Question
Can a person suffering from a contagious disease be prevented from entering the mosque?
Answer
Yes, if a person is afflicted with a contagious and harmful disease, the people of the locality may restrict him from attending the congregation in the mosque. Doing so is permissible for the sake of public interest (maṣlaḥah ʿāmmah).
Evidence from Aḥādīth
❀ Sayyidunā Jābir ibn ʿAbdullāh (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
من أكل من هذه الشجرة، يريد التوم، فلا يغشانا فى مساجدنا
“Whoever eats from this plant, meaning garlic, should not approach our mosques.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 854; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 564)
❀ In Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, it is reported:
من أكل البصل والتوم والكراث فلا يقربن مسجدنا، فإن الملائكة تتأذى مما يتأذى منه بنو آدم
“Whoever eats onions, garlic, or leeks should not come near our mosque, for the angels are harmed by that which harms the children of Adam.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 564)
Scholarly Commentary
❀ Imām Ibn al-ʿArabī (رحمه الله, d. 543H) said:
فيه دليل على أن كل ما يتأذى به كالمجذوم وشبهه يبعد عن المسجد وحلق الذكر
“This ḥadīth proves that anyone who causes harm to others—such as a leper or similar—should be kept away from the mosque and from gatherings of remembrance.”
(al-Masālik fī Sharḥ Muwaṭṭaʾ Mālik 1/479)
✅ Conclusion:
It is permissible and justified to prevent those with contagious or harmful illnesses from entering the mosque, just as those who consume foul-smelling foods are prohibited, since both harm others and disturb the sanctity of worship.
