-Aqsa Since the Dawn of Creation
On the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
I asked, "O Messenger of Allah, which mosque was first established on earth?"
He replied, "al-Masjid al-Haram."
I asked, "Then which one?"
He said, "al-Masjid al-Aqsa."
I asked, "How much time was there between them?"
He replied, "Forty years."
Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
"Masjid" (mosque) refers to a place of prostration and a house of prayer wherein worship is performed.
"Wudi'a" (established) means founded and set firmly in place,
from which a location is termed a "mawdi'".
"al-Masjid al-Haram"
is the Sacred House of Allah in Makkah al-Mukarramah,
and it is the very first mosque established on earth.
"al-Masjid al-Aqsa"
is the well-known mosque situated in the city of Jerusalem,
and it is the second mosque established on earth.
"al-Aqsa" means the farthest,
and it was named al-Aqsa due to its distance from al-Masjid al-Haram.
General Meaning:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) explains in this hadith
that the first mosque built on earth
was al-Masjid al-Haram,
followed directly by al-Masjid al-Aqsa.
This highlights the exalted status and sanctity of both mosques in Islam,
demonstrating that the greatest sanctuaries of worship and earliest mosques in history
are al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah
and al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Palestine,
with a span of forty years between their respective foundings.
al-Masjid al-Aqsa has always been a mosque,
never a temple,
since its foundation and establishment in the era of Adam (peace be upon him).
al-Masjid al-Haram and al-Masjid al-Aqsa were instituted at the dawn of time
to serve as beacons of guidance and devotion.
Belonging to al-Masjid al-Aqsa and Palestine
is an inherent, deep-rooted affiliation,
not merely a passing or incidental connection.