Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
The deniers of hadith have also made this narration a target, attempting to create mistrust among Muslims regarding the Prophetic hadith by raising the objection here that the Ka‘bah was built by Ibrahim (alayhis salam), and Masjid al-Aqsa was built by Sulayman (alayhis salam), and there is a gap of more than a thousand years between the two.

The answer to this objection is that Ibrahim (alayhis salam) did not build the Ka‘bah for the first time; rather, the first construction of the Ka‘bah was by Adam (alayhis salam). Therefore, it is possible that forty years after the Ka‘bah was built, either Adam (alayhis salam) himself or someone from his progeny laid the foundation of Masjid al-Aqsa.

The constructions by Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and Sulayman (alayhis salam) both refer to the renovation of these sacred sites.

The commentators of hadith write:

“And the objection is removed by saying that neither the verse nor the hadith indicate that Ibrahim and Sulayman (alayhima salam) were the first to establish these places; rather, it was a renovation of what others had originally founded and begun. It has been narrated that the first to build the House (the Ka‘bah) was Adam (alayhis salam), and on this basis, it is possible that someone else from his children established Bayt al-Maqdis forty years after him.” (End quote.) I say: Rather, Adam (alayhis salam) himself laid its foundation as well. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) states in his book “al-Tijan” from Ibn Hisham that when Adam (alayhis salam) built the Ka‘bah, Allah Ta‘ala commanded him to travel to Bayt al-Maqdis and build it, so he built it and performed worship therein.

(Sunan al-Nasa’i, Vol. 1, p. 112)

That is, the objection regarding both the verse and the hadith can be removed by stating that neither of them indicates that the initial foundation of both was laid by these two noble personalities. Rather, the reality is that the initial foundation of both was laid by others, and these two—namely, Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and Sulayman (alayhis salam)—were renovators of these two sites. It is narrated that in the beginning, Bayt Allah was built by Adam (alayhis salam), and based on this, it is possible that someone from his progeny laid the foundation of Bayt al-Maqdis forty years later.

I say: Rather, Adam (alayhis salam) himself laid its foundation as well, as Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has reported, that when Adam (alayhis salam) built the Ka‘bah, Allah Ta‘ala commanded him to go to Bayt al-Maqdis and lay its foundation. Thus, he went there, built Bayt al-Maqdis, and performed worship of Allah there.

‘Allamah Sindhi (rahimahullah) says:

“It is not meant that the construction of Masjid al-Haram was by Ibrahim or that of Masjid al-Aqsa was by Sulayman, for there is a long period between them. Rather, what is meant is the construction other than these two constructions.” (Reference as mentioned.)

That is, in the hadith, the Abrahamic and Solomonic foundations of these two mosques are not intended. There is a long period between them. Rather, the initial foundations other than these two are intended.

In the Bible, 2 Chronicles, chapter 3, verses 1–2, it is mentioned that Sulayman (alayhis salam) built Bayt al-Maqdis upon the ancient marks of his forefathers, which also makes it clear that Sulayman (alayhis salam) was not the original founder of Bayt al-Maqdis.

Hadith Commentary:
At this point, there is a well-known objection: that the very first house built for mankind is the one in Makkah, blessed and a guidance for all the worlds. () And its construction was by Ibrahim (alayhis salam), while Masjid al-Aqsa was constructed by Sulayman (alayhis salam), and between them is a gap of more than a thousand years, whereas in this hadith forty years are mentioned.

In reality, neither the noble verse nor the mentioned hadith indicate that Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and Sulayman (alayhis salam) were the first to build them; rather, they renewed the original foundations, because the House of Allah (Baytullah) was constructed before Ibrahim (alayhis salam), and Bayt al-Maqdis before Sulayman (alayhis salam). In the narrations, it is mentioned that the first to construct the House of Allah was Adam (alayhis salam). Therefore, it is possible that someone from the progeny of Adam (alayhis salam), due to some need, constructed Bayt al-Maqdis forty years after that.

It is also possible that Masjid al-Haram and Masjid al-Aqsa were first built by the angels, and that there was a difference of forty years between their constructions.

However, the attribution to Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and Sulayman (alayhis salam) is because they renewed their foundations.

And Allah knows best.

(Fath al-Bari: 6/495)

The Interval Between the Constructions of Masjid al-Haram and Masjid al-Aqsa

«عن ابي ذر قال: قلت: يارسول الله اي مسجد وضع فى الارض أولا؟ قال: ”المسجد الحرام“ قال: قلت: ثم أى؟ قال: ثم المسجد الاقصى قال قلت كم بينها؟ قال: اربعون سنة فاينما أدركتك الصلاة فصل فهو مسجد .»

“It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Dharr radi Allahu anhu that I said: O Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)! Which mosque was built first on the earth? He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) replied: Masjid al-Haram was built first. The narrator says: I said, then which mosque was built after that? He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) replied: Masjid al-Aqsa (Bayt al-Maqdis) was built. I said: What was the interval between the construction of these two (Masjid al-Haram and Masjid al-Aqsa)? He (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) replied: The interval was forty years. (O Abu Dharr!) Wherever you find the time for prayer on any piece of land, perform the prayer there, for that (piece of land) is a mosque.”

[تخريج: رواه البخاري 3366، ومسلم 1520، وابن ماجه، والنسائي، وأحمد 150/5]

If someone were to say that the first builder of the Ka‘bah was Sayyiduna Ibrahim alayhis salam, and the builder of Masjid al-Aqsa was Sayyiduna Dawud alayhis salam and his son Sayyiduna Sulayman alayhis salam, then between Ibrahim alayhis salam and Dawud alayhis salam many eras and generations passed. For after Ibrahim alayhis salam, his son Ishaq alayhis salam became a prophet, and after Ishaq alayhis salam came Ya‘qub alayhis salam, and after Ya‘qub alayhis salam came his son Yusuf alayhis salam, and after a considerable period came Musa alayhis salam, and after him Dawud alayhis salam appeared, and in between were the tribes and their descendants besides them. Also, if the periods of other prophets who were sent one after another during this time are counted, it becomes a long period. This historical fact shows that the interval between Ibrahim alayhis salam and Dawud alayhis salam is much more than forty years.

Application:

➊ The question of Abu Dharr radi Allahu anhu in the hadith is about the original foundation, not about construction and establishment, so the answer in the hadith is according to that.

➋ It is also possible that the construction of Masjid al-Aqsa was done by other prophets before Dawud alayhis salam, and then Dawud and Sulayman alayhima salam, in their respective times, renewed its construction.

➌ Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah states in his book [زاد المعاد 49/1] that this hadith became problematic for those who could not understand its intent. These people say that it is known that Sulayman alayhis salam constructed Masjid al-Aqsa, and the interval between him and Ibrahim alayhis salam is more than a thousand years. Their statement is based on ignorance, because Sulayman alayhis salam was a renovator (mujaddid) of Masjid al-Aqsa, not its founder. The person who laid its foundation and basis was Ya‘qub ibn Ishaq. Thus, the interval between him and Ibrahim alayhis salam is the period mentioned in the hadith. [فلا اشكال۔]

➍ Imam Qurtubi states in [تفسير القرطبي 104/2]:

«ان أول من بنى البيت آدم» “The Ka‘bah was first built by Adam alayhis salam.”

In Musannaf ‘Abd al-Razzaq, the statements of great Tabi‘in such as ‘Ata ibn Abi Rabah, Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, ‘Amr ibn Dinar, and Ma‘mar are present, that the Ka‘bah was first built by Adam alayhis salam.

➎ Also, Hafiz Ibn Hajar states in [فتح الباري]: Allamah Ibn Hisham has written in his book [تاريخ ابن هشام] that when Adam alayhis salam had constructed the Ka‘bah, Allah commanded him to go towards Bayt al-Maqdis, so Adam alayhis salam built it and began worshipping there.

Therefore, the buildings whose construction interval is mentioned in the hadith under discussion are those built by Adam alayhis salam, not those built by Ibrahim and Sulayman alayhima salam. Thus, there is no contradiction in the hadith.

Finally, we will mention the statement of Ali radi Allahu anhu, which deserves to be written in gold.

«اذا حدثتم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حديثا فظنوا برسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم اهنا ه واتقاه واهداه،»

“When I narrate a hadith to you attributed to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), then be certain that it has been attributed to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) with utmost excellence, guidance, and great piety.”

[رواه ابن ماجه 20، وأبو داؤد الطيالسي 99، شرح مشكل الآثار 109/1]

Hadith Commentary:
Its relevance to the chapter is that it mentions Masjid al-Aqsa, whose initial construction is very ancient, but later it was built by Sulayman (alayhis salam).
The initial construction of the Noble Ka'bah is also very ancient, but Ibrahim (alayhis salam) renewed it.
There is a gap of forty years between the first foundations of both structures.
In this way, the objection of the deniers of hadith, which they raise against this hadith, is resolved.
Many misguided sects have arisen in the Ummah, but the deniers of hadith have gone even further than all these misguided groups and have tried to demolish the very foundation of Islam.
﴿QATALAHUMULLAHU ANNA YU'FAKOON﴾

Hadith Commentary:
➊
In this hadith, there is mention of Masjid al-Aqsa, whose original foundation is very ancient.
Prophet Sulayman (alayhis salam) renewed it; similarly, the original foundation of Masjid al-Haram is also very ancient, but Prophet Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and his beloved son Prophet Isma'il (alayhis salam) renewed it.
There is a gap of forty years between the initial foundations of both structures.
It is possible that the Ka'bah in Makkah was first constructed by Prophet Adam (alayhis salam), but when his progeny spread to the Holy Land, then forty years later the foundation of Masjid al-Aqsa was laid.

➋
Masjid al-Aqsa was named so because it is at a considerable distance from the House of Allah (Baytullah), or because this blessed region is pure from filth and apostasy.
In one narration, after the number forty, the word "years" is also explicitly mentioned.
(Sahih al-Bukhari, Ahadith al-Anbiya, Hadith: 3366)

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: (1)
The Interval Between the Construction of the Ka‘bah and Masjid al-Aqsa (Bayt al-Maqdis):
The well-known view regarding the construction of the Ka‘bah and Bayt al-Maqdis is that the Ka‘bah was built by Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and Bayt al-Maqdis was constructed by Sulayman (alayhis salam), and the interval between them amounts to more than a thousand years. However, in the hadith, the interval is mentioned as forty years. The actual matter is that Ibrahim (alayhis salam) and Sulayman (alayhis salam) did not lay the foundations (ta’sis) of these mosques, but rather renewed (tajdid) them (i.e., rebuilt them anew). The original construction was done by the angels before the creation of Adam, and the interval between these constructions and formations is forty (years), or what is meant is the construction by Adam (alayhis salam). Adam (alayhis salam) laid the foundations of both mosques, and the interval between them was forty years. And if the construction by Ibrahim is intended, then it is apparent that just as a place of worship was built for one son, Isma‘il, and his progeny, so too a place of worship would have been constructed for the other son, Ishaq, and his progeny. Therefore, the construction of Bayt al-Maqdis referred to here is that of Ya‘qub ibn Ishaq (alayhis salam), and the interval between the two constructions is forty years.

(2)
The meaning of “wherever the time of prayer comes upon you, pray there” is that you should pray wherever the Shari‘ah has not prohibited prayer. Because, just as purity of clothing and body is necessary for prayer, so too is the cleanliness and purity of the place. The Shari‘ah has prohibited praying in graveyards, bathhouses (hammam), slaughterhouses (the place of slaughter), public roads, and places of filth.

691. Commentary:

➊ If the ground is pure, prostration (sujud) and prayer (salah) can be performed at any place—whether it is a street or a market, a house or a mosque. It is not permissible to pray or prostrate at an impure place, even if it is inside a mosque.

➋ It is well-known that the Ka'bah (Baytullah) was built by Ibrahim Khalilullah (alayhis salam), and Bayt al-Maqdis was built by Sulayman (alayhis salam). There is a gap of more than a thousand years between these two prophets (alayhimus salam). According to this hadith, the interval is forty years; therefore, it has been said that this hadith refers to the construction by Adam (alayhis salam): he first built the Ka'bah (Baytullah), and then, forty years later, built Bayt al-Maqdis. As for the Qur'an attributing the construction of the Ka'bah and the raising of its foundations to Ibrahim and Isma'il (alayhimus salam), it means that they raised the foundations of the previously demolished structure and rebuilt it. However, according to the People of the Book, Bayt al-Maqdis was built by Ya'qub (alayhis salam). If this statement is correct, then there remains no problem, because Ya'qub (alayhis salam) was born during the lifetime of Ibrahim (alayhis salam).

➌ "The whole earth is a mosque": Some places are excepted in the hadiths; apart from those, prayer can be performed at any pure place. Allamah Iqbal has derived a remarkable point: the whole earth is a mosque, and the occupation of a mosque by disbelievers cannot be accepted; therefore, the whole earth should be liberated.

Commentary:
(1)
By this construction is meant the original construction of these mosques which was carried out by Adam (alayhis salam).
When Ibrahim and Isma'il (alayhimas salam) rebuilt the Sacred Ka'bah, the traces of the previous construction had already disappeared.
The construction of Bayt al-Maqdis by Sulayman (alayhis salam) was also not its first construction.

(2)
From this, the virtue of these two mosques is established.
On the face of the earth, besides these two, only the Prophet’s Mosque (Masjid Nabawi) is such a mosque for which it is permissible to undertake a journey with proper intention for visitation.
The Prophetic instruction is:
No saddle should be mounted (for the purpose of drawing near)
except towards three mosques: the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram), my mosque (the Prophet’s Mosque),
and Masjid al-Aqsa. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Jaza’ al-Sayd, Chapter: Hajj of Women, Hadith: 1864)

(3)
From this it is proven that it is not permissible to travel to any other mosque solely with the intention of visitation (seeking nearness), so traveling with the intention of visiting shrines and the like is even more strictly prohibited.
(4)
Visiting graves is legislatively permissible, but its purpose is to remember the Hereafter and to take admonition from death.
This purpose can also be achieved by visiting the graveyard of one’s own locality.
This purpose is lost through beautiful domes, eye-catching buildings, fairs and so-called ‘urs (festivals).
Especially in the ‘urs held at well-known shrines nowadays, besides the hustle and bustle, the intermingling of men and women gives rise to countless further evils.
Therefore, it is necessary to avoid participating in them.

(5)
The meaning of the whole earth being a mosque is that, apart from these three mosques, all the mosques of the world are equal in terms of reward and merit.
At the time of prayer, one should pray in whichever mosque is nearby, and if there is no mosque nearby, then—excluding the prohibited places mentioned in the above ahadith—prayer can be performed at any pure place.

Benefit:
From this hadith, it is understood that Masjid al-Haram is the very first mosque, and Masjid al-Aqsa was built second, with an interval of 40 years between them. The entire earth has been made a mosque; this is a distinction specific to the Muslim Ummah—no previous community was granted this honor. Prayer should be performed at its prescribed time; negligence and laziness may occur in worldly matters, but unfortunately, Muslims have made it their habit to be lazy in religious matters and energetic in worldly affairs.