ONE HADITH A DAY
Al-Bukhari with a similar wording - Narrated by Muslim · Authentic hadith
عن جابر رضي الله عنه قال: أراد بنو سلمة أن ينتقلوا للسكن قرب المسجد فبلغ ذلك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال لهم: «إنه قد بلغني أنكم تُريدون أن تنتقلوا قُرب المسجد؟» فقالوا: نعم، يا رسول الله قد أردنا ذلك، فقال: «بَنِي سَلِمَة، دِيارَكُم، تُكتب آثارُكُم، ديارَكُم تُكتب آثاركُم». وفي رواية: «إن بكلِّ خَطْوَة درجة».
“Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The tribe of Banu Salimah wanted to move nearer to the mosque. On learning this, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "I was told that you intend to move nearer to the mosque." They said: "That is true, O Messenger of Allah, we want to." He said: "O Banu Salimah, stay in your neighborhood, your footsteps (to the mosque) are recorded for you; stay in your neighborhood, your footsteps (to the mosque) are recorded for you." Another narration reads: "Every footstep (towards the mosque) merits one higher rank."”
Hadīth explanation: The tribe of Banu Salimah wanted to move from their neighborhood, which was far from the mosque, to a place closer to the mosque. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that a part of Madīnah be depopulated (as stated in Al-Bukhāri's version of the Hadīth). He rather wished that Madīnah be expanded so that the hypocrites and polytheists see the increasing number of Muslims. He then asked them: "I heard that you all wish to move closer to the mosque?" They replied in the affirmative, so he said to them twice: "Stay in your neighborhood; your footsteps (to the mosque) are recorded for you." He also clarified that for every step they take to the mosque, they will receive a reward or one higher rank. In a relevant report, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The ones with the most reward amongst you are the ones who live farthest away (from the mosque)." He was asked: "Why is that, O Abu Hurayrah?" He answered: "Because of the many steps (taken to the mosque)." [Narrated by Mālik in al-Muwatta’, no. 33] The farther the house is from the mosque, the more chances of reward one can receive and the more of one’s sins will be erased. Such reward can be realized if one makes ablution at home, perfecting his ablution, then walks to the mosque, not rides, whether it is a short or a long distance. For every step he takes, two things are written for him: he is raised one rank and one sin is erased from his record of deeds. One of the noble Companions reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sai…