This article is based on Fadhaill Baitul Maqdis [Virtues of Masjid al-Aqsa] by ibn Jawzi [597 AH]. Ibn Jawzi [Allah bless him] expounds on the importance and sanctity of this noble place and its position in the Muslim world. He [Allah bless him] brings various verses of the Quran, Hadith and sayings of the successors of the Sahabah in his book. Also its history and conquests is included in this book.
The following will be discussed in this article:
- Regarding the virtue of Baitul Maqdis
- Regarding the mountain in which Bailtul Maqdis is located
- The origination of Baitul Maqdis
- Amazing narrations regarding Baitul Maqdis
- Virtues of Masjid al-Aqsa
- The virtue of offering Salah in Masjid al-Aqsa
- The Virtue visiting Masjid al-Aqsa
- Righteous Actions being multiplied therein
- More chapters coming soon Insha Allah (27 chapters in total)
Chapter 1
في فضل الأرض المُقدَّسة
Regarding the virtue of The Blessed Land
[Ibn Jawzi [597 AH] initiates his book with a verse of the Quran, which is one of the earliest references to Baitul Maqdis from the Quran]
Almighty Allah states:
يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ ٢١
O my people! Enter the Holy Land which Allah has destined for you ˹to enter˺. [5:21]
Al-Muqadasa [which is referred to in the above verse] means – The Pure [al-Mutahara], because a person is purified [from sins] by visiting and praying therein.
It is also said that it is called Muqadasa [pure] because it is purified from shirk [associating partners with Allah], and is a residence for the Ambiya [Prophets – Allah bless them all] and the believers.
They are 4 meanings mentioned of الأَرضِ المُقدَّسةِ [pure land]:
- The city of Jericho [narrated by Ibn Abbas].
- The city of Jericho which is the land of Baitul Maqdis [narrated by Suddi].
- The entire vicinity of Sham [narrated by Qatadah]
- Damascus, Palestine and parts of Jordan [narrated by Abu Saleh from Ibn Abbas]
SummaryBaitul Maqdis is a blessed land in which Masjid al Aqsa is located. It has the virtue of purifying a person from sins by visiting and praying therein. It is mentioned in the Quran and several places, one of which is mentioned above. |
Chapter 2
البابُ الثَّاني
في ذِكر الجبَل الذي عليه بيتُ المَقدِس
Regarding the mountain in which Baitul Maqdis is located
Allah says:
وَٱلتِّينِ وَٱلزَّيْتُونِ ١
By the fig and the olive.
Regarding ‘الزَّيتُون’ there are 3 statements:
- Mount of olives ‘in Baitul Maqdis’ [narrated by Abu Hurairah].
- A mountain on which Baitul Maqdis is located [narrated by Qatadah].
- Esa [Allah bless him] was raised from the mountain of olives.
Abu Hurairah [Allah bless him] states: Our Lord took an oath on 4 mountains:
وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ * وَطُورِ سِينِينَ * وَهَذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ
at-Tin refers to Masjid al-Aqsa which is located by the Mount of Olives.
SummaryMasjid al-Aqsa is located on the mount of olives and Allah takes an oath on this place [Surah Tin]. It is also mentioned that Esa [Allah bless him] was raised up to the heavens on this mountain. |
Chapter 3
البابُ الثَّالثُ
في وضع بيتِ المَقدِس، وبدايةِ أمرِه
Regarding the place of Baitul Maqdis and its beginning
«إِنَّ مَكَّةَ بَلَدٌ عَظَّمَهُ اللهُ، وَعَظَّمَ حُرمَتَهُ، وَحَفَّهَا بِالمَلَائِكَةِ قَبلَ أَن يَخلُقَ شَيئًا مِنَ الأَرضِ يَومَئِذٍ كُلِّهَا بِأَلفِ عَامٍ، وَوَصَلَهَا بِالمَدِينَةِ، وَوَصَلَ المَدِينَةَ بِبَيتِ المَقدِسِ، ثُمَّ خَلَقَ الأَرضَ بَعدَ أَلفِ عَامٍ خَلقًا وَاحِدًا»
Aashia [Allah bless her] reported from the Prophet [Allah bless him] that he stated: ‘Surely Makkah is a city, which Allah has sanctified, sanctified its surroundings and he surrounded it with angels a thousand years before he created anything of the earth on that entire day. He connected it to Madinah, and connected Madinah to Baitul Maqdis, then he created the earth after a thousand years as a single creation.
[Note: Scholars of hadith have commented on the weakness of this hadith]
عن كعبٍ، قال: «بَنَى سُليمانُ بنُ داوُد بيتَ المَقدِسِ على أساسٍ قديمٍ، كما بنَى إبراهيمُ أساسَ الكَعبَةِ على أساسٍ قديمٍ»
Kab [Allah bless him] stated: Sulaiman [Allah bless him] built Baitul Maqdis upon an old foundation, just like Ibrahim built the Kabah upon an old foundation.
[Note: Scholars of hadith have commented on the weakness of this statement]
قلتُ: وسَكَنَ الجبَّارُون الأرضَ المُقدَّسةَ، فسلَّط [اللهُ] (٤) عليهم يُوشَعَ. ثمَّ سلَّط الكُفارَ على بيتِ
المَقدِس، فصيَّرُوه مَزبلةً، فأوحَى اللهُ إلى سُليمانَ، فبَنَاهُ
Ibn Jawzi states: The tyrants dwelled by Baitul Maqdis, so then Allah gave Yushu [Allah bless him] authority over them. Then the disbelievers gained authority over Baitul Maqdis and turned it into a dunghill. Allah then revealed to Sulaiman [Allah bless him], and then constructed it.
SummaryMasjid al-Aqsa is one of the earliest Masjids on the earth. It is narrated in a hadith in Sahih Bukhari that the first Masjid on the earth was Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and then 40 years later was Masjid al-Aqsa. |
Chapter 4
البابُ الرَّابع
في ذِكر العجائبِ التي كانت فيه
وعن ابن عباس قال: البيت المقدس بنته الأنبياء وسكنته الأنبياء، ما فيه موضع شبر إلا وقد صلّى فيه نبي أو أقام فيه ملك
[إتحاف الأخصا بفضائل المسجد الأقصى]
(المنهاجي الأسيوطي (٨١٣ – ٨٨٠ هـ = ١٤١٠ – ١٤٧٥ م)
Abdullah ibn Abbas [Allah bless him] states: al-Baitul Maqdas was built and inhabited by the prophets. There is not a single inch of al-Aqsa where a prophet has prayed or an Angel has stood’.
SummaryIt is believed that many Prophets [عليهم السلام] have visited and prayed here and many pious servants of Allah, such as Maryam عليها السلام. Many events have taken place here such as the al-Mirāj and others which will be mentioned shortly Insha Allāh.For example we have the verse [وَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا لِلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ٧١] which refers to Allah saving Ibrahim عليه السلام and Lut عليه السلام from the punishment, and allowing them to migrate to al-Quds, particularly Masjid al-Aqsa. In summary Masjid al-Aqsa is an extremely blessed place and holds abundant virtues. |
Chapter 5
في ذِكر فَضل بيتِ المَقدِس
The virtues of Baitul Maqdis
Allah states regarding Masjid al-Aqsa:
سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَا ٱلَّذِى بَـٰرَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَآ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ ١
Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muḥammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs.
Almighty Allah took The Noble Prophet [Allah bless him] from from Masjid al-Haram in Makkah to Masjid al-Aqsa during the night, this is known as al-Isra [The Night Journey].
Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani states in Fathul Bari ‘The reason why it is called al-Aqsa [The Furthest Mosque] is because of the far and long distance between the two masjids. [6/408]
Regarding the statement of Allah ‘whose surroundings We have blessed’, it is stated in the Tafsir of Imam Baghawi ‘They are rivers that flow around it and also fruits grow’. Also it is blessed due to the fact that it is the abode and residence of the Prophets, added to that it is the place where Angels descend.
SummarySummary: Masjid al-Aqsa is established in the Quran and Sunnah. Our beloved Prophet [Allah bless him] was taken to Masjid al-Aqsa and this is known as al-Isra [The night journey]. The surroundings of al-Aqsa, Allah has blessed by making the land very fertile and pure.It is also blessed due to the fact that many of the Prophets used to reside therein and also it is a place where angels descend in abundance. |
Chapter 6
في فضل الصَّلاةِ فيه
The virtue of offering Salah in Masjid al-Aqsa
عَنْ مَيْمُونَةَ عَنَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهَا سَأَلَتْهُ فَقَالَتْ أَفْتِنَا فِي بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَقَالَ أَرْضُ الْمَحْشَرِ وَالْمَنْشَرِ وَائْتُوهُ فَصَلُّوا فِيهِ فَإِنَّ صَلَاةً فِيهِ كَأَلْفِ صَلَاةٍ فِي غَيْرِهِ قَالَتْ أَرَأَيْتَ إنْ لَمْ أَسْتَطِعْ أَنْ أَتَحَمَّلَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ فَلْتُهْدِي لَهُ زَيْتًا يُسْرَجُ فِيهِ فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ كَمَنْ أَتَاهُ
It was narrated that Maimunah the freed (female) slave of the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
I said: “O Messenger of Allah, tell us about Baitil- Maqdis.” He said: “It is the land of the Resurrection and the Gathering. Go and pray there, for one prayer there is like one thousand prayers elsewhere.” I said: “What if I cannot travel and go there?” He said: “Then send a gift of oil to light its lamps, for whoever does that is like one who goes there.”
[Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Majah: 1407, Sharh Mushkil al-Athar: 610]
[Also see Sunan Abu Dawud:457 with slightly different wording]
We find another Hadith regarding the virtue of offering prayer in Masjid al-Aqsa
عَنْ أَبِي الدَّرْدَاءِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ فَضْلُ الصَّلَاةِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ مِائَةُ أَلْفِ صَلَاةٍ وَفِي مَسْجِدِي أَلْفُ صَلَاةٍ وَفِي مَسْجِدِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ خَمْسُمِائَةِ صَلَاةٍ
3845 شعب الإيمان كتاب المناسك فضل الحج والعمرة
10/77 المحدث البزار خلاصة حكم المحدث إسناده حسن في البحر الزخار
Abu Darda reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The virtue of prayer in Masjid al-Haram is one hundred thousand times better than prayer elsewhere, prayer in this mosque of mine is one thousand times better than prayer elsewhere, and prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis is better than five hundred prayers elsewhere.”
Source: Shu’ab al-Imān 3845
Grade: Hasan (fair) according to Al-Bazzar
Summary
Summary: Masjid al-Aqsa is one of the most blessed places on this earth. It has the reward of 500 for one salah therein according to the preferred view.Everyone should make a firm intention to visit if able, otherwise should assist by giving charity for the maintenance of the Masjid. |
Chapter 7
في فَضل زيارتِه
The virtue of visiting Masjid al-Aqsa
Zayd ibn Thābit al-Anṣārī (d. 45/665-6) (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates, that the Prophet ﷺ said:
طوبى للشام فقلنا لأي ذلك يا رسول الله قال لأن ملائكة الرحمن باسطة أجنحتها عليها
“Glad tidings for Shām.” So we said, “what is the reason for this O messenger of Allah ﷺ?” He said, “Because the Angels of The Merciful have spread their wings upon Shām.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhī, 3954).
Summary
There are many virtues of visiting Masjid al-Aqsa, some have already been mentioned Alhamdulillah, and other will be mentioned in the relevant chapters, Insha Allah. One of which is The Prophet of Allah ﷺ praised this blessed place and the Angels spreading their wings over Shām is in reference to protection from disbelief.
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Chapter 8
في ذِكر مُضاعَفة الحسَنات والسَّيِّئات فيه
Righteous actions and sins being multiplied in Baitul Maqdis
Righteous actions are multiplied with regards to either the virtue of the place one is in or the time one is in. The following is an extract from Lataaif al-Maarif [edited translation]:
As for sacredness of the place Ibn Rajab [Allah bless him] states:
واعلم أنّ مضاعفة الأجر للأعمال تكون بأسباب
منها: شرف المكان المعمول فيه ذلك العمل، كالحرم. ولذلك تضاعف الصّلاة في مسجدي مكّة والمدينة
This is due to the sacredness of the place where the deeds are multiplied, such as Masjid al-Haram, Masjid al-Nabawi and Masjid al-Aqsa. Also any masjid the good actions are multiplied like the case of Salah, where the reward is increased by 27 times.
As for sacredness of the time Ibn Rajab [Allah bless him] states:
كشهر رمضان وعشر ذي الحجة. وفي حديث سلمان المرفوع الذي أشرنا إليه في فضل شهر رمضان «من تطوّع فيه بخصلة من خصال الخير كان كمن أدّى فريضة فيما سواه، ومن أدّى فيه فريضة كان كمن أدّى سبعين فريضة فيما سواه» (٣)
This is due to the auspicious time the good actions are increased, such as the month of Ramadan, the first ten days of Dhul Hijjah, and also on Jumuah.
Summary
Masjid al-Aqsa is from those places which Allah has blessed. The reward for praying therein is multiplied as mentioned in chapter 6. We will also mention – Insha Allah – the Hadith of Abu Saeed al-Khudri [RadiyAllahu Anhu] in chapter 10 with regards to its virtue.According to some scholars, Sins are also multiplied in virtuous places and times.
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