The Virtue of Staying in al-Madinah, Fasting and Performing I‘tikaf Near the Pillars

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from al-Hassan ibn Jahm who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan عليه السلام, ‘Is staying in Makkah more virtuous or in al- Madinah?’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What do you say about it?’ I (the narrator) replied, ‘My words are not of any significance before your words.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Your words return you to my words.’ I (the narrator) then said, ‘I believe staying in al-Madinah is more virtuous than in Makkah.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What you said is the same as what abu ‘Abd Allah عليه السلام, said on a day of ‘Id al-Fitr during his visit of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. He offered his al-Salam in the Masjid and said, ‘We today have been given preference over people due to our offering al-Salam to the Messenger of Allah.’”