Can some places be superior to other places when Allah makes them blessed?

Dear Brother / Sister,

It is stated in the Quran that some places were made blessed. For instance, the following is stated about Masjid al-Haram (Kaaba) in Makkah:

اِنَّ اَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذ۪ى بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِلْعَالَم۪ينَۚ

“The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka: Full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings.” (Aal-i Imran, 96)

That the Kaaba is blessed is clearly expressed in the verse. It is stated in the following verse that the precincts of Masjid al-Aqsa in Quds (Jerusalem) are blessed:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذ۪ٓى اَسْرٰى بِعَبْدِه۪ لَيْلاً مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ اِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ اْلاَقْصَاالَّذ۪ى بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ اٰيَاتِنَۜا  

“Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs:..” (al-Isra, 1)

Masjid al-Aqsa and its precincts’ being blessed can be through several aspects. First of all, they are places where so many prophets visited and lived. A place becomes honorable due to the people living there. For instance, Hz. Zakariyya (Zacarias), Hz. Yahya (John) and Hz. Isa lived there. Besides, those places have very fertile plots of land. (see Baydawi, I, 564)

Such blessed places attract and summon people. People go to visit those places by undergoing so many difficulties. For instance, hajj is a blessed visiting like that.  

It is understood that some places become superior to other places when Allah makes them blessed. The Prophet states the following: "Do not set out on a journey except for three mosques: Masjid al-Haram (Kaaba), Masjid an-Nabawi and Masjid al-Aqsa." (Bukhari, Anbiya 8; Muslim, Masajid 2)

That is, those three mosques are more distinguished than others. It is regarded as worship even to visit them only. As a matter of fact, they are visited during hajj and umrah. The people who go there are overwhelmed with lofty feelings; they become satisfied spiritually.

Questions on Islam