[44] The superiority of performing Sal?t in Baitul Maqdis:

[1/ 44] It is commonly Known amongst the muslim public that the reward of performing Sal?t in Baitul Maqdis equals five hundred doubles of Sal?t done any where else. [They believe so] depending on a h?d?th narrated by J?bir ( - رضي الله عنه -) from the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) to have said: ‘[The reward of] the Sal?t done in Al-Masjidul Har?m equals that of one hundred thousand Sal?t [in any other place], and the [reward of the] Sal?t done in may mosque equals that of one thousand Sal?t and the [reward of the] Sal?t done in Baitul Maqdis equals five hundred ones done in any other place’.

This had?th was narrated by: Al-Baihaqi in “Shu‘ab Al-Im?n” and Al-Khat?b in his “Al-Muttifaq Wal Muftariq”. In the had?th’s chain of narrators there is Ibr?h?m Ibn Ab? Hayyah who errs a lot -as As-Suy?t? stated in “Al-J?mi‘ Al-Kab?r” (vol.2/ 61/1).

Another narration, traced back to Ab? Ad-Dard?’ who narrated it from the prophet ( - صلى الله عليه وسلم -) , was narrated by: At-Tabar?n? in “Al-Kabir”, Ibn Khuzaimah in “As-Sah?h” and Al-Bazz?r in “Al-Musnad”. The latter stated that its chain of narrators is a good one. Having mentioned it in “At-Targh?b Wat Tarh?b” (vol.2/p.137), Al-Munthir? said: ‘This is indeed Al-Bazz?r’s view only”. !!

Al-H?fith An-N?j?, however, disagreed with Al-Bazz?r in the former’s “‘Uj?latul Iml?’ Al-Mutayassirah” (foil.135/ 1) and said that Al-Munthir?’s statement supports this.

Commenting on Al-Munthir?’s statement, Al-H?fith An-N?j? said: ‘It is indeed as Al-Munthir? said for in the had?th’s chain of narrators there is Sa‘?d Ibn S?lim Al-Qadd?h whom many [of Ahlul Had?th] considered as a weak narrator. The had?th was also traced back to Sa‘?d Ibn Bash?r about whose reliability Ahlul Had?th disagreed’. (1)