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The acts of worship prescribed in al-Aqsā Mosque are of the same kind as those prescribed in the Prophet’s Mosque, peace and blessings be upon him, and all other mosques, except the Sacred Mosque. There, in addition to the acts prescribed in other mosques, circumambulating the Kaaba, touching its two Yemeni corners, and kissing the Black Stone are prescribed. As for the Prophet’s Mosque, peace and blessings be upon him, al-Aqsā Mosque, and all other mosques, there is nothing in them to be circumambulated, rubbed, or kissed.
No one may therefore circumambulate the chamber of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, any other graves of prophets or righteous people, the Rock in Jerusalem, or anything else, such as the dome atop Mount ‘Arafāt and similar structures. Indeed, nowhere on earth is circumambulation prescribed as it is around the Kaaba. Whoever believes that circumambulating anything else is prescribed is worse than someone who believes it permissible to pray facing something other than the Kaaba. For when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, emigrated from Mecca to Medina, he led the Muslims in prayer facing Jerusalem for eighteen months. It was the Muslims’ direction of prayer throughout that period. Then Allah changed the direction of prayer to the Kaaba, and Allah revealed verses of the Quran concerning this