Some peoples believe that if pray in Masjid Nabawi continuously for 40 times will get Janna. This is based on a Hadith saying 'If people pray in Masjid Nabawi for 40 times will not go to Jahannam'. Is this Sahih Hadith? Are there any more details on this matter?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

It is reported in Musnad Imam Ahmad (book of Hadeeth) and Al-Mu'jam book of At-Tabarani from Anas in a Marfoo' Hadeeth (A Hadeeth that is directly attributed to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam): “Whoever performs forty times of prayer in my mosque (i.e. the Prophet's mosque) with the congregation of the mosque, a statement of being exempt of Hellfire and a salvation from its torture will be written to him/her, and he/she is considered free from hypocrisy.” Al-Haythami said: “Its narrators are trustworthy.”

Al-Munthiri added in At-Targheeb book: “It is reported by Ahmad and its narrators are those of the sound Hadeeth.”

At-Tirmithi narrated this Hadeeth with another wording. Al-Albani said: “There is some defect in it and Nabit ibn ‘Umar is unknown and there is weakness in the Hadeeth.” Shaykh Naseeb Ar-Rifaa'i said: “It is sound.”

Anyway, since such a matter is from among the meritorious deeds, then there is no problem even though it is weak according to Imam Ahmad .

A group of scholars believe that if an action is legalized based on a legal evidence (Hadeeth) that is not false, the reward - Allah willing – will be true. So, it is advisable to act according to such a Hadeeth.

For more benefit on the reward for praying in the two Holy Mosques, please refer to Fataawa 190553 and 88852.

Allah knows best.