How should the following hadith be understood: "The parts of land dearest to Allah are its mosques, and the parts most hateful to Allah are markets."

How should the following hadith be understood: "The parts of land dearest to Allah are its mosques, and the parts most hateful to Allah are markets."

Dear Brother / Sister,

Abu Hurayra narrates: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"The parts of land dearest to Allah are its mosques, and the parts most hateful to Allah are markets." (Muslim, Masajid 288)

We learn from the Quran that Allah created humans and jinn so that they will worship Him only. (adh-Dhariyat,  51/56)

Mosques are places where servitude like worshipping, dhikr and taqwa take place in the perfect sense. Therefore, they are the dearest places in the eye of Allah.

Accordingly, the places where Allah is mentioned and worshipped are the places that are the most appropriate for the purpose of creation and that Allah is pleased with. The main places having these properties are mosques and small mosques, which are places of worshipping.

Unlike mosques, shopping centers and markets are places where heedlessness is dominant, Allah is forgotten and people are engaged in the world the most. Therefore, they are places that are the farthest away from the consent of Allah. Drawing attention to this property of markets', the hadith encourages people to be alert and honest.

In fact, the trade carried out in accordance with the rules of the religion of Islam is legitimate. Doubtlessly, people can turn markets into mosques in their inner world through their ideas, meditation, words and religious talks. Indeed, the Prophet (pbuh) included honest merchants among the people of the highest ranks:

“The truthful, trustworthy merchant is with the Prophets, the truthful, and the martyrs.” (Tirmidhi, Buyu 4; Ibn Majah, Tijarat 1)

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