Hadeeth about praying in Al-Masjid Al-Jaami'
Fatwa No: 92294

Question

Assalamvalekum, I recently learnt that for the Friday's congregational prayer, they are specific Masjids called Jummah Masjid, if an individual goes, its equivalent to 70 good deeds. I am not sure, I havent come across any Hadith regarding this, to add on to this I know Allaah states in the Quran i am not stating the exact verses but Allaah says The whole of this earth is a Masjid. JazzakAllaahkhair.

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.

 

We are unaware of any evidence in the Book of Allaah or the Sunnah of the Prophet which specifies that performing the prayer in certain mosques is equivalent to seventy good deeds. However, there is an evidence that the prayer in the following three mosques: Al-Masjid Al-Haraam in Makkah, Al-Masjid An-Nabawi, which is the Prophet's mosque in Madeenah, and Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem is of a special virtue. The Prophet said: "The prayer in Al-Haraam mosque (i.e. Makkah) is 100,000 times better in virtue than the prayer in any other mosque, the prayer in Madeenah mosque is 1000 times better in virtue than the prayer in any other mosque, and the prayer in Al-Aqsa mosque is 500 times better in virtue than the prayer in any other mosque." [At-Tabaraani, Al-Bazaar, Ibn Khuzaymah] This narration is also reported by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah but without the mention of Al-Aqsa mosque.

Moreover, it is known that while in some mosques only the five daily prayers are performed, in other mosques the Friday congregational prayer is performed as well.  The latter type of mosques is called Al-Masjid Al-Jaami', which indicates that the Friday prayer is held therein as well. There is an evidence about this naming as the Prophet said: "There is no 'I'tikaaf except in Al-Masjid Al-Jaami'." [Abu Daawood]

Finally, regarding your statement, that Allaah states in the Quran that the whole earth is a mosque, this is not a verse from the Quran, rather it is a Prophetic narration reported by Muslim, At-Tirmithi, Abu Daawood and others .  

Allaah Knows best.

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