- Kūfa
Merits
The city of Kūfa is one of the four cities chosen by Almighty Allāh exclusively. It is narrated that the word Ṭūr Sīnīn1 mentioned in the Holy Qurʾān is an indication of this city. According to another narration, this city is the sanctuary of Almighty Allāh, the Holy Prophet(s), and Imām ʿAlī(a), and to give one dirham as alms in this city is equal in reward to giving one hundred dirhams at other places, and to offer a two-unit prayer there is equal in reward to offering a hundred-unit prayer at other places.
This honourable mosque is one of the four mosques that are worthy of being visited so that the merits of such visit may be attained. It is also one of the four places where a traveler is free to perform the obligatory prayers either in the complete form (tamām) or in the shortened form (qasr). The reward of performing one obligatory prayer at Masjid al-Kūfa is equal to the reward of going on one acceptable Ḥajj and equal to the reward of performing one thousand prayers at other places.
Abū Ḥamza al-Thumālī narrates: ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn2 left Medina with the intention of visiting Masjid al-Kūfa. He prayed two raka’at of prayer. Then he mounted his camel and departed.
Imām al-Ṣādiq(a) said: “Giving one dirham as ṣadaqah in Kūfa is equal to giving two hundred dirhams as ṣadaqah elsewhere and praying two raka’at of prayer in Kūfa is equal to praying one hundred raka’at elsewhere.”
Imām al-Bāqir(a) said: “If people knew the merits of Masjid al-Kūfa, then they would travel even from far distances to it. Praying an obligatory (wājib) prayer in Masjid al-Kūfa is equal to performing Ḥajj and praying a recommended (mustaḥabb) prayer in it is the same as performing ʿUmrah.”
Abū Jaʿfar Imām Muḥammad al-Bāqir(a) said: “Praying an obligatory (wājib) prayer in Masjid al-Kūfa is like performing an accepted Ḥajj and praying a recommended (mustaḥabb) prayer is like performing an accepted ʿUmrah.”
Imām ʿAlī(a) said: “Praying a recommended (mustaḥabb) prayer in Masjid (al-Kūfa) is equal to performing an ʿUmrah with Rasūl Allāh(s) and praying a obligatory (wājib) prayer in it is equal to performing a Ḥajj with Rasūl Allāh(s). 1000 prophets and 1000 successors have prayed in this mosque.”
Ḥārūn b. Khārijah narrates: Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) asked me, “Do you pray all of your prayers in Masjid al-Kūfa?” I replied, “No.”
Imām(a) said, “I would not miss performing any prayers in it if I lived nearby. Do you know the merits of Masjid al-Kūfa?” I replied, “No.”
Imām(a) said, “Every devoted servant and every prophet has prayed in Masjid al-Kūfa. On the night of Miʿrāj, Jabrāʾīl(a) asked Rasūl Allāh(s), “O Muḥammad(s)! Do You know where you are right now?” Rasūl Allāh(s) replied, “No.” Jabrāʾīl(a) said, “You are in front of Masjid al-Kūfa.”
Rasūl Allāh(s) said, “Ask your Lord for permission so that I may descend and pray in it.” Jabrāʾīl(a) asked for permission and it was granted. Then Rasūl Allāh(s) descended and prayed two raka’at of prayer in Masjid al-Kūfa.”
The Imām(a) continued and said: “Performing one obligatory (wājib) prayer in Masjid al-Kūfa is the same as praying 1000 prayers anywhere else and performing one recommended (mustaḥabb) prayer in Masjid al-Kūfa is the same as praying 500 prayers anywhere else. The front side of Masjid al-Kūfa is a garden from the gardens of Paradise and on its right side is a garden from the gardens of Paradise and at its back is a garden from the gardens of Paradise. Just sitting in Masjid al-Kūfa even without praying or praising Allāh is considered a worship. If people knew of its merits, then they would surely come to it even if they had to crawl.”
Khālid al-Qalanisi narrates: I heard Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq(a) say: “Praying one prayer in Masjid al-Kūfa is like praying 1000 prayers elsewhere.”
Imām al-Ṣādiq(a) said: “Mecca is the sanctuary of Allāh, the sanctuary of His Messenger(s), and the sanctuary of ʿAlī(a). Praying one prayer in its mosques is the same as praying 10,000 prayers in another city and giving one dirham as ṣadaqa in Medina is like giving 10,000 dirhams in another city. Kūfa is the sanctuary of Allāh, the sanctuary of His Messenger(s), and the sanctuary of ʾAmīr al-Muʾminīn Ali( a). Praying one prayer in its masjid is the same as praying 1000 prayers in another masjid.”