❀ Construction and Cleanliness of Mosques: Islamic Guidelines ❀
Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
➊ Virtue of Constructing a Mosque
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من بنى لله مسجدا بنى الله له مثله فى الجنة
"Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him a similar house in Paradise."
[Bukhari 450 | Muslim 533 | Tirmidhi 318 | Ibn Majah 736 | Ahmad 1/270]
➋ Building Mosques in Residential Areas
امر رسول الله ببناء المساجد فى الدور وأن تنظف وتطيب
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that mosques be built in neighborhoods and kept clean and perfumed."
[Sahih Abu Dawud 437]
➌ Upholding Structure and Purity
كان يأمرنا بالمساجد أن نضعها فى دورنا و نصلح صنعتها و نطهرها
"The Prophet ﷺ used to command us to build mosques in our localities, maintain their structure, and keep them clean."
[Sahih Abu Dawud 436]
Imam Sanʿani (رحمه الله) mentions that these commands are recommended (mustahabb), since the earth has been made a place of purification and prayer.
فليصل حيث أدركته الصلاة
"Let him pray wherever prayer time reaches him."
[Bukhari 335 | Muslim 521]
احب البلاد إلى الله مساجدها
"The most beloved places to Allah are the mosques."
[Muslim 671]
➊ Not Commanded to Adorn Mosques
ما أمرت بتشييد المساجد
"I have not been commanded to embellish mosques."
[Sahih Abu Dawud 431]
➋ Warning Against Competing in Mosque Ornamentation
لا تقوم الساعة حتى يتباهى الناس في المساجد
"The Hour will not be established until people boast about their mosques."
[Sahih Abu Dawud 432]
❖ Walk Calmly to the Mosque
فامشوا إلى الصلاة وعليكم بالسكينة والوقار
"Walk to the prayer with calmness and dignity."
[Bukhari 636 | Muslim 605]
من أكل ثوما أو بصلا فليعتزل مسجدنا
"Whoever eats garlic or onion, let him stay away from our mosque."
[Bukhari 7359 | Muslim 564]
Upon Entering:
① أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ...
② بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
③ اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Upon Leaving:
① اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
② اللَّهُمَّ أَعْصِمْنِي مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
إذا دخل أحدكم المسجد فلا يجلس حتى يصلي ركعتين
"When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit until he has prayed two rak‘ahs."
[Bukhari 444 | Muslim 714]
✔ Not to Announce Lost Items:
فليقل: لا ردها الله عليك
"Say: May Allah not return it to you."
[Muslim 568]
✔ Prohibition of Buying and Selling in the Mosque:
لا أربح الله تجارتك
"May Allah not bless your trade."
[Sahih Tirmidhi 1066]
✔ Permissibility of Non-Shari‘ah Poetry:
Narrated from Hassan ibn Thabit (رضي الله عنه) — poetry in the mosque is allowed when free from falsehood.
[Bukhari 3212 | Muslim 2485]
✔ Lying Down and Sleeping in the Mosque:
Permissible, based on practice of the Prophet ﷺ and companions.
[Bukhari 475 | Muslim 2100]
✔ Erecting Tents for the Sick (if needed):
The Prophet ﷺ had a tent set up in the mosque for Saʿd ibn Muʿadh (رضي الله عنه).
[Bukhari 463 | Muslim 1769]
✔ Women Staying Overnight in the Mosque:
Permissible with the condition of no fitnah.
[Bukhari 439]
✔ Prohibition of Implementing Legal Punishments (Hudud) in Mosques:
لا تقام الحدود فى المساجد ولا يستقاد فيها
[Sahih Abu Dawud 3769]
✔ Spitting in the Mosque Is a Sin:
البصاق فى المسجد خطيئة
"Spitting in the mosque is a sin..."
[Bukhari 415 | Muslim 552]
✔ Permissibility of Military Drills in Mosque (Non-Sinful Play):
يلعبون بحرابهم فى مسجد رسول الله
[Muslim 1481 | Bukhari 463]
✔ Eating in the Mosque Is Permissible:
كنا نأكل فى المسجد الخبز واللحم
[Sahih Ibn Majah 2669]
✔ A Mushrik May Enter the Mosque in Cases of Necessity:
As seen in the incident of Thumamah ibn Uthal being tied in the mosque.
[Bukhari 462]
✔ Leaving the Mosque After Adhan Without Reason Is Disliked:
فقد عصى أبا القاسم
"He has disobeyed Abu al-Qasim (Prophet ﷺ)."
[Muslim 655]
✔ Waiting for Prayer Is Considered as Being in Prayer:
لا يزال أحدكم فى الصلاة ما دامت الصلاة تحبسه...
[Bukhari 659 | Muslim 166]
✔ Permissibility of Halal Talk and Smiling:
Sahabah used to speak and laugh in the mosque; the Prophet ﷺ would smile.
[Al-Majmu‘ 2/177 | Ibn ʿAsakir, Tarikh Dimashq]
✔ Praying Inside the Kaʿbah:
Only nafl prayer is unanimously allowed; some scholars also allow fard.
[Bukhari 468 | Muslim 1329]
✔ Building a Mosque Among Graves Is Disliked:
كان يكره أن يبنى مسجد فى وسط القبور
[Al-Mughni 475/2]
✔ Only Three Mosques Are Worthy of Religious Travel:
لا تشد الرحال إلا إلى ثلاثة مساجد...
[Bukhari 1189]
Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori❖ Importance of Building Mosques
➊ Virtue of Constructing a Mosque
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
من بنى لله مسجدا بنى الله له مثله فى الجنة
"Whoever builds a mosque for Allah, Allah will build for him a similar house in Paradise."
[Bukhari 450 | Muslim 533 | Tirmidhi 318 | Ibn Majah 736 | Ahmad 1/270]
❖ Command to Build and Maintain Cleanliness in Mosques
➋ Building Mosques in Residential Areas
امر رسول الله ببناء المساجد فى الدور وأن تنظف وتطيب
"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that mosques be built in neighborhoods and kept clean and perfumed."
[Sahih Abu Dawud 437]
➌ Upholding Structure and Purity
كان يأمرنا بالمساجد أن نضعها فى دورنا و نصلح صنعتها و نطهرها
"The Prophet ﷺ used to command us to build mosques in our localities, maintain their structure, and keep them clean."
[Sahih Abu Dawud 436]
Imam Sanʿani (رحمه الله) mentions that these commands are recommended (mustahabb), since the earth has been made a place of purification and prayer.
فليصل حيث أدركته الصلاة
"Let him pray wherever prayer time reaches him."
[Bukhari 335 | Muslim 521]
❖ Mosques Are the Most Beloved Places to Allah
احب البلاد إلى الله مساجدها
"The most beloved places to Allah are the mosques."
[Muslim 671]
❖ Prohibition of Excessive Decoration and Pride in Mosque Structures
➊ Not Commanded to Adorn Mosques
ما أمرت بتشييد المساجد
"I have not been commanded to embellish mosques."
[Sahih Abu Dawud 431]
➋ Warning Against Competing in Mosque Ornamentation
لا تقوم الساعة حتى يتباهى الناس في المساجد
"The Hour will not be established until people boast about their mosques."
[Sahih Abu Dawud 432]
❖ Etiquettes of Attending the Mosque
❖ Walk Calmly to the Mosque
فامشوا إلى الصلاة وعليكم بالسكينة والوقار
"Walk to the prayer with calmness and dignity."
[Bukhari 636 | Muslim 605]
❖ Prohibition of Attending the Mosque with Bad Odor
من أكل ثوما أو بصلا فليعتزل مسجدنا
"Whoever eats garlic or onion, let him stay away from our mosque."
[Bukhari 7359 | Muslim 564]
❖ Supplications When Entering and Leaving the Mosque
Upon Entering:
① أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ الْعَظِيمِ...
② بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ
③ اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Upon Leaving:
① اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
② اللَّهُمَّ أَعْصِمْنِي مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
❖ Two Rak‘ahs Before Sitting in the Mosque
إذا دخل أحدكم المسجد فلا يجلس حتى يصلي ركعتين
"When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit until he has prayed two rak‘ahs."
[Bukhari 444 | Muslim 714]
❖ Mosque Prohibitions and Permissions
✔ Not to Announce Lost Items:
فليقل: لا ردها الله عليك
"Say: May Allah not return it to you."
[Muslim 568]
✔ Prohibition of Buying and Selling in the Mosque:
لا أربح الله تجارتك
"May Allah not bless your trade."
[Sahih Tirmidhi 1066]
✔ Permissibility of Non-Shari‘ah Poetry:
Narrated from Hassan ibn Thabit (رضي الله عنه) — poetry in the mosque is allowed when free from falsehood.
[Bukhari 3212 | Muslim 2485]
✔ Lying Down and Sleeping in the Mosque:
Permissible, based on practice of the Prophet ﷺ and companions.
[Bukhari 475 | Muslim 2100]
✔ Erecting Tents for the Sick (if needed):
The Prophet ﷺ had a tent set up in the mosque for Saʿd ibn Muʿadh (رضي الله عنه).
[Bukhari 463 | Muslim 1769]
✔ Women Staying Overnight in the Mosque:
Permissible with the condition of no fitnah.
[Bukhari 439]
✔ Prohibition of Implementing Legal Punishments (Hudud) in Mosques:
لا تقام الحدود فى المساجد ولا يستقاد فيها
[Sahih Abu Dawud 3769]
✔ Spitting in the Mosque Is a Sin:
البصاق فى المسجد خطيئة
"Spitting in the mosque is a sin..."
[Bukhari 415 | Muslim 552]
✔ Permissibility of Military Drills in Mosque (Non-Sinful Play):
يلعبون بحرابهم فى مسجد رسول الله
[Muslim 1481 | Bukhari 463]
✔ Eating in the Mosque Is Permissible:
كنا نأكل فى المسجد الخبز واللحم
[Sahih Ibn Majah 2669]
✔ A Mushrik May Enter the Mosque in Cases of Necessity:
As seen in the incident of Thumamah ibn Uthal being tied in the mosque.
[Bukhari 462]
✔ Leaving the Mosque After Adhan Without Reason Is Disliked:
فقد عصى أبا القاسم
"He has disobeyed Abu al-Qasim (Prophet ﷺ)."
[Muslim 655]
✔ Waiting for Prayer Is Considered as Being in Prayer:
لا يزال أحدكم فى الصلاة ما دامت الصلاة تحبسه...
[Bukhari 659 | Muslim 166]
✔ Permissibility of Halal Talk and Smiling:
Sahabah used to speak and laugh in the mosque; the Prophet ﷺ would smile.
[Al-Majmu‘ 2/177 | Ibn ʿAsakir, Tarikh Dimashq]
✔ Praying Inside the Kaʿbah:
Only nafl prayer is unanimously allowed; some scholars also allow fard.
[Bukhari 468 | Muslim 1329]
✔ Building a Mosque Among Graves Is Disliked:
كان يكره أن يبنى مسجد فى وسط القبور
[Al-Mughni 475/2]
✔ Only Three Mosques Are Worthy of Religious Travel:
لا تشد الرحال إلا إلى ثلاثة مساجد...
[Bukhari 1189]
