On the authority of Abu Dharr (ra) who said, ’I said, “O Messenger of Allah, which masjid was built first?”
He said, “The Sacred Masjid (al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah)“.
I said, “And then which one?”
He said, “And then the Furthest Masjid (al-Masjid al-Aqsa in al-Quds)“.
I said, “What was the period between them?”
He said, “Forty (years)“. He then said, “Wherever the time for the prayer comes upon you, then pray, for the earth is a place of prostration (masjid) for you”’. [Bukhari]
The above conversation reveals a little-known historical fact: Masjid Al-Haram and Masjid Al-Aqsa are the two oldest masjids on earth. They are also the only two masjids named in the Qur’an; once, Allah (swt) even refers to them in the same ayah, saying: ‘Glory be to the One Who took His servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed…’ [The Noble Qur’an, 17:1]
