A:
Souq (plural Aswaq)
is literally a place where there is public gathering held for buying and selling merchandise and goods are offered for sale. It could be referred to as either a feminine or masculine word." People made tasawuk, if they sell or buy items. It is called souq "meaning, drive, bring about, and so on, for the merchandise are brought to it and offered for sale. Allah (Exalted be He) says in His Book:
...but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets.
The Du`a' on entering the market is narrated on the authority of
`Amr ibn Dinar the Mawla (freed slave) of
the family of Al-Zubayr from
Salim ibn `Abdullah ibn `Umar from his father from his grandfather that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Whoever enters a market and says: 'There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah, Alone without partner, to Him belongs dominion and praise. He causes life and death and He is the Living and does not die. In His Hand is all the good, and He is All-Powerful over all things', Allah (Exalted be He) will write for him or her a million good deeds, erase a million bad deeds and build a house for him in Paradise."
(Part No. 13; Page No. 15) This Hadith is Da`if (weak).
It was narrated by
Al-Hakim in Al-Mustadrak
and other books. Some scholars of Hadith considered it to be Da`if, including
Ibn Al-Qayyim. It was also narrated from him by
Al-`Ajluny in Kashf Al-Khafa'. It is considered to be Da`if because its Sanad (chain of narrators) has
`Amr ibn Dinar, the Mawla of
the family of Al-Zubayr, and he is a Da`if narrator. Moreover, its matn (text of a Hadith) is somehow unacceptable.
May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.