stands within it, except this one. Nowhere on the face of the earth is kissing and touching (1) prescribed, erasing sins and burdens of guilt, except at the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner.
It is established from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—that a prayer in the Sacred Mosque is equivalent to one hundred thousand prayers. Al-Nasā’ī and the Musnad (2) relate, through an authentic chain, from Abd Allāh ibn al-Zubayr that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said:
“A prayer in this mosque of mine is better than a thousand prayers elsewhere, except in the Sacred Mosque; and a prayer in the Sacred Mosque is one hundred times better than a prayer in this mosque of mine.”
Ibn Hibbān also narrated it in his Sahīh. This explicitly establishes that the Sacred Mosque is, without qualification, the best place on earth. Hence, undertaking a journey to it is obligatory, whereas journeying elsewhere (3) is only recommended, not obligatory.
And in al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasā’ī, and the Musnad (4), Abd Allāh ibn Adī ibn al-Hamrā’ reported
(1) ع، ك: “or touching it.”
(2) Ahmad (16117); also recorded by Ibn al-Mundhir in al-Awsat (5:130) and al-Bayhaqī (5:246). Graded authentic by Ibn Hibbān (1620) and selected by al-Diyā’ al-Maqdisī (9:331).
As for al-Nasā’ī, I did not find it in his work as a report from Abd Allāh ibn al-Zubayr. Rather, he recorded similar reports from Abū Hurayra (2899), Ibn Umar (2897), and the Mother of the Believers, Maymūna (2898). Abū Hurayra’s hadith was also recorded by Mālik (527), al-Bukhārī (1190), and Muslim (1394). The hadiths of Ibn Umar and the Mother of the Believers, Maymūna, were recorded by Muslim (1395, 1396).
(3) ق، مب، ن: “and for other places.”
(4) ق: “And in the Musnad, al-Tirmidhī, and al-Nasā’ī.” The hadith was recorded by al-Tirmidhī (3925), al-Nasā’ī in al-Kubrā (4238, 4239), Ahmad (18715, 18716), al-Dārimī (2552), and Ibn Mājah (3108), all through Abū Salama reporting from him. It was also transmitted through Abū Salama from Abū Hurayra, but this is an error: al-Tirmidhī judged the report from Abd Allāh ibn Adī ibn Hamrā’ to be the correct version. Abū Hātim likewise preferred this version in al-Ilal (830), as did al-Dāraqutnī in al-Ilal (1743) and Ibn Abd al-Hādī in Tanqīh al-Tahqīq (3:496). The hadith was graded authentic by al-Tirmidhī, Ibn Hibbān (3708), al-Hākim (3:7, 431), and al-Hāfiz in al-Fath (3:67).