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Masjid Khif at Mina and Masjid Buratha in Baghdad
By: Ayatullah Shaheed Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim
Among the other holy places that are deemed sacred by Muslims is the Khif Mosque at Mina, which is the grand mosque there. A number of traditions from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) report the merits of this mosque, the merits of offering devotional acts therein, and the method of offering such acts.
Shaykh al-Kulayni has reported through a valid chain of authority that Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) said: Offer prayers at the Khif Mosque, which is the mosque of Mina and the place of the Holy Prophet’s prostration, specifically near the column that is in the center of this mosque and about thirty cubits towards the kiblah direction and to its left, right, and back. Investigate this very place and make it your prayer-place, if possible, because one thousand prophets offered prayers here. This mosque has been called so because it is mounting up the valley, and every mounting place is called khif.1
Other traditions have mentioned the merits of offering prayers and devotional acts at this mosque. Shaykh al-Saduq, through a valid chain of authority, has reported Imam al-Baqir (‘a) as saying: Whoever offers one hundred units of prayers at the Khif Mosque before he leaves it, his prayers will be equal in reward to doing acts of worship for seventy years. Whoever glorifies Almighty Allah at this mosque one hundred times, will have the reward of manumitting a slave. Whoever professes Almighty Allah’s being the One and Only God at this mosque one hundred times, his words will be equal to the reward of giving life to a human being. Whoever praises Almighty Allah one hundred times at this mosque, his doxology will be equal to the reward of giving as alms for Almighty Allah’s sake the tributes of both Kufah and Basrah in Iraq.2
Shaykh al-Kulayni has also quoted Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) as saying: Offer six units of prayer at the center of the Mina Mosque.3
Masjid Buratha in Baghdad
One of the famous mosques of Baghdad, the Buratha Mosque is situated on the road between Baghdad and Kazimiyyah. In his book of Mu’jam al-Buldan, al-Hamawi, one of the historians of the fifth century, has referred to this mosque. Likewise, traditions reported from the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) have referred to this mosque. Shaykh al-Qummi, in his book of Mafatih al-Jinan,4 has also mentioned this mosque and its merits with some details.
Let us now cite a tradition that is reported by Shaykh al-Saduq, in man-la-yahdhuruhu’l-faqih and Shaykh al-Tusi, in Tahdhib al-Ahkam, on the authority of Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansari, the magnificent companion of the Holy Prophet (S): Upon his return from fighting the evil forces, Imam ‘Ali (‘a) led about one hundred thousand men in a congregational prayer at Buratha. Upon completion, a Christian man came out from his hermitage and asked about the commander-in-chief of our army. He was thus led to Imam ‘Ali (‘a).
“Are you a prophet, sir?” asked the Christian.
“No, I am not,” answered Imam ‘Ali (‘a), “the prophet, who is my master, has died.”
“So, you are a prophet’s successor, are you not?” asked the man.
“Yes, I am,” answered Imam ‘Ali (‘a) and asked the man to sit with him, “Why have you asked these questions?” asked Imam ‘Ali (‘a).
The man explained, “This hermitage was established here because of this place, which is Buratha. In the divinely revealed books, I have read that no one except a prophet or a prophet’s successor would lead such a group in a prayer at this place. I have just come to declare my conversion to Islam.”
So, the man became a Muslim and accompanied us to Kufah. On their way, Imam ‘Ali (‘a) asked him, “Do you know who offered prayers at this place?”
“Jesus and his mother (‘a) did,” answered the man.
“May I tell you more,” suggested Imam ‘Ali (‘a).
“Yes, please,” answered the man.
“The Friend of Allah (i.e. Prophet Abraham (S)) also offered prayers at this place,” informed Imam ‘Ali (‘a).5
1. - Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi’ah 3:534, H. 1.
2. - Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi’ah 3:535, H. 1.
3. - Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi’ah 3:535, H. 2.
4. - Shaykh ‘Abbas al-Qummi, Mafatih al-Jinan, pp. 488-490.
5. - Al-Hurr al-’Amili, Wasa’il al-Shi’ah 3:549, H. 1.
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