Among the three mosques which bear the greatest sanctity in Islam...

Among the three mosques which bear the greatest sanctity in Islam, the first one is Masjid Al-Haram'' which was built by Hadrat Abraham(peace be upon him); the second one is theMasjid al-Aqsa'' which was erected by Hadrat Sulaiman (peace be upon him); and the third mosque is Masjid-i-Nabawi'' in the Holy city of Medina which was founded by the Holy Prophet(PBUH). The observation of the Holy Prophet in regard to the last mosque'' should be viewed in this context.

The words of the Prophet(PBUH) meant that no Prophet would come after him, hence there would be no fourth mosque after the last Masjid-i-Nabawi(a mosque of the last Prophet). It follows, therefore, that no other mosque should bear such sanctity, that worship in it should be rewarded with more blessings in comparison with worship in other mosques and further there shall be no fourth mosque towards which it is lawful or even desirable for people to make a journey in order to offer prayers.

footnote 4 In contrast to the observations of the Holy Prophet the deniers of the Finality of Prophethood quote the following words scribed to Hadrat Aisha: "Say, indeed, that the Holy Prophet is the Final Apostle of God; but say not that no prophet will come after him." In the first place it is an audacity to quote the words of Hadrat Aisha for contradicting the explicit command of the Holy Prophet(PBUH). Moreover the very words attributed to Hadrat Aisha are not authentic.

No authoritative work on Hadith contains this observation of Hadrat Aisha nor any notable compiler of traditions has recorded or referred to it. This tradition is derived from a commentary entitled Durr-i- Manthur and a compilation of Hadith Known as Takmilah Majma-ul- Bihar, but its source and credentials are unknown.

It is the height of audacity to put forward a statement of a lady companion in order to contradict the explicit observations of the Holy Prophet which the eminent traditionists have transmitted on the most authentic chains of transmission. The Consensus of the After the Holy Qur''an and sunnah, the consensus of the companions of the holy Prophet (PBUH) holds the third position.

All authentic historical traditions reveal that the companions of the prophet (PBUH) had unanimously waged a war on the claimants to the prophethood and their adherents after the demise of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). In this connection the case of Musailama is particularly significant.