healing, without Your healing him; and that You should not turn Your gaze away from anyone who enters it until he leaves. O Allah, if You have answered my prayer and granted my request, let the sign of this be Your acceptance of his offering.” Then fire descended from heaven, carried away the offering, and rose with it to heaven. I have quoted this from the end of the chapter on Solomon’s building of Jerusalem’s sanctuary.

ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar—may Allah be pleased with them both—reported that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“When Solomon built Jerusalem’s sanctuary, he asked his Lord for three things. He granted him two, and I hope that He granted him the other. He asked Him for judgment that accorded with His judgment, and for a kingdom that no one after him would possess, and He granted him that. He also asked that no one should come to this House to pray without returning free of sin, as on the day his mother gave birth to him. I hope that He granted him that.”

He also said:

“When Solomon—peace be upon him—finished building Jerusalem’s sanctuary, he presented an offering, which was accepted from him. He then made several supplications to Allah, among them: ‘O Allah, whatever servant of Yours who believes in You visits You in this House, turning to You in repentance and coming only to free himself of his sins and offences, accept him and release him from his sins, as on the day his mother gave birth to him.’”

Another version reads: “Strip him of his sins.”

ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar—may Allah be pleased with them both—reported from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“When Solomon finished building Jerusalem’s sanctuary, he asked Allah, Mighty and Majestic, for three things: judgment that accorded with His judgment; a kingdom that no one after him would possess; and that anyone who came to this House intending only to pray there should be freed by Him from his sins, as on the day his mother gave birth to him.”

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “As for the first two, he was granted them; as for the third, I hope that he was granted it.” Then he said: “A prophet prayed, came to me, and died.” Another report from the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—also states: “Solomon