"I used to recite Qur'an to my father on the road, and if I recited a verse in which prostration was required, he would prostrate. I said: 'O my father, do you prostrate on the street?' He said: 'I heard Abu Dharr say: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): 'Which Masjid was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram.' [1] I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.' [2] I said: 'How long was there between them?' He said: 'Forty years. And the earth is a Masjid (or a place of prostration) for you, so wherever you are when the time for prayer comes, pray.'"[1] In Makkah.[2] "Furthest Masjid", meaning the Masjid in Jerulsalem.
The Book of the Masjids - Sunan an-Nasa'i
A traditional commentary on the hadith from Sunan an-Nasa'i concerning the primordial status of mosques and the universality of prayer spaces.
Historical Primacy of Sacred Spaces
The Prophet's response to Abu Dharr establishes the chronological precedence of Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Makkah, followed by Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem forty years later. This forty-year interval signifies a sacred timeline established by divine wisdom, connecting these two holy sites in Islamic consciousness.
Al-Masjid Al-Haram's primacy reflects its status as the first house of worship appointed for mankind, while Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa represents the continuation of monotheistic tradition through subsequent prophets.
The Earth as a Masjid
The profound declaration "the earth is a Masjid for you" embodies Islam's universal accessibility. Unlike previous religious traditions that restricted worship to specific locations, Islam sanctifies the entire earth as a place of prostration.
This principle explains the father's prostration upon hearing a verse requiring it, regardless of being on the street. The entire earth has been created pure and suitable for prayer, requiring only that the specific spot be clean.
Practical Application of Universal Prostration
The narration demonstrates the companions' immediate implementation of prophetic teachings. Abu Dharr's question leads to a fundamental principle that the father applies directly by prostrating on the road.
This illustrates the seamless integration of knowledge and action in early Muslim practice, where understanding theological principles directly influenced daily worship conduct without hesitation or excessive scruples about location.
Legal and Spiritual Implications
Scholars derive from this hadith the permissibility of performing voluntary prostrations of recitation outside formal prayer times and in non-mosque locations, provided the place is ritually clean.
The earth's designation as a masjid eliminates geographical barriers to worship, emphasizing that devotion transcends physical structures and resides ultimately in the believer's heart and submission to Allah.