This excerpt is taken from Sheikh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah's book Al-Jawab al-Bahir fi Zuwar al-Maqabir, translated by Sheikh Ataullah Saqib.
The Journey of Visiting Three Mosques:
It is recommended that travel should not be made except towards three mosques, because the honorable distinction of constructing these three mosques belongs to the Prophets, peace be upon them. Among them, Masjid al-Haram was built by our master Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him, and our master Ismail (Ishmael), peace be upon him. Masjid an-Nabawi was built by the Seal of the Prophets, our master Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, whose foundation is based on piety. The second mosque is Al-Aqsa Mosque, which was built even before the time of our master Sulaiman (Solomon), peace be upon him, by our master Ishaq (Isaac), peace be upon him.
In Sahihain, it is narrated from our master Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, which mosque was built first? He, peace be upon him, said: Masjid al-Haram. I asked: Which mosque was built after that? He said: Masjid al-Aqsa.
I then asked: How much time elapsed between the construction of Masjid al-Haram and Masjid al-Aqsa? He, peace be upon him, said: Masjid al-Aqsa was built forty years later. After this conversation, he, peace be upon him, said: Wherever the time for prayer comes, pray there; that place is a mosque for you. These words are recorded in Sahih Bukhari:
فإن فيه الفضل
“Praying in the same place is better.”
It was also his habit that whenever the time for prayer came, he would immediately perform it.
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of the Prophets’ Hadiths: Chapter (10) (Hadith: 3425, 3366), Book of Mosques, Chapter on Mosques and Places of Prayer (Hadith: 520)
Masjid al-Aqsa existed during the time of our master Ibrahim, peace be upon him, but our master Sulaiman, peace be upon him, expanded it. Thus, these three mosques were built by the Prophets, peace be upon them, so that they themselves and others could perform prayers in them. Therefore, when the Prophets, peace be upon them, intended to pray in these mentioned mosques, traveling towards them and worshipping there was made lawful, so that the Prophets, peace be upon them, would be followed. Just as when our master Ibrahim, peace be upon him, built the House of Allah (Kaaba), he was commanded by divine order to invite people to perform Hajj there. Consequently, from the time of Ibrahim, peace be upon him, until the mission of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, people came in large groups to Makkah with the intention of performing Hajj at the House of Allah. Although Hajj was not obligatory upon them, as it was not obligatory in the early period of Islam either. The obligation of Hajj was established in the last period of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when Surah Al-Imran was revealed.
In Surah Al-Baqarah, the command to complete Hajj and Umrah is for the person who has started Hajj or Umrah. Therefore, according to the majority of scholars, completing a voluntary Hajj or Umrah is obligatory. However, some people believe that the purpose of completion here is to indicate obligation. But in our opinion, the first view is correct.
