PRAYER SECTION · 12 – THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE MOSQUE
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “I was not commanded to make mosques magnificent.”
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Will you adorn the mosques as the Jews and Christians adorn their churches and synagogues?"
Anas (RA) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The Hour will not come until people compete with one another in boasting about their mosques.”
450 – From Osman ibn Abi al-As, may Allah be pleased with him:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded Osman to build the mosque of Taif on the site where their idols (temples) were located. [311]
EXPLANATION
Tavağıt: The plural form of the word *taghut*, meaning here idols and places of worship. Osman ibn Abi al-As was sent by the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, as an envoy to Taif. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered that the mosque he would build in Taif be built on the site of the temples where the people of Taif used to worship idols before Islam. This honorable hadith is evidence that mosques can be built on the sites of churches, synagogues, and idol temples. The companions transformed many churches and synagogues belonging to non-Muslims who entered the Islamic sphere into mosques, ensuring that the Muslims who converted could pray there, while not preventing the non-Muslim population from practicing their worship. The conquest of Istanbul is an example of this.
From 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him:
The mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was built of mud bricks and palm branches during the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
Mujahid said: Its pillars were from palm trees. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, added nothing to it. 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, rebuilt the mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, of mud bricks and palm branches, placing the pillars in their places and adding a little. Mujahid said:
The pillars were of wood. 'Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, made many changes initially. He built its walls of lime and ornamented stone, its pillars of decorated stone, and its ceiling of sa’c wood.
Abu Dawud says: “Al-Kassatu” is lime.
EXPLANATION
Sa'c is a tree that grows in India, with broad leaves and a thick trunk.
Al-Kassatu: means lime.
Al-Umud: means pillars.
It is narrated from Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him:
The pillars of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,’s mosque during his lifetime were made of palm trees, and its roof was of palm fronds. These trees decayed during the caliphate of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, so he had them replaced with pillars of palm trees and a roof of palm fronds. When they decayed during the caliphate of Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, Uthman had it built with brick. And it has remained thus until now.
Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Medina, he settled among the tribe called Banu Amr ibn Awf, above Medina. He stayed there for fourteen nights, then sent a message to Banu Najjar, and they came armed. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ descend upon a spacious courtyard in front of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari’s house, while he was on his camel, and Abu Bakr was on his mount, surrounded by the notables of Banu Najjar. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would pray wherever he entered for the time of prayer. He would also pray in a sheep pen. He sent a message to Banu Najjar saying, "Tell me the value of your garden (so that) I may purchase it." They said: By God, we do not seek money; we have gifted it for Allah’s sake.
Anas said: There were idols' graves, ruins of houses, and date palm trees in that garden. He ordered the removal of the idolaters’ graves, the leveling of the ruins, and the cutting down of the date palm trees (and the building of a mosque). They arranged the date palm trees towards the qibla of the mosque, and they built the foundations with stones. The companions were reciting poetic praise while carrying stones, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was also carrying stones, saying:
"O Allah! There is no benefit but from the goodness of the Hereafter. Assist the Ansar and the Muhajirun." [312]
EXPLANATION
The word *Harib* can also be read as *Hurub* and *Hirab*.
*Cüz’unnahl*: Refers to the trunk of a date palm tree.
*Jaridn nahl*: Refers to the branch of a date palm from which the leaves have been stripped.
This hadith is evidence that the graves of disbelievers can be moved and a mosque built in their place, and that building a mosque in a place without the owner’s consent is not permissible.
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had his own camel. For blessing and as an indication of his future caliphate after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ mounted him on his mount.
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The place of the Masjid al-Nabawi was in the garden of Banu Najjar. It contained crops, date palm trees, and graves of polytheists. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Purchase this garden from me with your money.” They replied, “We do not desire money.” So the date palms were cut down, the crops leveled, and the graves of the polytheists were relocated." He then corrected himself, saying, "Grant forgiveness" instead of "assist."
Musa said:
Abdulwaris narrated to us a similar account.
In Abdulwaris’s narration, it is “Hariba.”
Abdulwaris claimed that this hadith was transmitted from Hammad in the manner he expressed it.