The Home Furthest From The Mosque

عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ خَلَتْ الْبِقَاعُ حَوْلَ الْمَسْجِدِ فَأَرَادَ بَنُو سَلِمَةَ أَنْ يَنْتَقِلُوا إِلَى قُرْبِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّكُمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَنْتَقِلُوا قُرْبَ الْمَسْجِدِ قَالُوا نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ أَرَدْنَا ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ يَا بَنِي سَلِمَةَ دِيَارَكُمْ تُكْتَبْ آثَارُكُمْ دِيَارَكُمْ تُكْتَبْ آثَارُكُمْ

Narrated Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah:

There were some plots vacant around the mosque. Banu Salama (one of the tribes) decided to shift (to this land) so as to live near the mosque. This (news) reached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he said to them, “I have received (information) that you intend to shift near the mosque” They said, “Yes, Messenger of Allah, we have taken this decision.” Upon this, he (ﷺ) said, “O Banu Salama, live in your houses, for your steps are recorded; live in your houses, for your steps are recorded.”

Narrated in Sahih Muslim, hadith no. 665

Grade: sahih (authentic)

Translation adapted from sunnah.com

Reflections:

1. Islam stresses that Muslim men fill the mosque and perform congregational prayer there.

2. The further one’s home is from the mosque, the more effort it takes for one to visit it, resulting in more reward.

3. Rasulullah (ﷺ) forbade his Companions who were already residing far from the mosque to find homes closer to it. They were asked to visit the mosque nonetheless.

4. In the above narration, he (ﷺ) stressed twice to the tribe Banu Salama not to move homes so that they would gain more reward; in another narration, it is explained that every step to the mosque alternately raises one’s position by Allah and expiates one sin.