The Amazing Virtues of Praying in Masjid Nabawi and Masjid al-Haram
- Hadiths Regarding The Amazing Virtues of Praying in Masjid Nabawi and Masjid al-Haram
- The Rawdah: A Garden of Paradise in Masjid Nabawi
- The Mosque Founded on Taqwa
- Amazing Virtues of Praying in Masjid Nabawi and Masjid al-Haram: Journeying to visit other mosques
- Key lessons
- Questions people ask
- Conclusion About Amazing Virtues of Praying in Masjid Nabawi and Masjid al-Haram
Offering prayer is one of the pillars of the Islamic religion. There are five daily obligatory prayers that every Muslim must uphold. One can pray alone or in a congregation, and praying in a congregation is twenty-seven times better than praying alone (Sahih al-Bukhari 645). Furthermore, praying in Masjid Nabawi and Masjid al-Haram is far better than any other mosques around the globe.
At a glance
- Source: Sunan Ibn Majah 1406; Sahih Muslim 1394a
- Narrated by: Jabir and Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with them)
- Grade: Sunan Ibn Majah 1406: Sahih (Darussalam); Sahih Muslim 1394a: Sahih
- Topic: Salat, Masjid Nabawi, Masjid al-Haram
- Practise it: Make the most of every prayer when you visit Makkah and Madinah
Now why is that? There are some authentic hadiths where Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) has spoken about the virtues of praying in both masjids. Lets take a look at them below.
Hadiths Regarding The Amazing Virtues of Praying in Masjid Nabawi and Masjid al-Haram
صَلاَةٌ فِي مَسْجِدِي أَفْضَلُ مِنْ أَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ فِيمَا سِوَاهُ. إِلاَّ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ. وَصَلاَةٌ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ مِائَةِ أَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ فِيمَا سِوَاهُ
“One prayer in my mosque is better than one thousand prayers elsewhere, except the Sacred Mosque, and one prayer in the Sacred Mosque is better than one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere.”
Sunan Ibn Majah 1406 · Sahih (Darussalam) · Narrated by Jabir
صَلاَةٌ فِي مَسْجِدِي هَذَا أَفْضَلُ مِنْ أَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ فِيمَا سِوَاهُ إِلاَّ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ
“A prayer in my mosque is a thousand times more excellent than a prayer in any other mosque, except Masjid al-Haram (Mosque of the Ka’ba).”
Sahih Muslim 1394a · Narrated by Abu Hurairah
After reading both authentic Hadiths above, we can see that the main mosque would be Masjid al-Haram. The Masjid is located at Makkah al-Mukarramah. This is where Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was born and raised.
The virtue of offering salat in Masjid al-Haram is 100,000 times better than one salat in any other mosques. On the other hand offering salat in Masjid Nabawi is 1000 times better.
Previously, the qibla pointed to Masjid al-Aqsa in Palestine, but Allah granted the Prophet’s ﷺ wish to change it to face Masjid al-Haram:
قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَىٰهَا ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ
“We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muḥammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face [i.e., yourself] toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces [i.e., yourselves] toward it [in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture [i.e., the Jews and the Christians] well know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allāh is not unaware of what they do.”
Surah al-Baqarah 2:144 · Translation: Saheeh International, from Quran.com
The Rawdah: A Garden of Paradise in Masjid Nabawi
Inside Masjid Nabawi is a small area between the Prophet’s ﷺ house and his pulpit, known as the Rawdah.
مَا بَيْنَ بَيْتِي وَمِنْبَرِي رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ، وَمِنْبَرِي عَلَى حَوْضِي
“Between my house and my pulpit there is a garden of the gardens of Paradise, and my pulpit is on my fountain tank (i.e. Al-Kauthar).”
Sahih al-Bukhari 1196 · Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Mosque Founded on Taqwa
When a companion asked the Prophet ﷺ which of the two mosques was founded on taqwa, he pointed to his own mosque in Madinah:
دَخَلْتُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي بَيْتِ بَعْضِ نِسَائِهِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ الْمَسْجِدَيْنِ الَّذِي أُسِّسَ عَلَى التَّقْوَى قَالَ فَأَخَذَ كَفًّا مِنْ حَصْبَاءَ فَضَرَبَ بِهِ الأَرْضَ ثُمَّ قَالَ ” هُوَ مَسْجِدُكُمْ هَذَا ” . – لِمَسْجِدِ الْمَدِينَةِ –
“I went to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as he was in the house of one of his wives, and said: Messenger of Allah, which of the two mosques is founded on piety? Thereupon he took a handful of pebbles and threw them on the ground and then said: This is the very mosque of yours (mosque at Medina).”
Sahih Muslim 1398 · Narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri
Surah at-Tawbah 9:108 is also explained as referring to Masjid Quba’. You can read more in The Virtue of Praying in Quba’ Mosque.
Amazing Virtues of Praying in Masjid Nabawi and Masjid al-Haram: Journeying to visit other mosques
لاَ تُشَدُّ الرِّحَالُ إِلاَّ إِلَى ثَلاَثَةِ مَسَاجِدَ مَسْجِدِي هَذَا وَمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى
“Do not undertake a journey to visit any Mosque, but three: this Mosque of mine, the Mosque of al-Haram and the Mosque of Aqsa (Bait al-Maqdis).”
Sahih Muslim 1397a · Narrated by Abu Hurairah
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) recommended for us to make journey to only visit the three historic mosques. The two said above and Masjid al-Aqsa.
Scholars have explained what this hadith covers in detail. If you are planning a trip mainly to visit another mosque, ask a scholar you trust.
Key lessons
- A prayer in Masjid al-Haram is better than 100,000 prayers elsewhere (Sunan Ibn Majah 1406).
- A prayer in Masjid an-Nabawi is better than 1,000 prayers elsewhere (Sahih Muslim 1394a).
- The area between the Prophet’s ﷺ house and pulpit is a garden of Paradise (Sahih al-Bukhari 1196).
- Plan your visit around the prayers to gain the reward.
Questions people ask
What is the reward of praying in Masjid Nabawi?
The Prophet ﷺ said: “A prayer in my mosque is a thousand times more excellent than a prayer in any other mosque, except Masjid al-Haram” (Sahih Muslim 1394a).
What is the reward of praying in Masjid al-Haram?
“One prayer in the Sacred Mosque is better than one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere” (Sunan Ibn Majah 1406, Sahih per Darussalam).
What is the Rawdah in Masjid Nabawi?
It is the area between the Prophet’s ﷺ house and his pulpit. He said: “Between my house and my pulpit there is a garden of the gardens of Paradise” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1196).
Which three mosques did the Prophet ﷺ mention for journeys?
Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, his own mosque in Madinah, and Masjid al-Aqsa (Sahih Muslim 1397a).
Is praying in congregation better than praying alone?
Yes. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer offered by person alone” (Sahih al-Bukhari 645).
Conclusion About Amazing Virtues of Praying in Masjid Nabawi and Masjid al-Haram
Lets make it a goal to perform ibadah at Masjid al-Haram and Masjid Nabawi. Be it at least once in our life time. The rewards on the table are enormous and we should not let it pass by.
May Allah grant all of us the opportunity to perform prayers in Masjid al-Haram and Masjid Nabawi. May Allah make it easy for us to reach both Masjids as well.
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