Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad:21390Wakīʿ > Sufyān > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm al-Taymī from his father > Abū Dhar

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Which mosque was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah).' I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'then Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).' I said: 'How many years between them?' He said: 'Forty years, but the whole earth is a mosque for you, so pray wherever you are when the time for prayer comes.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 753)   

أحمد:٢١٣٩٠حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَيُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ أَوَّلُ؟قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَيٌّ؟ قَالَ ثُمَّ الْمَسْجِدُ الْأَقْصَى قَالَ قُلْتُ كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا؟ قَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً ثُمَّ أَيْنَمَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلَاةُ فَصَلِّ فَهُوَ مَسْجِدٌ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Bayhaqī, Suyūṭī
bukhari:3366Mūsá b. Ismāʿīl > ʿAbd al-Wāḥid > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm al-Taymī from his father > Abū Dhar

I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Which mosque was first built on the surface of the earth?" He said, "Al- Masjid-ul-,Haram (in Mecca)." I said, "Which was built next?" He replied "The mosque of Al-Aqsa ( in Jerusalem) ." I said, "What was the period of construction between the two?" He said, "Forty years." He added, "Wherever (you may be, and) the prayer time becomes due, perform the prayer there, for the best thing is to do so (i.e. to offer the prayers in time).  

البخاري:٣٣٦٦حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ التَّيْمِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ ؓ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ فِي الأَرْضِ أَوَّلُ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىٌّ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الأَقْصَى قُلْتُ كَمْ كَانَ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً ثُمَّ أَيْنَمَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلاَةُ بَعْدُ فَصَلِّهْ فَإِنَّ الْفَضْلَ فِيهِ  

bukhari:3425ʿUmar b. Ḥafṣ from my father > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm al-Taymī from his father > Abū Dhar

I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Which mosque was built first?" He replied, "Al-Masjid-ul-Haram." I asked, "Which (was built) next?" He replied, "Al-Masjid-ul-Aqs-a (i.e. Jerusalem)." I asked, "What was the period in between them?" He replied, "Forty (years)." He then added, "Wherever the time for the prayer comes upon you, perform the prayer, for all the earth is a place of worshipping for you."  

البخاري:٣٤٢٥حَدَّثَنِي عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ التَّيْمِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ ؓ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ أَوَّلُ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىٌّ قَالَ ثُمَّ الْمَسْجِدُ الأَقْصَى قُلْتُ كَمْ كَانَ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ ثُمَّ قَالَ حَيْثُمَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلاَةُ فَصَلِّ وَالأَرْضُ لَكَ مَسْجِدٌ  

muslim:520a[Chain 1] Abū Kāmil al-Jaḥdarī > ʿAbd al-Wāḥid > al-Aʿmash [Chain 2] Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah And ʾAbū Kurayb > Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm al-Taymī from his father > Abū Dhar

I said: Messenger of Allah, which mosque was set up first on the earth? He said: Al-Masjid al-Haram (the sacred). I (again) said: Then which next? He said: It was the Masjid Aqsa. I (again) said: How long the space of time (between their setting up)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: It was forty years. And whenever the time comes for prayer, pray there, for that is a mosque; and in the hadith transmitted by Abu Kamil (the words are):" Whenever time comes for prayer, pray, for that is a mosque (for you)."  

مسلم:٥٢٠aحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ ح قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ وَأَبُو كُرَيْبٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ فِي الأَرْضِ أَوَّلُ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىٌّ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الأَقْصَى قُلْتُ كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً وَأَيْنَمَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلاَةُ فَصَلِّ فَهُوَ مَسْجِدٌ وَفِي حَدِيثِ أَبِي كَامِلٍ ثُمَّ حَيْثُمَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلاَةُ فَصَلِّهْ فَإِنَّهُ مَسْجِدٌ  

nasai:690ʿAlī b. Ḥujr > ʿAlī b. Mushir > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm

"I used to recite Qur'an to my father on the road, and if I recited a verse in which prostration was required, he would prostrate. I said: 'O my father, do you prostrate on the street?' He said: 'I heard Abu Dharr say: "I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: 'Which Masjid was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram.' [1] I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.' [2] I said: 'How long was there between them?' He said: 'Forty years. And the earth is a Masjid (or a place of prostration) for you, so wherever you are when the time for prayer comes, pray.'" [1] In Makkah. [2] "Furthest Masjid", meaning the Masjid in Jerulsalem.  

النسائي:٦٩٠أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُسْهِرٍ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ

كُنْتُ أَقْرَأُ عَلَى أَبِي الْقُرْآنَ فِي السِّكَّةِ فَإِذَا قَرَأْتُ السَّجْدَةَ سَجَدَ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَتِ أَتَسْجُدُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ يَقُولُ سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَىُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ أَوَّلاً قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىُّ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الأَقْصَى قُلْتُ وَكَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ عَامًا وَالأَرْضُ لَكَ مَسْجِدٌ فَحَيْثُمَا أَدْرَكْتَ الصَّلاَةَ فَصَلِّ  

ibnmajah:753[Chain 1] ʿAlī b. Maymūn al-Raqqī > Muḥammad b. ʿUbayd [Chain 2] ʿAlī b. Muḥammad > Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm al-Taymī from his father > Abū Dhar al-Ghifārī

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Which mosque was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah).' I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'then Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).' I said: 'How many years between them?' He said: 'Forty years, but the whole earth is a mosque for you, so pray wherever you are when the time for prayer comes.'"  

ابن ماجة:٧٥٣حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مَيْمُونٍ الرَّقِّيُّ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ الْغِفَارِيِّ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَىُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ أَوَّلُ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَىٌّ قَالَ ثُمَّ الْمَسْجِدُ الأَقْصَى قُلْتُ كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا قَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ عَامًا ثُمَّ الأَرْضُ لَكَ مُصَلًّى فَصَلِّ حَيْثُ مَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلاَةُ  

ahmad:21333Sufyān > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm al-Taymī from his father > Abū Dhar

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Which mosque was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah).' I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'then Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).' I said: 'How many years between them?' He said: 'Forty years, but the whole earth is a mosque for you, so pray wherever you are when the time for prayer comes.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 753)   

أحمد:٢١٣٣٣حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ

سَأَلْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أَيُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَوَّلُ؟ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَيٌّ؟ قَالَ ثُمَّ الْمَسْجِدُ الْأَقْصَى قُلْتُ كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا؟ قَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً قُلْتُثُمَّ أَيٌّ؟ قَالَ ثُمَّ حَيْثُمَا أَدْرَكْتَ الصَّلَاةَ فَصَلِّ فَكُلُّهَا مَسْجِدٌ  

ahmad:21421Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm al-Taymī from his father > Abū Dhar

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Which mosque was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah).' I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'then Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).' I said: 'How many years between them?' He said: 'Forty years, but the whole earth is a mosque for you, so pray wherever you are when the time for prayer comes.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 753)   

أحمد:٢١٤٢١حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَيُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَوَّلُ؟ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أَيُّ؟ قَالَ ثُمَّ الْمَسْجِدُ الْأَقْصَى قَالَ أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ يَعْنِي بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ قَالَ قُلْتُ كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا؟ قَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً وَأَيْنَمَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلَاةُ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّهُ مَسْجِدٌ  

ibnhibban:1598Abū ʿArūbah > Muḥammad b. Bashhār > Ibn Abū ʿAdī > Shuʿbah > Sulaymān > Ibrāhīm al-Taymī from his father > Abū Dhar

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Which mosque was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah).' I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'then Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).' I said: 'How many years between them?' He said: 'Forty years, but the whole earth is a mosque for you, so pray wherever you are when the time for prayer comes.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 753)   

ابن حبّان:١٥٩٨أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَرُوبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عَدِيٍّ عَنْ شُعْبَةَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ أَوَّلُ؟ فَقَالَ «الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ ثُمَّ الْمَسْجِدُ الْأَقْصَى» قَالَ قُلْتُ كَمْ كَانَ بَيْنَهُمَا؟ قَالَ «كَانَ بَيْنَهُمَا أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً وَحَيْثُ مَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلَاةُ فَصَلِّ فَثَمَّ مَسْجِدٌ»  

ذِكْرُ الْخَبَرِ الْمُدْحِضِ قَوْلَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ بَيْنَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، وَدَاوُدَ أَلْفُ سَنَةٍ

ibnhibban:6228ʿAbdullāh b. Muḥammad al-Azdī > Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > ʿĪsá b. Yūnus > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm al-Taymī from his father > Abū Dhar

"I said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Which mosque was built first?' He said: 'Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Makkah).' I said: 'Then which?' He said: 'then Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).' I said: 'How many years between them?' He said: 'Forty years, but the whole earth is a mosque for you, so pray wherever you are when the time for prayer comes.'" (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 753)   

ابن حبّان:٦٢٢٨أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَزْدِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَوَّلُ؟ فَقَالَ «الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ» قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَيُّ؟ قَالَ «الْمَسْجِدُ الْأَقْصَى» قُلْتُ فَكَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا؟ قَالَ «أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً ثُمَّ حَيْثُ مَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلَاةُ فَصَلِّ فَهُوَ لَكَ مَسْجِدٌ»  

bayhaqi:4263al-Ḥusayn b. Muḥammad al-Rūdhbārī And ʿAlī b. Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. Bishrān > Ismāʿīl b. Muḥammad al-Ṣaffār > Saʿdān b. Naṣr > Abū Muʿāwiyah > al-Aʿmash > Ibrāhīm al-Tamīmī from his father > Abū Dhar

I said: Messenger of Allah, which mosque was set up first on the earth? He said: Al-Masjid al-Haram (the sacred). I (again) said: Then which next? He said: It was the Masjid Aqsa. I (again) said: How long the space of time (between their setting up)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: It was forty years. And whenever the time comes for prayer, pray there, for that is a mosque; and in the hadith transmitted by Abu Kamil (the words are):" Whenever time comes for prayer, pray, for that is a mosque (for you)." (Using translation from Muslim 520a)   

البيهقي:٤٢٦٣أنبأ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الرُّوذْبَارِيُّ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ بِشْرَانَ قَالَا ثنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّفَّارُ ثنا سَعْدَانُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ ثنا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ ثنا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّمِيمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي ذَرٍّ قَالَ

قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أِيُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَوَّلًا؟ قَالَ الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ قَالَ قُلْتُ ثُمَّ أِيُّ؟ قَالَ ثُمَّ الْمَسْجِدُ الْأَقْصَى قَالَ قُلْتُ كَمْ بَيْنَهُمَا؟ قَالَ أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً فَأَيْنَمَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلَاةُ فَصَلِّ فَهُوَ مَسْجِدٌ  

رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي كُرَيْبٍ وَغَيْرِهِ عَنْ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ وَأَخْرَجَهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ الْأَعْمَشِ
suyuti:8808a
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السيوطي:٨٨٠٨a

"أَوَّلُ مَسْجدٍ وُضِعَ في الأَرضِ المسجدُ الْحرامُ ثُمْ المسجدُ الأَقْصَى وبَيْنَهُمَا أربعون سنةً، ثم أَيْنَمَا أدركتك الصَّلَاةُ بَعْدُ فَصلِّ، فإِنَّ الْفَضْلَ فيهِ".  

عبد الرزاق، [حم] أحمد [خ] البخاري [م] مسلم [ن] النسائي عن أَبى ذر
suyuti:622-5b
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السيوطي:٦٢٢-٥b

"قُلتُ: يَا رَسُولَ الله أَيُّ مَسْجِدٍ وُضِعَ فيِ الأَرْضِ أَوَّل؟ قَالَ: الْمَسْجِدُ الْحَرَامُ، قُلتُ: ثُمَّ أَي؟ قَالَ: الْمَسْجِدُ الأَقْصَي، قُلْتُ: كُمْ بَيْنَهُمَا؟ قَالَ: أَرْبَعُونَ سَنَةً، قَالَ: ثُمَّ حَيْثُمَا أَدْرَكَتْكَ الصَّلاةُ فَصَلِّ فَهُوَ مَسْجِدٌ".  

[عب] عبد الرازق [ش] ابن أبى شيبة