The Meaning of Tahiyyat al-Masjid
The mosque in this world is the house of Allah, a gathering place for the worship and devotion of His servants, a place for connection with Allah, repentance and seeking forgiveness, humility and submissiveness, and purification of the soul and self, and it is a beloved piece of the earth in the sight of Allah Almighty.
“أحب البلاد إلى الله مساجدها”
Mosques are the most beloved places to Allah among all places.
Everything has a right, and the right of the mosque is that it should be inhabited through prayer, and after entering it, two rak’ahs of prayer should be performed before sitting down. This is called “Tahiyyatul Masjid” in the terminology of Shariah. This term is composed of two words: Tahiyyah and Masjid. Tahiyyah means safety and blessing. The safety and blessing of the mosque is that it is kept safe and inhabited through prayer, and after entering, the two rak’ahs of Tahiyyatul Masjid should be performed. The meaning of mosque is the place of prostration, and prostration is the highest means of nearness to Allah among all the acts of prayer. For this reason, the place of performing prayer is derived from the same root as “Masjid” so that prostration is directed towards Allah. Prostration is also a vivid symbol of sanctity. When the Prophet of this Ummah, peace be upon him, is the Prophet of all nations and all worlds, and his Ummah is the caller to all worlds, then accordingly the entire earth has been made a mosque so that the place of worship for the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his Ummah is universal.
“جعلت لي الأرض مسجدا”
The whole earth has been made a mosque for me.
The Islamic Ruling on Greeting the Mosque
⋆ According to Ahl al-Zahir (Imam Dawood and his companions), Imam Shawkani, and Amir San’ani, praying two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid is obligatory in light of the following ahadith, but Imam Ibn Hazm holds the view of non-obligation
عن أبى قتادة السلمي رضى الله عنه أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “إذا دخل أحدكم المسجد فليركع ركعتين قبل أن يجلس”
Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When any one of you enters the mosque, he should pray two rak’ahs before sitting.
عن جابر بن عبد الله رضي الله عنهما قال: كان لي على النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم دين فقضاه وزادني فدخلت المسجد فقال: صل ركعتين
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that I owed a debt to the Prophet (peace be upon him), he paid off my debt and gave me something extra. Then I came to him in the mosque, and he said: Pray two rak’ahs.
عن جابر بن عبد الله رضي الله عنهما قال: جاء السليك الغطفاني يوم الجمعة ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قائم على المنبر فقعد السليك قبل أن يصلي فقال له: أصليت ركعتين؟ فقال: لا، فقال: قم فاركعهما
Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was standing on the pulpit when Salik Ghatafani came and sat down without praying two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: Have you prayed two rak’ahs? He said: No. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Get up and pray two rak’ahs.
Method of reasoning:
The absolute form of command in the language of Shariah is used to indicate obligation. If there is a qualifying context, it is taken as recommended or mustahabb. Since the above ahadith use the form of command and apparently there is no qualifying context, therefore two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid are obligatory.
⋆ According to the majority of scholars, Tahiyyat al-Masjid is Sunnah in light of the following ahadith. Ibn Hajar Asqalani (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated the consensus of the jurists that the command in the above ahadith is for recommendation, and Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated the consensus of the Ummah on this matter
عن زيد بن أسلم رضى الله عنه قال: كان أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يدخلون المسجد ويخرجون ولا يصلون
Zaid bin Aslam (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to come and go in the mosque without praying.
The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) statement about the man who was disturbing people inside the mosque: “اجلس فقد آذيت”
Sit down, you have caused harm. Also, Dhumam bin Tha’labah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet which and how many prayers were obligatory? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
الصلوات الخمس، فقال: هل على غيرها؟ قال: لا، إلا أن تطوع
Five daily prayers have been made obligatory. Then he asked if there were any other prayers obligatory upon him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: No, except that you perform voluntary prayers.
Method of reasoning:
The above ahadith indicate that two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid are not obligatory but Sunnah. If it were obligatory, how could the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) come and go in the mosque without praying two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid, how could the Prophet (peace be upon him) order the man who was disturbing people to sit down, and how could he only command Dhumam bin Tha’labah to pray the obligatory prayers?
For these reasons, Imam Shawkani and Imam San’ani have refuted this and strongly emphasized the obligation of Tahiyyat al-Masjid. Scholars are advised to refer to “Nail al-Awtar” and “Subul al-Salam” for further information and research on the issue.
Greeting the Mosque Between the Friday Sermon
It is Sunnah for a person who arrives late to the mosque to pray the two light rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid during the khutbah. The opinions of the Imams of the religion Hasan, Ibn Uyaynah, Shafi’i, Ahmad, Ishaq, Malwah, Abu Thawr, Ibn Mundhir, and Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on them, are based on the following ahadith
.
عن أبى سعيد الخدري رضى الله عنه أن رجلا دخل المسجد يوم الجمعة ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يخطب على المنبر فأمره أن يصلي ركعتين
It is narrated from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, that a man entered the mosque on Friday while the Prophet, peace be upon him, was delivering the khutbah from the minbar, so the Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered him to pray two rak’ahs.
In the narration of Tirmidhi, “في هيئة بذة” is added, meaning he entered the mosque in a worn-out state.
عن جابر بن عبدالله رضي الله عنهما قال: جاء السليك الغطفاني يوم الجمعة ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قائم على المنبر فقعد السليك قبل أن يصلي فقال له: أصليت ركعتين؟ فقال: لا، فقال: قم فاركعهما
It is narrated from Jabir ibn Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with them both, that on Friday the Prophet, peace be upon him, was standing on the minbar delivering the khutbah when Salik Ghatafani came and sat down without praying the two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Have you prayed the two rak’ahs?” They replied: “No.” So the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “Get up and pray two rak’ahs!”
In another narration of Muslim:
إذا جاء أحدكم يوم الجمعة والإمام يخطب فليركع ركعتين وليتجوز فيها
When any of you comes on Friday while the Imam is delivering the khutbah, he should pray two light rak’ahs.
Imam Tirmidhi narrates:
إن أبا سعيد أتى ومروان يخطب فصلهما فأراد حرس مروان أن يمنعوه، أبى حتى صلهما، ثم قال: ما كنت لأدعها بعد أن سمعت رسول الله يأمر بهما
Marwan ibn al-Hakam was delivering the khutbah when Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, came and began to pray the two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid. Marwan ibn al-Hakam’s bodyguards tried to stop him, but he prayed. Then he said: “I cannot abandon these two rak’ahs because I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him, ordering their prayer.”
The Prophet, peace be upon him, ordering a latecomer to pray two rak’ahs during the khutbah and Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reviving this Sunnah despite opposition from the ruling authority is clear evidence that praying the two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid during the khutbah is Sunnah.
The Imams of the religion Qadi Shurayh, Ibn Sirin, Nakhi, Qatadah, Malik, and Abu Hanifah, may Allah have mercy on them, consider praying the two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid during the khutbah to be disliked based on the following evidences
:
(1) This verse from the Holy Qur’an:
﴿وَإِذَا قُرِئَ الْقُرْآنُ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ﴾
“And when the Qur’an is recited, then listen to it and pay attention!”
(2) The saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him:
إذا قلت لصاحبك أنصت والإمام يخطب فقد لغوت
During the khutbah, if someone told his companion to be silent, he engaged in idle talk.
The khutbah includes recitation of the Qur’an, and during the recitation of the Qur’an, listening attentively is commanded in the above verse. Therefore, praying the two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid during the khutbah is not correct. The Prophet’s saying forbids even minor admonitions or enjoining good during the khutbah, so how can the two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid, which take more time, be performed?
(3) Similarly, the Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded the person who was pushing people forward by their necks:
“اجلس فقد آذيت”
“Sit down, you are causing harm.” The Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered him to sit, not to pray Tahiyyat al-Masjid.
(4) Likewise, this narration from Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both:
إذا دخل أحدكم المسجد والإمام على المنبر فلا صلاة ولا كلام حتى يفرغ الإمام
If the Imam is on the minbar and someone enters the mosque, no prayer or conversation should be done until the Imam finishes the khutbah.
The reality is that the Qur’an is indeed recited during the khutbah, but the entire khutbah is not composed solely of Qur’anic verses. Therefore, using this Qur’anic verse as evidence against praying Tahiyyat al-Masjid is not correct. Also, admonishing one listener by another during the khutbah is idle talk, but this does not prevent praying Tahiyyat al-Masjid because the prohibition is on talking to each other, not on praying. As for the narration from Ibn Umar, it is weak; its chain includes a narrator named Ayub ibn Nahik, about whom Abu Zur’ah and Abu Hatim, may Allah have mercy on them, said he is a fabricator of hadith. Such weak hadiths do not contradict authentic hadiths, as is well known among scholars of hadith criticism.
As for the Prophet’s saying ”اجلس فقد آذيت“, it was a reprimand in a specific situation for a particular person and is not appropriate to apply generally.
Similarly, it is established that the Prophet, peace be upon him, taught religion and showed affection to children during the khutbah.
عن أبى بريده رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يخطبنا فجاء الحسن والحسين رضي الله تعالىٰ عنهما عليهما قميصان أحمران يمشيان ويعثران فنزل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم من المنبر فحملهما ووضعهما بين يديه ثم قال صدق الله ورسوله ﴿إِنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلَادُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ﴾ “I looked at these two boys walking and stumbling, so I was patient until I stopped my speech and lifted them.”
Abu Buraydah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was delivering the khutbah among us when Hasan and Husayn, may Allah be pleased with them, came stumbling, wearing red shirts. The Prophet, peace be upon him, came down from the minbar, lifted them, placed them before him, and said: “Allah and His Messenger have spoken the truth: indeed your wealth and your children are a trial for you. Look! I could not bear to see them stumbling, so my patience gave out, I stopped my speech and lifted them.”
وعن أبى رفاعه العدوي رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال: انتهيت إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وهو يخطب فقلت يا رسول الله! رجل غريب يسأل عن دينه فأتى بكرسي من خشب قوائمه حديد فقعد عليه وجعل يعلمني مما علمه الله ثم أتى الخطبة فأتم آخرها.
Abu Rafi’ Adawi, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was delivering the khutbah when I approached and said: “O Messenger of Allah! A stranger asks about his religion but knows nothing about it.” The Prophet, peace be upon him, turned to me, left the khutbah, came near me, and a wooden chair with iron legs was brought for him. He sat on it and began teaching me through divine knowledge, then returned to complete the khutbah.
Therefore, the scholar Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, states that it is permissible to interrupt the khutbah when necessary and complete it later, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, interrupted the khutbah to answer a question and to lift Hasan and Husayn, may Allah be pleased with them. Similarly, the Prophet’s saying ”اجلس يا فلان “Sit down, O person!” and ”صل يا فلان “Pray, O person!” is not a legal ruling but a form of individual instruction and reprimand for a specific person.
In summary, the Prophet’s saying ”اجلس فقد آذيت“ to the person pushing others during the khutbah was a reprimand appropriate to the situation and should not be used as evidence against praying Tahiyyat al-Masjid.
After this brief explanation, it is hoped that no thoughtful person will remain unaware that the first group’s opinion is stronger and closer to the Sunnah of the Prophet, meaning that praying two light rak’ahs during the khutbah for a latecomer is Sunnah. However, this does not mean one should make it a routine to arrive after the khutbah has started, pray two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid, and assume their action is according to Sunnah. Rather, the Sunnah method is to perform ghusl early on Friday morning, wear good clothes according to one’s ability, apply perfume, and head to the house of Allah as early as possible. Upon entering, pray two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid, perform additional nawafil as much as possible, recite the Qur’an, especially Surah Al-Kahf, frequently remember Allah, and when the Imam comes to the minbar for the khutbah, turn away from all other talk and attentively listen to the Friday khutbah.
There are many virtues mentioned in the ahadith about going to the mosque early on Friday after purification, relieving oneself, and performing ghusl. Friday is the Eid of the week, a precious occasion for joy and happiness, and the best means for forgiveness of sins. Whoever has a sincere desire for nearness to Allah and eagerness to gather provisions for the Hereafter will surely strive to be present early in the court of Allah. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said:
من اغتسل يوم الجمعة غسل الجنابة ثم راح فكأنما قرب بدنة ومن راح فى الساعة الثانية فكأنما قرب بقرة ومن راح فى الساعة الثالثة فكأنما قرب كبشا أقرن ومن راح فى الساعة الرابعة فكأنما قرب دجاجة ومن راح فى الساعة الخامسة فكأنما قرب بيضة فإذا خرج الإمام حضرت الملائكة يستمعون الذكر.
Whoever performs ghusl properly (like the ghusl of janabah) and then is the first to go to the house of Allah, it is as if he sacrificed a camel. Whoever comes second, it is as if he sacrificed a cow. Whoever comes third, it is as if he sacrificed a ram. Whoever comes fourth, it is as if he sacrificed a chicken. Whoever comes fifth, it is as if he sacrificed an egg. When the Imam comes for the khutbah, even the angels begin to listen to the remembrance of Allah.
And Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, may Allah be pleased with him, said that he heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, say:
إن الناس يجلسون يوم القيامة على قدر تراحهم إلى الجمعات الأول ثم الثاني ثم الثالث ثم الرابع أو كما قال.
On the Day of Resurrection, people will be seated according to the order of their attendance on Friday: those who came first, then second, then third, then fourth, or as you have said.
Greeting the Mosque during Prohibited Times:
After Fajr and Asr, it is disliked to pray any kind of prayer without any reason at the time of sunrise, sunset, and zenith, and there is consensus of the Ummah on this, as Imam Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) has written. However, there is a difference of opinion among the Ummah regarding praying during these five mentioned times for a specific cause or reason, such as Tahiyyat al-Masjid, Sajdah Tilawah, Sajdah Shukr, Salat al-Kusuf and Khusuf (eclipse prayers), Eid prayers, Jumu’ah prayer, and missed prayers. In this regard, there are two important views among the Imams of the religion.
(1) The first view or opinion is that of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) and a group of scholars, that praying during these times is disliked and even incorrect. They argue from the generality of these common hadiths.
عن ابن عباس رضي الله تعالىٰ عنهما قال: أن النبى صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم نهي عن الصلاة بعد الصبح حتي تشرق الشمس وبعد العصر حتي تغرب الشمس.
It is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) forbade praying from after Fajr prayer until sunrise and from after Asr prayer until sunset.
عن أبى سعيد الخدري رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: لا صلاة بعد الصبح حتي ترتفع الشمس، ولا صلاة بعد العصر حتي تغرب الشمس.
Abu Sa’id Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: After Fajr until the sun rises high, and after Asr until sunset, there is no prayer.
عن ابن عمر رضي الله تعالىٰ عنهما قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: إذا بدأ حاجب الشمس فأخروا الصلاة حتي تبرز وإذا غاب حاجب الشمس فأخروا الصلاة حتي تغيب.
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When the sun begins to rise, wait until it rises fully before praying! Likewise, when the sun begins to set, wait until it has fully set before praying!
عن عقبه بن عامر رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال: ثلاث ساعات كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ينهانا أن نصلي فيهن أو نقبر فيها موتانا حين تطلع الشمس بازغة حتي ترتفع وحين يقوم قائم الظهيرة حتي تميل وحين تضيف الشمس للغروب حتي تغرب.
It is narrated from Uqbah ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade us from praying and burying the dead at three times: (1) at sunrise until it rises sufficiently high; (2) at the zenith until the time of zenith ends; (3) from the beginning of the sun’s yellowing until complete sunset.
عن عمرو بن عبسه رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال قلت يا رسول الله أخبرني عن الصلاة قال: صل صلاة الصبح ثم أقصر عن الصلاة حين تطلع الشمس حتي ترتفع فإنها تطلع بين قرني شيطان وحينئذ يسجد لها الكفار ثم صل فإن الصلاة محضورة مشهودة حتي يستضل الظل بالرمح ثم أقصر عن الصلاة فإنه حينئذ تسجر جهنم فإذا أقبل الفئ فصل فإن الصلاة مشهودة محضورة حتي تصلي العصر ثم أقصر عن الصلاة حتي تغرب الشمس فإنها تغرب بين قرني شيطان وحينئذ يسجد لها الكفار.
Amr ibn Abasa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): O Messenger of Allah! Tell me about prayer. He said: After praying the morning prayer, refrain from praying until the sun rises high because the sun rises between the two horns of Satan. At sunrise and sunset, the disbelievers worship it, and Satan turns his face toward the sun so that it may be worshiped. Then pray until the zenith because the angels are present and watching. Then refrain from praying at the exact time of zenith because at that time the fire of Hell blazes. Then pray from the zenith until Asr because the angels are present and watching. Then do not pray until sunset because the sun sets between the two horns of Satan, and at that time the disbelievers worship the sun.
(2) The second opinion is that of Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) and the great majority of the Imams of the religion, because the above hadiths negate praying at specific times, so this ruling cannot be applied to general prayers with causes such as Tahiyyat al-Masjid and funeral prayers, etc., because the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) themselves prayed these cause-based prayers during the prohibited times. Below are some other hadiths and narrations from the Companions to clarify the issue.
عن أبى هريره رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: إذا أدرك أحدكم سجدة من صلاة العصر قبل أن تغيب الشمس فليتم صلاته وإذا أدرك سجدة من صلاة الصبح قبل أن تطلع الشمس فليتم صلاته.
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If any of you prays one prostration of Asr prayer before the sun sets, let him complete his prayer; and similarly, if anyone prays one prostration of Fajr prayer before sunrise, let him complete his prayer.
من نام عن صلاة أو نسيها فليصلها إذا ذكرها.
Whoever sleeps or forgets to pray, when he remembers, let him pray.
عن أم سلمه رضي الله تعالىٰ عنها قالت: صلى النبى صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم بعد العصر ركعتين وقال شغلني ناس من عبدالقيس عن الركعتين بعد الظهر.
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed two rak’ahs after Asr and then said: The delegation of Abdul Qais prevented us from praying two rak’ahs of Dhuhr.
عن عائشه رضي الله تعالىٰ عنها قالت: ركعتان لم يكن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يدعهما سرا ولا علانية ركعتان قبل صلاة الصبح وركعتان بعد العصر.
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not leave the two rak’ahs before the morning prayer and two rak’ahs after the Asr prayer.
عن ابن عمر رضي الله تعالىٰ عنهما قال: أصلي كما رأيت أصحابي يصلون لا أنهي أحدا يصلي بليل ولا نهار ما شاء غير أن لا تحروا طلوع الشمس ولا غروبها.
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that he prayed like his companions and did not prevent anyone from praying at any time of the night or day, nor did he seek the time of sunset or sunrise.
عن أنس بن مالك رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: إذا أنزل منزلا لم يرتحل حتي يصلي الظهر فقال له رجل وإن كان بنصف النهار؟ قال وإن كان بنصف النهار.
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) camped somewhere, he would not leave that place without praying Dhuhr prayer. Someone asked him (the narrator, Anas): Even at noon? He said: Even if it is noon.
Performing the remaining rak’ahs of Fajr and Asr at sunrise and sunset, praying Dhuhr at the time of zenith, praying when one remembers after forgetting or sleeping even if it is during prohibited times, the Prophet’s own action of making up two rak’ahs of Dhuhr after Asr during prohibited time, and according to Aisha’s narration, his regularity in this, and according to Ibn Umar’s narration, the Companions’ praying at all times, all these actions provide evidence for praying cause-based prayers during prohibited times.
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) holds the same opinion. The way the Imam explained this issue scientifically and jurisprudentially is astonishing to the intellect. For the benefit of readers, a summary is presented below.
All cause-based prayers such as Tahiyyat al-Masjid, Sajdah Shukr, Salat al-Kusuf and Khusuf, funeral prayers, etc., are permissible to be prayed during prohibited times, i.e., after Asr and Fajr, at zenith, and at sunrise and sunset. Among the two opinions of the Imams, this opinion is preferred and correct based on the following evidences and reasons:
⋆ Praying two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid is established from the narrations of Bukhari and Muslim. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: When a person enters the mosque, he should pray two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid before sitting down. Abu Qatada (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was sitting in the mosque when I entered and sat down. He said: What prevented you from praying two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid before sitting? I said: O Messenger of Allah, I saw you and your companions sitting, so I sat down. He said: Whoever enters the mosque should not sit without praying two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid.
These hadiths give a general ruling to pray two rak’ahs before sitting, and a general prohibition against sitting without praying. This prohibition is general for all times. There is no hadith that restricts this general prohibition to specific times, nor is there consensus of the Ummah on restricting it. Everyone knows that the prohibition of praying during prohibited times is not general but specific. Therefore, the general ruling takes precedence over the specific.
⋆ It is narrated in Bukhari and Muslim that a person entered the mosque during the sermon. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked: Have you prayed two rak’ahs? He said: No. The Prophet said: Pray two rak’ahs! And in Muslim’s narration, the Prophet said: On Friday, if a person enters the mosque during the sermon, he should pray two light rak’ahs and then sit. All hadith scholars including Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him), Ishaq (may Allah have mercy on him), Abu Thawr (may Allah have mercy on him), Ibn Mundhir (may Allah have mercy on him), and others accepted this without fear. The great majority of the Salaf such as Mahwul (may Allah have mercy on him) and Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated it.
A great group of scholars including Qadi Sharih, Nakhfi, Ibn Sirin, Abu Hanifa, Malik, Laith, and Thawri (may Allah have mercy on them) were not aware of this hadith and forbade praying two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid during the sermon.
In reality, their prohibition of praying during prohibited times is a qiyas (analogy) on this hadith. Since the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade praying after sunrise, at zenith, and sunset, as well as after Asr and Fajr, then all the more so, praying any prayer during the sermon is prohibited because any distraction during the sermon is forbidden, even telling a brother to be silent for a trivial act is considered a vain act. Obviously, it is not correct to act on an analogy when there is a hadith of the Prophet.
تركت فيكم أمرين لن تضلوا ما تمسكتم بهما كتاب الله وسنة رسوله.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: I am leaving among you two blessed things; you will never go astray as long as you hold firmly to these two: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet.
And on another occasion, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
فعليكم بسنتي وسنة خلفائي الراشدين المهديين تمسكوا وعضوا عليها بالنواجذ
Following my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs after me is obligatory upon you all. Hold onto it firmly, even if by your teeth. Indeed, the pure spring of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet is the guarantee of guidance and righteousness.
⋆ Praying some prayers during prohibited times is established from the actions and commands of the Prophet (peace be upon him), such as two rak’ahs of Fajr, two rak’ahs of Tawaf, and making up two rak’ahs of Dhuhr after Asr.
From this statement, it becomes clear that there are two types of praying during prohibited times: one is that praying is absolutely not correct during these times, such as praying obligatory or voluntary prayers without any reason. The second is that obligatory or voluntary prayers are performed for a reasonable cause, such as missed prayers and two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid. Praying such cause-based prayers during prohibited times is not only permissible but Sunnah. Because if a person enters the mosque and sits without praying Tahiyyat al-Masjid, he is deprived of its reward and merit. Similarly, if a solar eclipse occurs during prohibited times and the eclipse prayer is not performed according to the general negation hadiths, one will be deprived of this Sunnah.
⋆ The reason given in the hadith for not praying during prohibited times is that the sun rises between the two horns of Satan, meaning that during these times the disbelievers worship the sun, and Satan turns his face toward it so that it may be worshiped. Thus, the prohibition of praying during these times is to block the means of shirk (polytheism). Cause-based prayers during these times are prayed due to an important prevailing wisdom and are performed in strict adherence to the command of the Prophet (peace be upon him). A worshiper prays these prayers for their causes and reasons, not indiscriminately, so as not to resemble the worship of disbelievers and shirk.
⋆ It is established from Bukhari’s narration that the Prophet (peace be upon him) made up two rak’ahs of Dhuhr after Asr, which was prayed during a prohibited time. This make-up prayer could have been prayed at another time as well. This proves that cause-based prayers such as Tahiyyat al-Masjid and eclipse prayers are correct to be prayed during prohibited times because their time is the entrance to the mosque and the solar eclipse. If make-up prayers can be prayed during prohibited times, then what objection is there to praying cause-based prayers during prohibited times?
Salutation to the Mosque of the House of Kaaba:
The Tahiyyat al-Masjid (greeting of the mosque) for the Kaaba is its Tawaf (circumambulation). The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), upon entering the Masjid al-Haram, faced the Kaaba and began Tawaf because Tahiyyat al-Masjid is prescribed for those who sit. Therefore, if a person enters Masjid al-Haram and wishes to sit before Tawaf due to fatigue or any other reason, he should first perform two Rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid following the general command of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Similarly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) once performed the Eid prayer inside the mosque due to rain but did not perform Tahiyyat al-Masjid. The reason was that upon entering the mosque, he immediately started the Eid prayer without sitting, and Tahiyyat al-Masjid is prescribed for those who sit after entering the mosque.
Now the question arises: Can the two Rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid be performed in the Kaaba during prohibited times just like in ordinary mosques? There is a difference of opinion among the Imams of the religion on this matter. Two important opinions along with their evidences are mentioned below.
(1) The first opinion is of Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) and Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) that performing two Rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid in the Kaaba during prohibited times is disliked (makruh), just like in ordinary mosques. Their evidence is the same negation of generality in the mentioned hadiths, which has been explained under “Tahiyyat al-Masjid during prohibited times.”
(2) The second opinion is of Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdullah ibn Zubair, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Hasan, Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them), Tawus, Mujahid, Qasim ibn Muhammad, Ata, Abu Thawr, and Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on them) that performing two Rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid during prohibited times is Sunnah. They base this on the following hadiths and reports:
عن جبير بن مطعم رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال: أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: يا بني عبد مناف لا تمنعوا أحدا طاف بهذا البيت وصلي فى أى ساعة شاء من ليل ونهار.
Jabir ibn Mut’im (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: O Banu Abd Manaf! Do not prevent anyone from performing Tawaf of this House of Allah, and let them pray whenever they wish, day or night!
عن أبى ذر الغفاري رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: لا صلاة بعد الصبح حتي تطلع الشمس ولا بعد العصر حتي تغرب الشمس إلا بمكة إلا بمكة.
Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: There is no prayer between Fajr and sunrise and between Asr and sunset except in Makkah, except in Makkah.
Ibn Shubaybah has brought some reports in his book “Musannaf” on this matter, which are quoted below for further clarification.
عن عطاء قال: رأيت ابن عمر طاف بالبيت بعد الفجر وصليٰ ركتين قبل طلوع الشمس.
Ata states that he saw Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) performing Tawaf of the Kaaba after Fajr and then praying two Rak’ahs before sunrise.
عن عطاء قال: رأيت ابن عمر وابن عباس رضي الله تعالىٰ عنهما طافا بعد العصر وصليا.
Ata says that Abdullah ibn Umar and Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) performed Tawaf of the Kaaba after Asr and then prayed.
وعن ليث عن أبى سعيد الخدري رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه أنه ر أى الحسن والحسين رضي الله تعاليٰما قدما مكة فطافا بالبيت بعد العصر وصليا.
From Layth, it is narrated that Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) saw Hasan and Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them) coming to Makkah, performing Tawaf after Asr, and then praying.
عن الوليد بن جميع عن أبى الطفيل رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه أنه كان يطوف بعد العصر ويصليٰ حتي تصفر الشمس.
Walid ibn Jami’ narrates that Abu al-Tufail (may Allah be pleased with him) used to perform Tawaf after Asr and pray until the sun turned yellow.
وعن عطاء قال: رأيت ابن عمر وابن زبير رضي الله تعاليٰهما طافا بالبيت قبل صلاة الفجر ثم صليا ركتين قبل طلوع الشمس.
Ata states that he saw Abdullah ibn Umar and Abdullah ibn Zubair (may Allah be pleased with them) performing Tawaf of the Kaaba before Fajr and then praying two Rak’ahs before sunrise.
The command of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) to Banu Abd Manaf not to prevent anyone from performing Tawaf and prayer at any time in the Kaaba, and the practice of the Companions Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdullah ibn Abbas, and Abdullah ibn Zubair on this Sunnah, are clear evidence that performing Tawaf and prayer at all times in the Kaaba is permissible.
The Kaaba, built for the worship of Allah Almighty, has been a center of devotion since the beginning. People come from all corners of the world to visit it, worship the One God, purify their souls, and cleanse their selves. There is a continuous flow of visitors. If at any time Tawaf or prayer in it were prohibited, it would temporarily harm the noble purposes of the visitors and worshippers of this sacred place.
Therefore, performing Tawaf and praying in Masjid al-Haram at all times is not only permissible but also Sunnah. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) preferred this opinion and wrote:
Jabir ibn Mut’im (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) forbade Banu Abd Manaf from preventing anyone from praying or performing Tawaf in the Noble Kaaba at any time. This hadith has been narrated by Abu Dawood, Nasai, and Ibn Majah, and Tirmidhi has authenticated it. Imam Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him), Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him), and Abu Thawr (may Allah have mercy on him) have cited this hadith as evidence for performing Tawaf and prayer after Asr and Fajr. Similar reports have been transmitted from Abdullah ibn Zubair, Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), other Companions, and great Tabi’in.
Therefore, performing two Rak’ahs of Tawaf during prohibited times is correct for the following reasons:
⋆ The command of the Prophet (peace be upon him): لا تمنعوا احدا طاف بهذا البيت وصلى أى ساعة شاء من الليل والنهار “Do not prevent anyone from praying or performing Tawaf in the Kaaba at any time, day or night!”
This command of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is general and includes all times. How then can anyone dare to say that performing two Rak’ahs of Tawaf during prohibited times is not correct?
No text or consensus of the Ummah restricts this command of the Prophet (peace be upon him). On the contrary, the hadiths forbidding prayer during prohibited times are specific and limited by the prophetic text and consensus of the Ummah. It is a general rule that a general command overrides a specific one.
⋆ Tawaf of the Kaaba has been performed since the time of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and prayers have been offered around this blessed house since then. The Prophet (peace be upon him) and his devoted companions used to perform Tawaf and pray around this house before Hijrah. After the conquest of Makkah, divine support honored the Prophet (peace be upon him), and people flocked to Islam and frequently performed Tawaf and prayed around this house. If performing two Rak’ahs of Tawaf during prohibited times were not correct, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would have issued a general ruling considering the needs of the general Muslims, and such a narration would have been transmitted from the Companions, Tabi’in, and Tabi’ al-Tabi’in, but the reality is otherwise. No Muslim has ever said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade performing two Rak’ahs of Tawaf during prohibited times. Rather, performing Tawaf morning and evening is easier and widely practiced.
⋆ In Shariah, what is forbidden for the sake of blocking means (sadd al-dhara’i) can be permitted for a stronger interest (maslahah). For example, it is forbidden for women to look at non-mahrams in Shariah, which is a primary cause of zina and then forbidden to prevent falling into adultery. However, for a stronger interest, such as during marriage proposals, it is permissible and even recommended for the messenger to see the prospective spouse to avoid complications in future married life.
Similarly, prayer is forbidden at sunrise and sunset to avoid shirk because during these times disbelievers worship their false gods, and Satan turns his face toward the sun to be worshipped. But for a stronger interest, prayer during these times is permissible, such as the eclipse prayer (Salat al-Kusuf and Salat al-Khusuf), which must be performed during these prohibited times as prescribed by Shariah. Likewise, the two Rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid are prescribed upon entering the mosque, so the time for this prayer is the entrance to the mosque. This stronger interest overrides the ruling of blocking means.
From the above explanation, it becomes clear that performing two Rak’ahs of Tawaf during the five prohibited times of sunrise, zenith (midday), sunset, after Asr, and after Fajr is not only correct but also Sunnah.
Greeting the Mosque Between Iqamah and Prayer
There is consensus among the scholars that offering two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid after the Iqamah of the obligatory prayer is against the Sunnah, because there are clear instructions from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ regarding this matter:
عن ابي هريره رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال: ان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: “إذا أقيمت الصلاة فلا صلاة إلا المكتوبة”
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: When the Iqamah is pronounced for the obligatory prayer, then there is no other prayer besides it.
In another narration, the phrase “فلا صلاة إلا التى أقيمت” appears, meaning that the prayer for which the Iqamah is called is the only prayer, and there is no other prayer besides it.
Abdullah bin Surjis رضي الله عنه narrates that the Prophet ﷺ was leading the morning prayer when a man entered the mosque and started praying two rak’ahs of the Fajr Sunnah, then joined the congregation with the Prophet ﷺ. After the Salam, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“يا فلان ب أى الصلاتين اعتدت بصلاتك وحدك أم بصلاتك مضي”
O man, which of the two prayers did you count? Was it the prayer you prayed alone or the prayer you prayed with me?
Abdullah bin Abbas رضي الله عنهما narrates his incident that he was praying when the Mu’adhdhin began to pronounce the Iqamah, so the Prophet ﷺ shook him and said: “اتصلي الصبح أربع” Do you pray four rak’ahs of Fajr?
Abu Musa Ash’ari رضي الله عنه says that the Prophet ﷺ saw a man praying two rak’ahs of Fajr when the Mu’adhdhin had already started the Iqamah, so he struck him on the mouth and said: “ألا كان هذا قبل هذا” Was this prayer not to be prayed before this?
From the aforementioned Ahadith, it is established that after the Iqamah, no prayer other than the obligatory prayer should be performed. This is why the jurists have made an exception for the performance of the obligatory prayer after the Iqamah from the general ruling of Tahiyyat al-Masjid.
Therefore, if the Iqamah is being pronounced or has been pronounced and a person enters the mosque in this state, he should join the congregation without praying two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid; this is the Sunnah method. Whoever acts contrary to this is considered as abandoning the Sunnah of the Messenger. However, there is severe disagreement among the jurists regarding praying two rak’ahs of Fajr Sunnah between the Iqamah. Imam Shawkani has recorded nine opinions on this matter in his book “Nail al-Awtar.” This topic requires a separate detailed treatise.
In any case, the strongest and correct opinion in this matter is that whether it is two rak’ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid or two rak’ahs of Fajr Sunnah, they should not be prayed after the Iqamah because the Prophet’s ﷺ statement “إذا أقيمت الصلاة فلا صلاة إلا المكتوبة” negates all prayers except the obligatory prayer. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله also preferred this view.
Preparation of the Mosque After Returning from Travel
In fact, the prayer after returning from a journey is not Tahiyyat al-Masjid but “Salat al-Qudoom,” yet through it, the purpose and objectives of Tahiyyat al-Masjid are fulfilled. Travel, which was once a symbol of hardship, although modern inventions have now made it a symbol of victory, still remains travel. It is true “السفر كالسقر” that after being saved from this journey, two rak’ahs of gratitude are offered in the presence of God.
The blessed habit of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was that whenever he returned from any journey, he would first go to the House of God and offer two rak’ahs of Salat al-Qudoom.
عن جابر بن عبدالله رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال كنت مع النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم فى سفر فلما قدمنا المدينة قال لي أدخل فصل ركعتين
Jabir bin Abdullah رضي الله عنه says that I was with the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on a journey, and when we returned to Madinah Munawwarah, the Prophet ﷺ said to me, “Go to the mosque first and offer two rak’ahs!”
عن كعب بن مالك رضي الله تعالىٰ عنه قال أن النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم كان إذا قدم من سفر ضحى دخل المسجد فصلى ركعتين، قبل أن يجلس
Ka’b bin Malik رضي الله عنه says that when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ returned from a journey at the time of Duha (mid-morning), he would enter the mosque and before sitting, offer these two rak’ahs of prayer.
عن ابن شهاب قال النبى ﷺ لا يقدم من سفر الافي الضحي فيبدا المسجد فيصلي فيه ركعتين ويقعد
Ibn Shihab رضي الله عنه says that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to return from journeys at the time of Duha, would first go to the mosque and offer two rak’ahs, then sit.
عن عبدالله بن عمر رضي الله تعالىٰ عنهما أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم حين أقبل من حجته دخل المدينة فأناخ على باب مسجده ثم دخل فركع فيه ركعتين ثم انصرف إلى بيته
Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما says that when the Messenger of Allah returned to Madinah after Hajj al-Wida’, he tied his she-camel at the mosque’s door, entered the mosque, offered two rak’ahs of prayer, and then headed towards his home.
The famous Tabi’i, Hazrat Nafi’, states that Abdullah bin Umar رضي الله عنهما used to do the same.
From the aforementioned ahadith, the evidence for offering two rak’ahs of Salat al-Qudoom after a journey is established, which is a Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and through it, the purpose and objectives of Tahiyyat al-Masjid are also fulfilled.
اللهم ارزقني التوفيق بطاعتك وطاعة رسولك محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم
