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No one should travel for the purpose of visiting (any mosque) except three.

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamalaikum,

I want to know is it permisible to travel to visit my friend who is in dubai from riyadh to see him as I came across a hadeeth “No one should travel for the purpose of visiting (any mosque) except three: al-Masjid al-Haraam (in Makkah), this mosque of mine (in Madeenah) and al-Masjid al-Aqsaa (in al-Quds/Jerusalem).” Agreed upon).

 

Please explain me in the light of Quran and Authentic Ahadeeth.

Wasallam

 

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Answer:

 

Travel to visit friend

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Saeed bin Al-Musayyib reported from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (saws) said, "You should not undertake a special journey to visit any place (of worship) other than the three Mosques: the Sacred Mosque of Makkah, this mosque of mine (in Madinah), and Al-Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem)."

Related by Bukhari and Muslim.

 

Beloved brother, the Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade the believers from undertaking a special journey for the sole purpose of visiting any place of worship, except the three Holy Masjids of Makkah, Madinah, and Jerusalem.

 

But if one wishes to undertake a journey for any other lawful purpose whatsoever, like visiting one’s loved ones, or for business, or for anything else….there is absolutely no harm and no prohibition in Shariah whatsoever. The prohibition is restricted to undertaking a journey specially to visit a place of worship, except the three Holy Masjids.

 

The basic wisdom underlying the command and guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws) is that other than the three Holy Mosques, there is no other place, or masjid, or (Allah forbid) shrines, or tombs, or graves, etc., the visiting of which has any merit or special rewards from Allah Subhanah!

 

In their utter ignorance some misguided people have built dedicated places of worship over the graves and tombs of some deceased pious slaves of Allah (eg. Saleem Chishti and Ajmer Shareef in India, Data Saheb in Lahore, etc.) where regular and elaborate commemorations and celebrations are held in their honor! Not only is it absolutely unlawful to undertake a special journey to visit such self-declared and supposed ‘holy’ places, but the Messenger of Allah (saws) specifically prohibited and invoked the curse of Allah Subhanah on those people who turn the graves of their pious into shrines and places of worship!

 

Abu Hurairah reported: "The Prophet (saws) said: 'May Allah destroy the Jews, because they used the graves of their prophets as places of worship (shrines).'' (Bukhari and Muslim)

 

Aishah reported: "Umm Habibah and Umm Salamah mentioned to Allah's Messenger (saws) a church in which they saw drawings while in Abyssinia, whereupon he (saws) said: 'Those people used to build a place of worship (shrine, tomb, etc.) over the grave of a righteous man among them when he died, and make such drawings in it. These will be the worst of people in the Sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection.'' (Bukhari and Muslim)

 

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan


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