Hadeeth Concerning the Virtue of Praying Forty prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque

This
hadeeth was narrated by Ahmad (12173) from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be
pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him), who is reported to have said, “Whoever prays forty prayers in my
Mosque, missing no prayer, it will be recorded that he is safe from the
Fire, is saved from punishment and is free of hypocrisy.” This is a da’eef
(weak) hadeeth. 

This was
mentioned by al-Shaykh al-Albani in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (364), who said:
It is da’eef. He also mentioned it in Da’eef al-Targheeb (755) and said, it
is munkar (a kind of weak hadeeth). 

Al-Albani
said in his book Hujjat al-Nabi (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
(p.185) that it is an innovation (bid’ah) to visit Madeenah and tell the
visitors to Madeenah to stay there for a week so that they will be able to
offer forty prayers in the Prophet’s Mosque so that they will be free from
hypocrisy and saved from the Fire. 

Al-Shaykh
Ibn Baz said: 

With
regard to the widespread idea that the visitor should stay for eight days so
that he can offer forty prayers in the Mosque is wrong. Although it says in
some hadeeths, “Whoever offers forty prayers therein Allah will decree that
he is safe from the Fire and free from hypocrisy,” this hadeeth is da’eef
according to the scholars and cannot be taken as proof or relied upon. There
is no set limit for visiting the Prophet’s Mosque. If a person visits for an
hour or two, or a day or two, or for more than that, there is nothing wrong
with that. 

Fatawa Ibn
Baz, 17/406 

Instead of
this hadeeth we should look at the hasan (sound) hadeeth narrated by
al-Tirmithi (241) concerning the virtue of always being present for the
opening takbeer (saying Allahu Akbar) of prayer in congregation. It was
narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The
Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever
prays for forty days with the congregation, always being present for the
first takbeer, it will be written that he will be safe from two things: he
will be safe from the Fire and safe from hypocrisy.” Classed as hasan by
al-Albani in Saheeh al-Tirmithi, 200. 

The virtue
mentioned in this hadeeth is general and applies to any mosque where prayers
are offered in congregation, in any land; it does not apply only to
al-Masjid al-Haram [in Makkah] or al-Masjid al-Nabawi [in Madeenah] in
particular. 

Based on
this, whoever consistently prays forty days in congregation in which he is
present for the first takbeer, it will be recorded that he will be safe from
two things: safe from the Fire and safe from hypocrisy, whether the mosque
is in Madeenah, Makkah or anywhere else. 

And Allah
knows best.