Excellence of Performing Salat (Prayer) in Masjid al-Haram (the Sacred Masjid) and the Best Place Therein

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع عَنْ أَفْضَلِ مَوْضِعٍ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ يُصَلَّى فِيهِ قَالَ الْحَطِيمُ مَا بَيْنَ الْحَجَرِ وَ بَابِ الْبَيْتِ قُلْتُ وَ الَّذِي يَلِي ذَلِكَ فِي الْفَضْلِ فَذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ عِنْدَ مَقَامِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع قُلْتُ ثُمَّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ فِي الْفَضْلِ قَالَ فِي الْحِجْرِ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ الَّذِي يَلِي ذَلِكَ قَالَ كُلَّمَا دَنَا مِنَ الْبَيْتِ.

“I once asked abu al-Hassan, al-Rida (a.s.), about the most excellent place for salat (prayer) in Masjid al-Haram (the Sacred Masjid). He (the Imam) replied, ’It is al-Hatim, between the Black Stone and the door of the house.’ I then asked, ‘Which place is excellent thereafter?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is Maqam of Ibra

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الصَّلَاةُ فِي الْحَرَمِ كُلِّهِ سَوَاءٌ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عُبَيْدَةَ مَا الصَّلَاةُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ كُلِّهِ سَوَاءً فَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ فِي الْحَرَمِ كُلِّهِ سَوَاءً قُلْتُ فَأَيُّ بِقَاعِهِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ مَا بَيْنَ الْبَابِ إِلَى الْحَجَرِ الْأَسْوَدِ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if performing Salat (prayer) in all of al-Haram (the sacred area) is of the same degree of virtue. He (the Imam) said, ‘O abu ‘Ubaydah, all Salat (prayer) in Masjid al-Haram are not of the same degree of virtue; then how can it be the same in all of al-Haram (the sacred area)?’ I th

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْمُلْتَزَمِ لِأَيِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ يُلْتَزَمُ وَ أَيُّ شَيْ‌ءٍ يُذْكَرُ فِيهِ فَقَالَ عِنْدَهُ نَهَرٌ مِنْ أَنْهَارِ الْجَنَّةِ تُلْقَى فِيهِ أَعْمَالُ الْعِبَادِ عِنْدَ كُلِّ خَمِيسٍ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about al-Multazam, for what reason it is held and what is said in it. He (the Imam) said, ‘Nearby there is a canal of the canals of paradise in which the deeds of the servants (of Allah) are thrown every Thursday.’”

كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَقَالَ أَكْثِرُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ وَ الدُّعَاءِ فِي هَذَا الْمَسْجِدِ أَمَا إِنَّ لِكُلِّ عَبْدٍ رِزْقاً يُجَازُ إِلَيْهِ جَوْزاً[1].

“Once we were with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he said, ‘You must say a great deal of Salat (prayer) and supplications in this Masjid. There is no doubt that for every servant (of Allah) there is a certain share of sustenance that is passed to him undeniably.’”

الصَّلَاةُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ تَعْدِلُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ صَلَاةٍ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has narrated from his ancestors, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, who have said that performing Salat (prayer) in Masjid al-Haram is equal to one hundred thousand Salat (prayer) elsewhere.”

الصَّلَاةُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ تَعْدِلُ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ صَلَاةٍ.

performing Salat (prayer) in Masjid al-Haram is equal to one hundred thousand Salat (prayer) elsewhere.”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَقُومُ أُصَلِّي بِمَكَّةَ وَ الْمَرْأَةُ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ جَالِسَةٌ أَوْ مَارَّةٌ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ إِنَّمَا سُمِّيَتْ بَكَّةَ لِأَنَّهَا تُبَكُّ فِيهَا الرِّجَالُ وَ النِّسَاءُ.

‘It is not harmful. It is called Bakkah because men and women weep there.’”

قَالَ لَهُ‌[2] الطَّيَّارُ وَ أَنَا حَاضِرٌ هَذَا الَّذِي زِيدَ هُوَ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ إِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَبْلُغُوا بَعْدُ مَسْجِدَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ ص‌[3].

“Al-Tayyar once said to him (the Imam) (a.s.), when I also was present, ‘This thing which is added, is it of Masjid? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is of Masjid, they still have not reached Masjid of Ibrahim and ‘Isma‘il, May Allah grant both of them favors.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ‌[4] عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُصَلِّي بِمَكَّةَ يَجْعَلُ الْمَقَامَ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ وَ هُوَ مُسْتَقْبِلُ الْقِبْلَةِ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ يُصَلِّي حَيْثُ شَاءَ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الْمَقَامِ أَوْ خَلْفَهُ وَ أَفْضَلُهُ الْحَطِيمُ‌[5] وَ الْحِجْرُ وَ عِنْدَ الْمَقَامِ وَ الْحَطِيمُ حِذَاءَ الْبَابِ‌[6].

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who performs Salat (prayer) in Makkah with Maqam (station) of Ibrahim ‘Alayhi al-Salam, behind him, facing al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful. He can perform Salat (prayer) anywhere in the Masjid, in front or behind Maqam (station) of Ibrahim ‘

كَانَ حَقُّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع بِمَكَّةَ مَا بَيْنَ الْحَزْوَرَةِ إِلَى الْمَسْعَى فَذَلِكَ الَّذِي كَانَ خَطَّهُ- إِبْرَاهِيمُ ع يَعْنِي الْمَسْجِدَ[1].

‘The right of Ibrahim ‘Alayhi al-Salam was from al- Hazwarah to al-Mas‘a’; so it is the quarter which Ibrahim ‘Alayhi al-Salam had marked, that is, the area of the Masjid.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يُصَلِّي فِي جَمَاعَةٍ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ بِمَكَّةَ أَفْضَلُ أَوْ وَحْدَهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ فَقَالَ وَحْدَهُ.

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), if a man performs Salat (prayer) in congregation in his home in Makkah is better or his performing Salat (prayer) in Masjid al-Haram alone. He (the Imam) said, ‘His performing Salat (prayer) in Masjid al-Haram alone is better.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْحَطِيمِ فَقَالَ هُوَ مَا بَيْنَ الْحَجَرِ الْأَسْوَدِ وَ بَيْنَ الْبَابِ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ لِمَ سُمِّيَ الْحَطِيمَ فَقَالَ لِأَنَّ النَّاسَ يَحْطِمُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضاً هُنَاكَ.

about al-Hatim as to why it is called al-Hatim (clashing). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is because people there collide against each other.’”