Time when Al-Aqsa Mosque Was Built

20-1-2003 | IslamWeb

Question:

Is the Al-Aqsa Mosque the oldest in the world and when was it built?

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (the sacred mosque in Makkah) is the oldest mosque on the earth, then Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.

Abu Tharr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said: “I asked Allah's Messenger: Which is the oldest Mosque on earth? The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Al-Masjid Al-Haraam." Then I asked: which one is next? He replied: “Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.” Then I asked: “How many years between them (i.e. of building them)?” He said: “Forty years, and pray whenever the time of any prayer comes upon you, perform the prayer, for all the earth is a place of worshipping for you.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

As for the date of building Al-Aqsa, there is a difference of opinion among scholars concerning this point. But it is reported that Aadam  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention built it first, according to Ibn Hajar and he preferred this opinion. It is also reported that Ya’qoob ibn Ishaq ibn Ibraheem  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention was the first to build it. Then, it was rebuilt by Sulayman (Solomon)  may  Allaah  exalt  his  mention.

Allah knows best.

www.islamweb.net