About this Masjid Dirar, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has Been given the order: لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدًا 'Do not ever stand there (in prayer) - 108.' The word ` qiyam' in the text denotes standing for prayer. The sense is that the Holy Prophet ﷺ should never go in to offer his prayers in a mosque by that name.

Ruling:

What it tells us is: If, even today, a new masjid is made adjacent to the one already there unnecessarily, just to show off or to take an opposing stance out of obstinacy and enmity, the better choice is not to offer prayers therein - though, Salah remains valid.

In the same verse (108), the Holy Prophet ﷺ has also been told that it is correct for him to pray in the particular masjid the foundation of which has been laid on Taqwa (the fear of Allah) from day one. And then, the people who offer their Salah in it love to observe full precaution in remaining cleansed and pure (of all physical and spiritual impurities) - for Allah too likes such meticulous observers of self-purity.

The context of the verse shows what is being referred to here is Masjid Quba' where the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to say his prayers at that time. There are some Hadith narratives that also support this view. (As reported by Ibn Marduwayh from Ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، by ` Amr ibn Shaibah from Sahl al-ansari and by Ibn Khuzaimah in his Sahih from ` Uwaimir ibn Sa` idah - with reference to Mazhari)

As for the reports which say that it refers to the Prophet's Mosque, they do not contradict it. The reason is that the foundation of the Mosque of the Prophet ﷺ was laid in accordance with a revealed command by the Holy Prophet ﷺ with his blessed hands. It goes without saying that its foundation rests on Taqwa, that is, on purity, piety and fear of Allah. And who else could be more purified than the noble messenger of Allah? Therefore, that too is a masjid founded on Taqwa. (As reported by Tirmidhi on sound authority from Sayyidna Abu Said al-Khudri ؓ with the chain of narrators ascending to the Holy Prophet ﷺ - from Qurtubi)

At the end of the verse (108), it was said: فِيهِ رِ‌جَالٌ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُ‌وا (In it there are people who like to observe purity). In this verse, the masjid declared worthier for the prayers of the Holy Prophet ﷺ is the one the foundation of which was laid on Taqwa from day one. Thus, both Masjid Quba' and the Mosque of the Prophet ﷺ are included in the sense of the verse. Also pointed to in this verse there is yet another merit of this masjid - that those who prayed this masjid were a kind of people who did their best to remain cleansed and pure. The word for purity used in the text is Taharah طھارا . The sense of Taharah at this place includes purity from common filth and impurities, as well as purity from sins and bad morals. Those who offered their prayers in Masjid Quba' and the Prophet's Mosque were generally equipped with all these virtues.

Special Note

From here we also come to know that the merit or superiority of a masjid really depends on the fact that it should have been made with absolute sincerity for the sake of Allah. And to put it conversely, there should not be any trace of duplicity, any motive to earn name, fame and recognition, or any other false and corrupting interest involved in its making. Then, we also learn that the quality of those who pray in a masjid is significant. If they are good, righteous, knowledgeable about their religion ('Alim عَالِم ) and are devoted to the worship of Allah ('Abid عَابِد ), the superiority of the masjid increases. Offering prayers in a masjid frequented by such God-fearing people is more merit worthy.