The Rewards and the Merits of Establishing Prayers in the Mosque of Kūfah and the Mosque of Sahlah

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Giving one DIRHAM as charity in Kūfah is equal to giving two hundred Dirhams as charity elsewhere, and praying two Rak’ah in Kūfah is equal to praying one hundred Rak’ah (elsewhere).

Abū Ja’far (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)) said: If people knew the merits of the Mosque of Kūfah, they would prepare to travel to it from far distances. Praying an obligatory prayer in the Mosque of Kūfah is equal to performing a Hajj, and praying a recommended prayer in it is equal to performing an ‘Umrah.

Abū Ja’far (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)) said: Praying an obligatory prayer in the Mosque of Kūfah is equal to performing an accepted Hajj, and praying a recommended prayer in it is equal to performing an accepted ‘Umrah.

‘Ali (the Commander of the Believers (a.s.)) said: Praying a recommended prayer in this mosque (Mosque of Kūfah) is equal to performing an ‘Umrah with the Prophet (s.a.a.w.), and praying an obligatory prayer in it is equal to performing a Hajj with the Prophet (s.a.a.w.). Indeed one thousand prophets and one thousand successors have prayed in this mosque.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) asked me, “Do you establish all of your prayers in the Mosque of Kūfah?” “No,” I replied. “Verily if I lived close to it (the Mosque of Kūfah), I would hope not to miss any prayers there. Do you know the merits of the Mosque of Kūfah?” Imam (a.s.) asked. “No,” I replied. Imam (a.s.) said: Every righteous slave and every prophet has prayed in the Mosque of Kūfān. Verily on the night of his journey (Night of Mi’rāj), Jabra`īl asked the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.), “O Muḥammad! Do you know where you are right now?” “No,” he replied. “You are in front of the Mosque of Kūfān,” Jabra`īl said. “Ask Your Lord for permission so that I may descend here and pray in it,” the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) said. Then Jabra`īl asked for permission and it was granted. Therefore, the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) descended and prayed two Rak’ah in the Mosque of Kūfah. Then Imam (a.s.) continued: Establishing one obligatory prayer in it (the Mosque of Kūfah) is equal to establishing one thousand prayers (elsewhere), and establishing one recommended prayer in it is equal to establishing five hundred prayers (elsewhere). Verily the front portion of the Mosque of Kūfah is a garden from the gardens of Paradise; and its right side is a garden from the gardens of Paradise; and its left side is a garden from the gardens of Paradise; and its back portion is a garden from the gardens of Paradise. Even sitting in the Mosque of Kūfah without praying or praising Allāh is considered worshipping Him. If people knew its merits, they would surely come to it even if they had to crawl to it.

I heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say, “Establishing one prayer in the Mosque of Kūfah is equal to establishing one thousand prayers (elsewhere).”

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Makkah is the sanctuary of Allāh, His Messenger (s.a.a.w.), and ‘Ali (a.s.). Establishing one prayer in it is equal to establishing one hundred thousand prayers (elsewhere), and giving one Dirham as charity in Makkah is equal to giving one hundred thousand Dirhams (elsewhere). Madīnah is (also) the sanctuary of Allāh, His Messenger (s.a.a.w.), and ‘Ali, the Commander of the Believers (a.s.). Establishing one prayer in its mosque is equal to establishing ten thousand prayers (elsewhere), and giving one Dirham as charity in Madīnah is equal to giving ten thousand Dirhams (elsewhere). Kūfah is (also) the sanctuary of Allāh, His Messenger (s.a.a.w.), and ‘Ali, the Commander of the Believers (a.s.). Establishing one prayer in its mosque is equal to establishing one thousand prayers (elsewhere).

I heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) ask Abā Ḥamzah Al-Thumāli, “O Abā Ḥamzah! Did you see my uncle on the night of his uprising?” “Yes,” Abū Ḥamzah replied. “Did he pray in the Mosque of Suhayl?” Imam (a.s.) asked. “Where is the Mosque of Suhayl? Do you mean the Mosque of Sahlah?” Abū Ḥamzah asked. “Yes. Verily if he had prayed two Rak’ah there and then sought refuge with Allāh, he would have been protected by Allāh for one year,” the Imam (a.s.) said. “May I sacrifice my father and mother for you! Are you referring to this (known) Mosque of Sahlah?” Abū Ḥamzah asked. “Yes,” the Imam (a.s.) replied. Then Imam (a.s.) continued: (The Mosque of Sahlah) contains the house of Ibrāhīm where he used to rise against the giants. It contains the house of Idrīs where he used to sew. It contains the place where the rider ties his camel. It contains a green rock which has the pictures of all of the prophets within it, and the clay under this rock is the clay from which Allāh created all of the prophets. The MI’RĀJ (ascension) took place in (a part of this mosque known as) the great FĀRŪQ (separator). The Mosque of Sahlah is part of Kūfān and it is the route people will pass. The trumpet will be blown from it and (the people) will be resurrected toward it. Seventy thousand people will be resurrected from the side of the Mosque of Sahlah and they will enter Paradise without any judgment. They are those whom Allāh has set aright and upon whom He has increased His blessings. Verily they are the devout winners who will be rewarded before others. They love to repel any praise about themselves and they are terrified of meeting Allāh with His justice. They are quick in obeying Allāh, they perform good deeds, and they understand that Allāh sees what they do. There will not be any judgment nor torment for them. Verily Allāh removes the rancour and purifies the believers. The mountain of Ahwān, which is a very old mountain and which was populated in the past, started to move from the middle of this mosque.

I asked Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) or Abā Ja’far (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)), “What is the best place after Masjid Al-Ḥarām and the Mosque of the Prophet (s.a.a.w.)?” Imam (a.s.) replied: Kūfah. O Abā Bakr! Kūfah is the purified and the virtuous land. It contains the graves of the messengers, the prophets, and the truthful successors. It (also) contains the Mosque of Suhayl in which every prophet sent by Allāh has prayed. The Justice of Allāh (the Twelfth Imam (a.s.)) will (also) reappear from this city. The rising Imam (a.s.) and those who will lead after him will also live in it. It is indeed the abode of the prophets, the successors, and the righteous ones.

Abū Ja’far (Imam Bāqir (a.s.)) said to me: O Abā ‘Ubaydah! Do not neglect establishing prayers in the Mosque of Kūfah even if you have to crawl to it because establishing one prayer there is equal to establishing seventy prayers in other mosques.

Imam Riďā (a.s.) said: Establishing one prayer alone in the Mosque of Kūfah has more value than establishing seventy congregational prayers in any other mosque.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: Establishing one prayer in the Mosque of Kūfah is equal to establishing one thousand prayers (elsewhere).

I met Layth ibn Abī Sulaym after people had finished Salāt Al-‘Asr. (Layth ibn Abī Sulaym) said, “Do not keep me, for I have not prayed Salāt Al-Ďuhr yet. Continue on your route with success.” “Why have you delayed your prayers until now?” I asked. “I had some business in the market that I had to take care of. I delayed my prayers so I could come to the mosque and pray in it because of the merits that I have heard of this mosque,” Layth said. “What have you heard about this mosque?” I asked. He replied: Some people narrated to me with sources from ‘Āyishah, from the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.), who said: On the night that I ascended to the heavens, I landed in the mosque of my fathers, Nūḥ and Ibrāhīm, which is the Mosque of Kūfah, and I prayed two Rak’ah there. Verily establishing an obligatory prayer in the Mosque of Kūfah is equal to performing a purified Hajj, and establishing a recommended prayer in it is equal to performing a purified ‘Umrah.

The Commander of the Believers (a.s.) asked me, “Do you go and establish prayers in the mosque that is behind your house?” I replied, “O Commander of the Believers! Only women go to that mosque.” The Commander of the Believers (a.s.) said, “O Mālik! No anguished person goes to this mosque, prays in it, and supplicates to Allāh without Allāh relieving him of his grief and granting him his request.” Mālik added: I swear to Allāh that I did not go to that mosque nor did I pray in it until one night when I was extremely grieved over a matter. Suddenly, I remembered the words of the Commander of the Believers (a.s.). I got up in the middle of the night and performed WUĎŪ`. When I left the house, I found a lamp outside the door of my house. The lamp started moving (on its own) and I followed it until I arrived at the mosque. The lamp stopped in front of me so I prayed there. After I finished (praying), the lamp started moving in front of me until I arrived at my home but it disappeared as soon as I entered my home. After this night, every time I would leave my house, I would find this lamp leading my way and Allāh granted my request.

Abū ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) said: A man came to the Commander of the Believers (a.s.) in the Mosque of Kūfah and said, “Salām to you, O Commander of the Believers. May Allāh’s Mercy and His Blessings be upon you!” The Commander of the Believers (a.s.) answered his Salām. “May I sacrifice myself for you! I am leaving for the Mosque of Aqsā and I wanted to bid farewell to you,” the man said. The Commander of the Believers (a.s.) asked, “What do you hope to gain by going there?” The man said, “May I sacrifice myself for you! Rewards!” The Commander of the Believers (a.s.) said: Sell your camel, spend your money, and pray in this mosque instead, for establishing obligatory prayers in this mosque is equal to performing a purified Hajj, and establishing recommended prayers in it is equal to performing a purified ‘Umrah. The blessings of this mosque extend to a twelve mile (radius). The right side of this mosque is prosperity but its left side is cunning. In the middle of this mosque, there is a well of oil, a well of milk, a well of water for the believers to drink, and a well of water to purify the believers. The ark of Nūḥ embarked from here and Nasr, Yaghūth, and Ya’ūq were placed here. The Commander of the Believers (a.s.) continued: Seventy prophets and seventy successors have prayed in this mosque, and I am one of them – and he pointed to his own chest. No anguished person asks Allāh for anything in it (the Mosque of Kūfah) without Allāh granting (his request) and relieving him of his grief.