ON THE VIRTUE OF THE MUSJID

Allâh says:

“Only he shall inhabit the musjids of Allâh who believed in Allâh and the last day…” (Sûrah at-Taubah, 9: 18)

The Messenger of Allâh said: “He who builds a musjid for the sake of Allâh, even if it is like the size of the nest of the sand-grouse, Allâh will build a palace for him in Paradise.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “He who is fond of the musjid, Allâh is fond of him.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “When any of you enters the musjid, he should offer two rak‘ats of salâh before sitting down.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “There is no salâh for the person who lives in the vicinity of the musjid except in the musjid.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “The angels pray for one of you as long as he remains at the spot where he offers salâh. The angels pray thus: ‘O Allâh! Shower him with Your mercy. O Allâh! Have mercy on him. O Allâh! Forgive him.’ They continue praying thus as long as he does not talk or comes out of the musjid.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Towards the latter part of time, such people from my ummah will come to the musjid who will sit in circles upon circles talking about the world and the love for the world. Do not sit in their company for Allâh has no need for such people.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Allâh said in some Book: ‘My houses on earth are the musjids. My visitors therein are those who inhabit them. So glad tidings to the person who purifies himself at his house and then visits Me in My house. For it is the duty of the one who is visited to honour the person who visits him.’”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “If you see a person frequenting the musjid, testify to his îmân.”

Sa‘îd ibn al-Musayyib rahimahullâh said: “He who sits in the musjid, he is in fact sitting with his Sustainer. It is therefore his duty to say nothing but good.”

It is related thus: “Speaking in the musjid devours good deeds just as animals devour grass.”

An-Nakha‘î rahimahullâh said: “The people of the past were of the opinion that walking to the musjid on a dark night makes Paradise compulsory.”

Anas ibn Mâlik said: “He who puts on a light in the musjid, the angels and the bearers of the Throne continue seeking forgiveness for him as long as that light remains in the musjid.”

‘Alî said: “When a person passes away, that spot where he used to offer salâh on earth and that place where his deeds climb to in the heavens both cry for him.” He then recited this verse:

“Then neither did the heavens nor the earth cry over them. Nor did they receive any respite.” (Sûrah ad-Dukhân, 44: 29)

Ibn ‘Abbâs said: “The earth cries for him for 40 days.”

‘Atâ’ al-Khurâsânî rahimahullâh said: “No person performs a prostration for Allâh on a spot of ground without that spot testifying in his favour on the day of resurrection, and without it crying for him on the day he passes away.”

Anas ibn Mâlik said: “No spot of earth on which Allâh is remembered either through salâh or remembrance without that spot boasting over the other spots that are around it. It rejoices with the remembrance of Allâh right till its deepest part – the last of the seven earths. No person stands up to offer salâh without the earth adorning itself for him.”

It is said: “There is no place at which a people get off without that place praying for them or cursing them [depending on what actions they do there].”