Reward for Prayer in the Sacred Mosque
Allah – the Almighty – has endowed the Sacred Mosque with numerous distinctive features, including the magnification of good deeds and the increase of rewards. Performing a prayer there is equivalent to one hundred thousand prayers elsewhere, as stated by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): “A prayer in the Sacred Mosque is better than one hundred thousand prayers anywhere else.” However, legal scholars have divergent opinions regarding the nature of this reward—whether it applies to all prayers or is limited to obligatory ones. There are two main positions: the first suggests that it is exclusive to the obligatory prayers and does not encompass the voluntary ones, a view supported by the majority of Hanafi, Maliki, and Hanbali scholars. The second posits that the reward includes both obligatory and voluntary prayers equally. Nonetheless, it appears more reasonable that the reward is primarily attributed to obligatory prayers rather than the voluntary ones. Moreover, the reward pertains specifically to the mosque known for prayer, where neither Tawaf (circumambulation) nor I’tikaf (spiritual retreat) can be performed outside of it. The multiplication of deeds, however, is valid throughout the entire sanctuary.
Recommended Practices in the Sacred Mosque
Makkah Al-Mukarramah stands as one of the most revered and virtuous places on earth, hosting the Holy Sanctuary. There are specific Sunnah practices and etiquettes that are recommended when visiting the Sacred Mosque, which include:
- Performing Umrah, regarded as one of the most commendable actions within the Sacred Mosque.
- Engaging in frequent prayers, due to the multiplication of good deeds associated with them.
- Diligently engaged in supplication.
- Increasing the number of Tawaf around the Kaaba while residing in Makkah Al-Mukarramah.
Characteristics of Makkah Al-Mukarramah
Scholars have noted a variety of attributes and virtues that Allah has granted Makkah Al-Mukarramah. Among these are:
- It contains the first mosque established on earth, which is the Sacred Mosque, recognized as the best location on earth.
- It is the land of the greatest Prophets, including Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the homeland of the best book, the Noble Quran, where the revelation first descended.
- It is referred to as the secure city, which Allah swore an oath to in the Holy Quran.