The second: They are the houses of Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis). Also narrated from al-Hasan.
The third: The houses of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Also from Mujahid.
The fourth: They are all houses. Stated by 'Ikrimah.
His saying: "Exalting Him therein in the mornings and the evenings" reinforces that they are the mosques.
The fifth: They are the four mosques which were built only by a prophet: the Ka'bah, the House of Jericho, the Mosque of Medina, and the Quba Mosque. Stated by Ibn Buraydah. This has already been mentioned in [Surat] "Bara'ah".
Al-Qurtubi said: The most apparent [opinion] is the first one, based on what Anas ibn Malik narrated from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: "Whoever loves Allah—the Mighty and Majestic—let him love me; whoever loves me let him love my companions; whoever loves my companions let him love the Quran; and whoever loves the Quran let him love the mosques, for they are the courtyards of Allah and His structures. Allah has permitted them to be raised, blessed them, they are blessed and their people are blessed, they are protected and their people are protected. They are in their prayers, and Allah—the Mighty and Majestic—is in their needs. They are in their mosques, and Allah is behind them."
Narrated by al-Qurtubi (12/266), Ibn al-Qaysarani (751), al-Shajari (1/87), and Tanzih (2/115).
2605: 14630: Raised: 1: The words of the Most High: "In houses which Allah has ordered to be raised." "Ordered" means He commanded and decreed. The reality of permission is knowledge and enabling without prohibition; if coupled with that is command and implementation, it is stronger. And "raised": it is said it means built and elevated. Stated by Mujahid and 'Ikrimah. From this is the saying of the Most High: "And [mention] when Abraham was raising the foundations of the House."
