Virtues of building mosque.

The virtues of building and cultivating mosques in the Quran A mosque is an essential building and institution in Muslim society.

 

Virtues of building mosque.

The virtues of building and cultivating mosques in the Quran

A mosque is an essential building and institution in Muslim society. It is a place for Muslims to pray together, a place for learning religion, and the center of all kinds of social activities for Muslims.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray in the Masjid al-Haram established by Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) in Mecca. During his migration from Mecca to Medina, before reaching Medina, he stopped at Quba, where he established a mosque, which is famous as Masjid al-Quba. Upon reaching Medina, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) established Masjid al-Nabawi. In addition to regular prayers and religious education, he used to conduct all administrative activities of Medina from this mosque.
The status, importance, and virtues of mosques and the status of those who built mosques can be understood from various verses of the Quran. Here we are mentioning a few verses.

The Prophet's Work in Building the Mosque

In the Quran, Allah has described in detail the construction of the Kaaba and Masjid al-Haram by His Prophet and friend Ibrahim (AS). Allah Almighty Himself supervised and guided the work. Allah Almighty says,

وَ اِذۡ جَعَلۡنَا الۡبَیۡتَ مَثَابَۃً لِّلنَّاسِ وَ اَمۡنًا وَ اتَّخِذُوۡا مِنۡ مَّقَامِ اِبۡرٰهٖمَ مُصَلًّی وَ عَهِدۡنَاۤ اِلٰۤی اِبۡرٰهٖمَ وَ اِسۡمٰعِیۡلَ اَنۡ طَهِّرَا بَیۡتِیَ لِلطَّآئِفِیۡنَ وَ الۡعٰکِفِیۡنَ وَ الرُّکَّعِ السُّجُوۡدِ

And remember when We made the Kaaba a place of meeting and a place of safety for mankind, and We said, ‘Take the station of Ibrahim as a place of prayer.’ And We commissioned Ibrahim and Ismail to purify My House for those who circumambulate it, those who observe I’tikaf, and those who bow and prostrate themselves. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 125)

Describing the supplication of Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) at the time of the construction of the mosque, Allah says,

وَ اِذۡ یَرۡفَعُ اِبۡرٰهٖمُ الۡقَوَاعِدَ مِنَ الۡبَیۡتِ وَ اِسۡمٰعِیۡلُ ؕ رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلۡ مِنَّا ؕ اِنَّکَ اَنۡتَ السَّمِیۡعُ الۡعَلِیۡمُ رَبَّنَا وَ اجۡعَلۡنَا مُسۡلِمَیۡنِ لَکَ وَ مِنۡ ذُرِّیَّتِنَاۤ اُمَّۃً مُّسۡلِمَۃً لَّکَ ۪ وَ اَرِنَا مَنَاسِکَنَا وَ تُبۡ عَلَیۡنَا ۚ اِنَّکَ اَنۡتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِیۡمُ رَبَّنَا وَ ابۡعَثۡ فِیۡهِمۡ رَسُوۡلًا مِّنۡهُمۡ یَتۡلُوۡا عَلَیۡهِمۡ اٰیٰتِکَ وَ یُعَلِّمُهُمُ الۡکِتٰبَ وَ الۡحِکۡمَۃَ وَ یُزَکِّیۡهِمۡ ؕ اِنَّکَ اَنۡتَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ الۡحَکِیۡمُ

And remember when Abraham and Isaac were raising the foundations of the Kaaba, saying, "Our Lord, accept from us. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Our Lord, make us submissive to You and make of our descendants a submissive nation. And show us our ways of worship and forgive us. Indeed, You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Our Lord, raise up among them a Messenger from among themselves, who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise." (Surah Al-Baqarah: 27-29)

In Surah Al-Hajj, Allah Almighty describes the command given to Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) to build and maintain the mosque, saying,
وَ اِذۡ بَوَّاۡنَا لِاِبۡرٰهِیۡمَ مَکَانَ الۡبَیۡتِ اَنۡ لَّا تُشۡرِکۡ بِیۡ شَیۡئًا وَّ طَهِّرۡ بَیۡتِیَ لِلطَّآئِفِیۡنَ وَ الۡقَآئِمِیۡنَ وَ الرُّکَّعِ السُّجُوۡدِ

And remember when We appointed for Abraham the site of the House (of Allah), saying: "Do not associate anyone with Me, and purify My House for those who circumambulate it, bow down, prostrate themselves, and pray standing."

The task of building and cultivating mosques is for the pious and the believers.

In Surah At-Tawbah, Allah (SWT) describes the virtues of those who build and cultivate mosques by relating the mosque to Himself, saying:

اِنَّمَا یَعۡمُرُ مَسٰجِدَ اللّٰهِ مَنۡ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰهِ وَ الۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ وَ اَقَامَ الصَّلٰوۃَ وَ اٰتَی الزَّکٰوۃَ وَ لَمۡ یَخۡشَ اِلَّا اللّٰهَ فَعَسٰۤی اُولٰٓئِکَ اَنۡ یَّکُوۡنُوۡا مِنَ الۡمُهۡتَدِیۡنَ

Only those will maintain the mosques of Allah who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, give zakat, and fear none but Allah. It is hoped that they will be among the guided. (Surah Al-Baqarah: 18)

Praise to those who build and maintain the mosque Quba.

In Surah At-Tawbah, Allah the Almighty praises those who build and maintain the mosque Quba, saying:
لَمَسۡجِدٌ اُسِّسَ عَلَی التَّقۡوٰی مِنۡ اَوَّلِ یَوۡمٍ اَحَقُّ اَنۡ تَقُوۡمَ فِیۡهِ فِیۡهِ رِجَالٌ یُّحِبُّوۡنَ اَنۡ یَّتَطَهَّرُوۡا وَ یُحِبُّ الۡمُطَّهِّرِیۡنَ

A mosque founded on piety from the first day is more suitable for you to stand in prayer. There are people in it who love to purify themselves well, and Allah loves those who purify themselves. (Surah At-Tawbah: 108)

The Command to Raise the Mosque.

In Surah An-Nur, Allah (SWT) commands to raise the mosque in dignity and to remember His name therein, and praises those who worship therein. Allah says,

فِیۡ بُیُوۡتٍ اَذِنَ اللّٰهُ اَنۡ تُرۡفَعَ وَ یُذۡکَرَ فِیۡهَا اسۡمُهٗ ۙ یُسَبِّحُ لَهٗ فِیۡهَا بِالۡغُدُوِّ وَ الۡاٰصَال رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلۡهِیۡهِمۡ تِجَارَۃٌ وَّ لَا بَیۡعٌ عَنۡ ذِکۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَ اِقَامِ الصَّلٰوۃِ وَ اِیۡتَآءِ الزَّکٰوۃِ ۪ۙ یَخَافُوۡنَ یَوۡمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِیۡهِ الۡقُلُوۡبُ وَ الۡاَبۡصَارُ

Those who glorify Him morning and evening in the houses which Allah has commanded to be exalted and His name to be remembered therein, and who are not distracted by trade and commerce from the remembrance of Allah, from establishing prayer and giving zakat, fear a day when hearts and eyes will be turned away. (Surah An-Nur: 36, 37)

The command to worship Allah alone in the mosque.

Allah, the Exalted, forbids worshipping anyone other than Allah in the mosque, stating that the mosque is for Allah alone. Allah, the Exalted, says,
وَّ اَنَّ الۡمَسٰجِدَ لِلّٰهِ فَلَا تَدۡعُوۡا مَعَ اللّٰهِ اَحَدًا

Indeed, the mosques are for Allah, so do not call upon anyone along with Allah. (Surah Jinn: 18)

These verses are sufficient to understand the importance and virtue of mosques in Islam. In addition, many hadiths have described the virtues of building mosques and worshipping in them.