By: Sheikh As-Sayyid Sabiq  

journey to visit any place other than the three Mosques: the Sacred Mosque of Makkah, this mosque of mine, and Al-Aqsa Mosque (of Jerusalem).”  This is reported by Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Daw’ud.  In another narration the words are “For three mosques a special journey may be undertaken: The Sacred Mosque (Ka”bah), my mosque, and the mosque of Al-Quds (Jerusalem)”.

     Abu Dharr reported that he asked the Prophet (Peace be upon him),  “O Prophet of Allah, which mosque was built first on earth”?   The Prophet (peace be upon him), replied,  “The Sacred Mosque of Makkah”.  Abu Dharr again asked, “Which was next”?  The Prophet (peace be upon him) said,  “The Al-Aqsa Mosque.”  “How long was the period between them?”  Abu Dharr asked.  The Prophet (peace be upon him) said. “Forty years.  Apart from these, offer your prayers anywhere when it is time to pray, although excellence is in praying in these mosques.”

   Traveling to these three mosques is prescribed because of their special position in Islam.  Jabir reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “One prayer in this mosque of mine is better than 1,000 prayers offered anywhere else except the Sacred Mosque, and one prayer in the Sacred Mosque is better than a hundred thousand prayers in any other mosque.”  This was reported by Ahmad with a sound chain of authorities.

    We read in various ahadith that a prayer offered in the Al-Aqsa mosque is five hundred times superior (in reward) to one offered in any other mosque, except the Sacred Mosque and the Mosque of the Prophet (in Madinah).

Etiquette of Visiting the Prophet’s Mosque and Grave

the Supreme, with His Noble Face, and with His Eternal Dominion from the accursed devil.  In the Name of Allah, O Allah! Bless Mohammed, his family and his followers.   O Allah! Forgive my sins, and open doors of Your mercy for me.”

2-  It is also recommended to go first to the raudah and offer there two rak’ahs as greetings to the Mosque with calm and humility.  

3-   After this one should head toward the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) face it, and with the back to the Qiblah, give greetings of peace to the Prophet (peace be upon him), saying: “ Peace be on you, O the Messenger of Allah, Peace be on you, O, the Prophet of Allah.  Peace be on you, O, the chosen one of Allah’s creation.  Peace be on you, O, the beloved one of Allah, peace be on you, O, the Chief of the Messengers of (Allah).  Peace be on you, O, the Messenger of the Lord of the universe.  Peace be on you, O, the chief of the unique generation.  I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that you are His slave, messenger, trustee, and the chosen one of His creation.  I bear witness that you indeed delivered the message (of Allah), discharged your trust, counseled the Muslim community, and strove hard for the cause of  Allah.”

4-  Now moving about a yard to the right, the visitor should offer his greetings to Abu Baker As-Siddiq, and then moving further another yard in the same direction, offer greetings to ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab.

5-  Then facing the direction of Qiblah the visitor should supplicate for himself, his family, friends, relatives, and the rest of the Muslims, and then leave

6-  A visitor should not raise his voice more than needed to hear himself.  The people in charge should prevent others from raising their voices gently and politely.

It is reported that ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab saw two men raising their voices in the Mosques of the Prophet (peace be upon him).  At this he told them, “Had I known that you are from this city, I would have punished you”.  

7-  Avoid wiping hands on the chamber (i.e., the grave of the Prophet), or kissing it.  The Prophet (peace be upon him) has forbidden all such things.  

Abu Daw’ud reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “ Do not turn your houses into graves. Nor make my grave a place of festivity.  Send your greetings upon me, for your greetings are conveyed to me wherever you are”,  Abdullah bin Hasan saw a man frequenting the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and making supplications there.  Thereupon he told him, O, so and so, the Prophet (peace be upon him) has said, ‘Do not make my grave a place of festivity, but send your greetings upon me from wherever you happen to be, for your greetings are conveyed to me.’ (In this respect) there is no difference between you and a man from (a distant country like) Andalusia.”

EXCELLENCE OF PRAYERS IN RAUDAH

Bukhari reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The space between my house and my pulpit is (raudah) one of the gardens of Paradise, and my pulpit is at my Fountain.”

OFFERING PRAYERS IN THE MOSQUE OF QUBA  
  

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to go there, riding or on foot, every Saturday and offer a two rak’ah prayer.  He advised others to do the same, saying, “Whoever makes ablutions at home and then goes and prays in the

Mosque of Quba, he will have a reward like that of an ‘Umrah.”  This was reported by Ahmad, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, and Al-Hakim, who says it has a sound chain of narration.

From: Fiqh-us-Sunnah