The Book On The Mosques And The Congregations

كتاب المساجد والجماعات

Chapter 1: One Who Builds A Mosque For The Sake Of Allah

It was narrated that 'Umar bin Khattab said

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Whoever builds a mosque in which the Name of Allah is mentioned, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.'"

It was narrated that 'Uthman bin 'Affan said

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, Allah will build something similar for him in Paradise.'"

It was narrated that 'Ali bin Abu Talib said

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah (from his own wealth), Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.'"

It was narrated from Jabir bin 'Abdullah that

The Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, like a sparrow's nest for Allah or even smaller, Allah will build for him a house in Paradise."

Chapter 2: Construction Of Lofty Mosque

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'The Hour will not begin until the people compete in (building) mosques.'"

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said

The Messenger of Allah said: "I see you building your mosque high after I am gone, just as the Jews built their synagogues high and the Christians built their churches high."

It was narrated that 'Umar bin Khattab said

The Messenger of Allah said: "No people's deeds ever became evil deeds but they started to adorn their places of worship."

Chapter 3: Where It Is Permissible To Build Mosque

It was narrated that Anas bin Malik said

"The location where the Prophet's Mosque was built belonged to Banu Najjar. In it there were date-palm trees and graves of the idolaters. The Prophet said to them: 'Name its price.' They said: 'We will never take any money for it.' The Prophet built it and they were assisting him, and the Prophet was saying: 'The real life is the life of the Hereafter so forgive the Ansar and the Muhajirah.' Before the mosque was built, the Prophet would perform prayer wherever he was when the time for prayer came."

It was narrated from 'Uthman bin Abul-'As that

The Messenger of Allah commanded him to build the mosque of Ta'if in the place where the Taghuts used to be.

It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar was asked about gardens in which excrement was thrown.

He said: "If it has been watered several times, then perform prayer there," and he attributed that to the Prophet.

Chapter 4: Places Where it Is Disliked To Perform Prayer

It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed Khudri said

"The Messenger of Allah said: 'All the earth is a mosque, except for graveyards and Hammam.'"

It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said

"Allah's Messenger prohibited prayer from being performed in seven places: The garbage dump, the slaughtering area, the graveyard, the commonly used road, the bathroom, in the area that camels rest at, and above the Ka'bah."

It was narrated from 'Umar bin Khattab that

The Messenger of Allah said: "There are seven places where it is not permissible to perform the prayer: The top of the House of Allah; graveyards; garbage dumps; slaughterhouses; bathrooms; the area that camels rest, and the main road."

Chapter 5: What Is Disliked In The Mosques

It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that

The Messenger of Allah said: "There are things which are not befitting for the mosque: it should not be taken as a thoroughfare; weapons should not be unsheathed in it; bows should not be drawn nor arrows shot in it; no one should pass through it carrying raw meat; no prescribed punishment or retaliatory punishment should be carried out in it; and it should not be used as a marketplace."

It was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib from his father that his grandfather said

"The Messenger of Allah forbade buying and selling in the mosque, and reciting poetry in the mosque."

It was narrated from Wathilah bin Asqa' that

The Prophet said: "Keep your infants, your insane and your evil ones away from your mosques. Avoid engaging in transactions and disputes, raising your voices, carrying out your prescribed punishments and unsheathing your swords therein. Make places for purification at their gates, and perfume them with incense on Fridays." (Maudu')

Chapter 6: Sleeping In The Mosque

It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar said

"We used to sleep in the mosque at the time of the Messenger of Allah."

Ya'ish bin Qais bin Tikhfah narrated that his father, who was one of the people of Suffah, said

"The Messenger of Allah said to us: 'Come with me.' So we went to the house of 'Aishah, where we ate and drank. Then the Messenger of Allah said to us: 'If you want, you can sleep here, or if you want you can go out to the mosque.' We said: 'We will go out to the mosque.'"

Chapter 7: Which Mosque Was Built First

It was narrated that Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari said

"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.'"