The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 1 of 4

196 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
al-Haram mosque (the 'Holy Mosque' in Mecca) 'Which one next? ' I enquired.
'The al-Aqsa mosque' (the 'further mosque', in Jerusalem). 'How many years
intervened?', I asked. 'Forty years', he replied."
We have earlier addressed this issue and the fact that the al-AqsE mosque was
established by (the tribe of) Israel, by Jacob, peace be upon him.
In both sahih collections it is stated: "This land was made sacred by God
when he created the heavens and the earth. It is made sacred by the sanctity of
God until Judgement Day."
Al-Bayhaqi stated that Abti 'Abd Allah, the hafifiz, informed him, as did Abn
'Ahd All& al-Saffar, Ahmad b. Mahran, Whayd Allah, and Isracil, from Abii
Yahya, from Mujahid, from 'Abd Allah h. 'Amr as follows, "The house (of
worship) existed 2,000 years before the earth: 'And lo! the earth was laid out'
(sarat al-Inshiqaq, LXXXN, v.3). "It was," he said, "laid out beneath it."
He said, "And Man~iir traced this account back to Mujahid."
I consider this very strange. It is as though it comes from the two baggage
camels seized by 'Abd Allah h. 'Amr at the battle of Yarmuk which were
transporting Israeli legends, from which he used to relate; they told of strange
and objectionable things.
Then al-Bayhaqi stated that Ahn 'Abd Allah, the hzfifiz, informed him,
quoting Aba Ja'far Muhammad h. Muhammad b. Muhammad h. 'Abd Allah
al-Baghdadi, quoting Yahya h. Wthman b. Salih, as did Aha Salih al-Jubani,
quoting Ibn Lahi'a, from Yazid h. Aba al-Khayr, from 'Ahd Allah b. 'Amr h.
al-'AS that the Messenger of God (SAAS) said, "God sent down Gabriel to
Adam and Eve, and told them: 'Build a house of worship for me.' Gabriel
drew it out for them and Adam began digging while Eve transported until the
water spoke to him, calling out from beneath him, 'That's enough, Adam!'
When they had finished building, God revealed to him that he should
circumambulate it. He was told, 'You are the first man, and this is the first
house.' Thereafter the centuries succeeded one another until Noah made
pilgrimage there. Further centuries went by until Abraham constructed its
foundations."
Al-Bayhaqi stated, "Ihn Lahi'a is the only one transmitting this tradition in
this way."
I consider him to be a weak source. If its transmission had stopped directly
with 'Ahd Allah b. 'Amr it would have been a stronger and more authentic
tradition. But God knows best.
Al-Rahi' stated that alShiifiCi informed him, as did Sufya, from Ihn Aha
Labid, from Muhammad b. Ka'b al-@razi - or someone else - that he (the
Prophet, SAAS) said, "Adam performed the pilgrimage and the angels met him
and told hi, 'Your sacrifice made has been successful. We made pilgrimage
2,000 years before you!'"