Chapter 8: Rewards And Excellence Of Praying In Masjid Kufa And Masjid Sahla
Tradition 1: Abu Hamza Ath-Thumali said: Imam As-Sajjad ('a) left Medina with the sole purpose of visiting Kufa Masjid. He prayed two Rakats and then left. He mounted his camel and continued on his way.
Tradition 2: Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) said: Giving a Dirham in charity in Kufa equals giving two hundred Dirhams elsewhere and praying two Rakats in Kufa equals a hundred Rakats elsewhere.
Tradition 3: Imam Al-Baqir ('a) said: If people knew the excellence of Kufa Masjid, they would prepare to come to it from far off places. Praying an obligatory prayer there equals a Hajj, and praying a recommended prayer equals an Umrah.
Tradition 4: Same as no. 3.
Tradition 5: Same as no. 3 with the following addition: Indeed, a thousand successors have prayed in this Masjid.
Tradition 6: Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) asked me, “Do you pray all your prayers in Kufa Masjid?” “No,” I replied. “Indeed, if I lived near it, I would not miss any prayers there. Do you know the excellence of Kufa Masjid?” “No,” I replied. Imam ('a) said: Every righteous servant and every prophet has prayed in Kufa Masjid. Indeed, on the night of Mi’raj, Jibra’il asked Allah's Messenger (S), “Muhammad! Do you know where you are right now?” “No,” he replied. “You are before Kufa Masjid,” Jibra’il said. “Ask your Lord for permission so that I may descend here and pray in it,” Allah's Messenger (S) said. Then Jibra’il asked for permission, and it was granted. So, Allah's Messenger (S) descended and prayed two Rakats in Kufa Masjid.
Imam ('a) continued: Praying one obligatory prayer in it equals a thousand prayers elsewhere, and a recommended prayer in it equals five hundred prayers elsewhere.
Indeed, the front of Kufa Masjid 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 Kufa Masjid without praying or praising Allah is considered a worship act. If people knew its excellence, they would surely come to it even if they had to crawl.
Tradition 7: Same words present in no. 6.
Tradition 8: Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) said: Mecca is Allah's sanctuary and that of His Messenger (S) and Ali ('a). A prayer in it equals a hundred thousand prayers elsewhere and giving a Dirham as charity equals giving a hundred thousand Dirhams elsewhere.
Medina is a sanctuary of Allah, His Messenger (S), and Amir Al-Mu’minin Ali ('a). A prayer in its Masjid equals ten thousand prayers elsewhere, and giving a Dirham as charity in Medina equals ten thousand Dirhams elsewhere.
Kufa is Allah's sanctuary and that of His Messenger (S), and Amir Al-Mu’minin Ali ('a). A prayer in its Masjid equals a thousand prayers elsewhere.
Tradition 9: Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) said: Limits of Masjid Sahla reach up to Rawha.
Tradition 10: Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) asked Abu Hamza Ath-Thumali, “Did you see my uncle on the night of his uprising?”
“Yes,” Abu Hamza replied.
“Did he pray in Masjid of Suhail?” Imam ('a) asked. “Where is the Masjid of Suhail? Do you mean Masjid Sahla?” Abu Hamza asked.
“Yes. Indeed, if he had prayed two Rakats there and then sought refuge with Allah, he would have been protected by Allah for one year.”
“May my parents be sacrificed on you, are you referring to this Masjid Sahla?” Abu Hamza asked.
“Yes,” the Imam ('a) replied.
Then Imam ('a) said: Masjid Sahla contains the house of Ibrahim ('a) where he used to fight the Amaliqa. It contains the house of Idris ('a) where he used to stitch clothes. It contains the place where the rider ties his camel. It contains the green rock with pictures of all prophets in it, and the clay under this rock is the clay from which Allah created all the prophets. Mi’raj occurred in a part of this Masjid known as the great separator. Masjid Sahla is a part of Kufa, and it is the route people will pass. The trumpet will be blown from it and people will be resurrected from it. Seventy thousand people will be resurrected from its side, and they will enter Paradise without any accounting. They are those whom Allah has set aright and upon whom He has increased His blessings. Indeed, they are made successful and who will be blessed with bounties before others. They like to turn away any praise about themselves and are terrified of meeting Allah in His justice. They are quick to obey Allah, perform good deeds, and understand that Allah sees and is aware of what they do. There will be no accounting for them nor any judgment or punishment.
Indeed, Allah removes rancour and purifies the believers in every way. The Ahwan Mountain, a very old mountain populated in the past, began moving from the middle of this Masjid.
Tradition 11: Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) or Imam Al-Baqir ('a) was asked, “Which is the best place after Masjid Al-Haram and the Prophet's mosque?”
Imam ('a) replied: Kufa. O Abu Bakr! Kufa is the purified and excellent land. It contains the graves of messengers, prophets and truthful successors. It contains the Masjid Suhail in which every divine Prophet has prayed. The Twelfth Imam ('a) will reappear from this city. Imam Qa’im and those who will lead after him will also live in it. It will indeed, be the abode of prophets, successors and the righteous.
Tradition 12: Hanan Ibn Sadir said: I was with Imam Al-Baqir ('a) when a man entered, saluted the Imam ('a) and sat down. “Where are you from?” Imam ('a) asked him. “I am from Kufa. I believe in your Wilayat and am one of your devotees,” the man said. “Do you perform all your prayers in Kufa Masjid?” Imam ('a) asked. “No,” the man replied. “Indeed, you are deprived of blessings,” Imam ('a) said. Then he asked, “Do you perform a Ghusl once a day with water of Euphrates, which is near you?” “No,” the man replied. “What about once a week?” Imam ('a) asked. “No.” “What about once a month?” “No.” “What about once a year?” “No.” “Indeed, you are deprived of blessings,” Then Imam ('a) asked, “Do you perform the Ziyarah of Imam Al-Husayn ('a) once a week?” “No.” “What about once a month?” “No.” “What about once a year?” “No.” “Indeed, you are deprived of blessings,” Imam ('a) said.
Tradition 13: Imam Al-Baqir ('a) said: Do not neglect prayers in Kufa Masjid even if you have to crawl to it, because a prayer there equals seventy prayers in other Masjids.
Tradition 14: Imam Ar-Ridha’ ('a) said: A ritual prayer in Kufa Masjid has more value than seventy congregational prayers in any other Masjid.
Tradition 15: Same as no. 6.
Tradition 16: Allah's Messenger (S) said: On the night of Mi’raj, I landed in the Masjid of my ancestors, Nuh and Ibrahim ('a), which is the Kufa Masjid and I prayed two Rakats in it. Indeed, an obligatory prayer in Kufa Masjid equals an accepted Hajj and a recommended prayer equals an accepted Umrah.
Tradition 17: Amir Al-Mu’minin ('a) asked Malik, “Do you go and pray in the Masjid behind your house?” I replied. “Amir Al-Mu’minin ('a), only ladies pray there.” He said, “Malik, no distressed person enters this Masjid, prays in it, and supplicates Allah but that Allah relieves him of grief and grants his request.”
Malik says: By Allah, I did not go to that Masjid or pray in it till one night I was extremely aggrieved about something. Suddenly, I remembered the saying of Amir Al-Mu’minin ('a). I arose in the middle of the night, put on my sandals and performed the Wudhu. When I left the house, I found a lamp at the door, which began moving automatically and I followed it till I reached the Masjid. The lamp stopped before me. I entered the Masjid and prayed there. After I finished, I put on my sandals and the lamp began to move before me until I reached home in its light, but it disappeared when I entered the house. From that night, whenever I leave my house, I find this lamp leading my way and the Almighty Allah granted my prayers.
Tradition 18: Imam As-Sadiq (‘a) said: A man came to Amir Al-Mu’minin ('a) in Kufa Masjid and said, “Peace be on you, O Amir Al-Mu’minin and the mercy of Allah and His blessings!”
Amir Al-Mu’minin ('a) answered his salutation.
He said: “May I be sacrificed on you! I am leaving for Masjid Aqsa and I wanted to bid farewell to you,”
Amir Al-Mu’minin ('a) asked, “What is your aim in going there?”
The man said, “To earn divine rewards, may I be sacrificed on you.”
His Eminence ('a) said: Sell your mount, spend your money, and pray in this Masjid instead, for obligatory prayers in this Masjid equal an accepted Hajj, and recommended prayers equal an accepted Umrah. Blessings of this Masjid extend to a twelve-mile radius. The right side of this Masjid is prosperity, but its left side is cunning. In the middle of this Masjid, 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 Nuh embarked from here and three idols: Nasr, Yaghuth and Yauq were placed here. Seventy prophets and seventy successors have prayed in this Masjid, and I am one of them.
No distressed person asks Allah for anything in it, but that Allah grants it and relieves him of his sorrow.