I recently saw pictures in the National Geographic of mass prayer on the Noble Sanctuary near Al-Aqsa during Ramadan.
Muslims from all over the world it seems arrive to the Noble Sanctuary during this month.
I was wondering, is this a more recent practice or has this been going on for a long time? For example, in the 1800s, I've never read about any large Ramadan celebrations in Jerusalem as I have read about in Mecca.
It was narrated by the prophet that:
لا تشد الرحال إلا لثلاثة مساجد المسجد الحرام ، ومسجدي هذا ، والمسجد الأقصى
Traveling is only allowd to three Mosques, The Masjid Alharam (Mecca), my mosque (Madinah) and the Aqsa (Palestine).
The prophet also mentions the rewards as:
قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : الصلاة في المسجد الحرام بمائة ألف صلاة ، والصلاة في مسجدي بألف صلاة ، والصلاة في بيت المقدس بخمسمائة صلاة رواه الطبراني في الكبير وابن خزيمة في صحيحه
Prayer in Masjid Alharam (Mecca) is 100,000 times better regular salah. Prayer in my Masjid (Madinah) is better than 1,000 regular salah. Prayer in Alqsa (Palestine) is better than 500 regular salah.
This means that it is OK to travel to the Aqsa to pray, but doesn't really make sense unless its cheaper than going to Madinah or Mecca reward wise.
