residing in Mecca, because the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, encouraged settling in Medina more than he encouraged settling in Mecca. He said: “Medina is better for them, if only they knew.” (1)

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Residing in whichever land strengthens one’s faith and piety is better than residing elsewhere, because matters connected to worship, knowledge, and faith deserve greater consideration than matters connected to location.

What the Shaykh, may Allah have mercy on him, held is correct. This is why many of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, left for Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Egypt: their benefit there was greater than it would have been had they remained in Medina.

The author of al-Rawd said: “He said in al-Funun.” Al-Funun is a book by Ibn Aqil, may Allah have mercy on him. It was called al-Funun because he gathered within it all branches of knowledge. It is a book of which we have seen some portions. It is not without benefit, but it is not a work characterized by complete rigor in examining issues. Rather, it benefits the student of knowledge by opening for him avenues of discussion.

He says: “The Ka'bah is superior to the chamber considered merely as a chamber”—that is, the chamber containing the Prophet’s grave, peace and blessings be upon him. There is no doubt about this. The chamber itself possesses no virtue whatsoever, for it is a structure; moreover, the present structure was erected later over the Prophet’s grave, peace and blessings be upon him. What he means by “the chamber,” however, is Aishah’s chamber: the original house in which the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, lived and was buried. Thus, the Ka'bah is superior to the house in which the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, had lived and in which he was buried.