Is Tahiyyat al-Masjid (Greeting the Mosque Prayer) Wājib (Obligatory)?
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
Is performing Tahiyyat al-Masjid obligatory (wājib)?
Tahiyyat al-Masjid is not obligatory, but rather recommended (mustaḥabb). There are authentic reports from the Companions indicating that they would sit in the mosque without offering the two rakʿahs, which shows that it is not wājib.
Sayyidunā Kaʿb ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه, while narrating the incident of his repentance, said:
“I came to the Prophet ﷺ, greeted him with salām, and he smiled in such a way that displeasure was evident from his noble face. He then said: ‘Come closer.’ I came and sat before him in the mosque.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4418, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2779
Imām al-Nasā’ī رحمه الله titled this under the chapter:
“The Permission to Sit and Exit the Mosque Without Prayer.”
Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 732
Nāfiʿ رحمه الله said:
“Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما would pass through the mosque without offering any prayer.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/340 – Authentic chain
Zayd ibn Aslam رحمه الله said:
“The Companions would enter the mosque and leave without performing prayer. I myself saw Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما do this.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/340 – Ḥasan chain
He said:
“I saw Suwayd ibn Ghaflah رحمه الله passing through our mosque. Sometimes he would pray, and sometimes he wouldn’t.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/341 – Ḥasan chain
He said:
“I used to see Sālim ibn ʿAbdullāh رحمه الله enter the mosque and then exit through the window without performing prayer.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/341 – Ḥasan chain
All these authentic and reliable narrations indicate that Tahiyyat al-Masjid is recommended (mustaḥabb) and not obligatory (wājib). The command regarding it is to be understood in terms of recommendation and Sunnah, not obligation.
“The leading scholars of fatwā are agreed that the command regarding Tahiyyat al-Masjid is for recommendation (nadb), not obligation.”
Fatḥ al-Bārī: 1/537
Source: Fatāwā Amunpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amunpuri
❖ Question:
Is performing Tahiyyat al-Masjid obligatory (wājib)?
❖ Answer:
Tahiyyat al-Masjid is not obligatory, but rather recommended (mustaḥabb). There are authentic reports from the Companions indicating that they would sit in the mosque without offering the two rakʿahs, which shows that it is not wājib.
✿ ① The Report of Sayyidunā Kaʿb ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه:
Sayyidunā Kaʿb ibn Mālik رضي الله عنه, while narrating the incident of his repentance, said:
“I came to the Prophet ﷺ, greeted him with salām, and he smiled in such a way that displeasure was evident from his noble face. He then said: ‘Come closer.’ I came and sat before him in the mosque.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 4418, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2779Imām al-Nasā’ī رحمه الله titled this under the chapter:
“The Permission to Sit and Exit the Mosque Without Prayer.”
Sunan al-Nasā’ī: 732✿ ② The Report of Nāfiʿ رحمه الله:
Nāfiʿ رحمه الله said:
“Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما would pass through the mosque without offering any prayer.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/340 – Authentic chain✿ ③ The Report of Zayd ibn Aslam رحمه الله:
Zayd ibn Aslam رحمه الله said:
“The Companions would enter the mosque and leave without performing prayer. I myself saw Ibn ʿUmar رضي الله عنهما do this.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/340 – Ḥasan chain✿ ④ The Report of Ḥanash ibn Ḥārith رحمه الله:
He said:
“I saw Suwayd ibn Ghaflah رحمه الله passing through our mosque. Sometimes he would pray, and sometimes he wouldn’t.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/341 – Ḥasan chain✿ ⑤ The Report of Khālid ibn Abī Bakr رحمه الله:
He said:
“I used to see Sālim ibn ʿAbdullāh رحمه الله enter the mosque and then exit through the window without performing prayer.”
Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah: 1/341 – Ḥasan chain✿ Conclusion from the Above Reports:
All these authentic and reliable narrations indicate that Tahiyyat al-Masjid is recommended (mustaḥabb) and not obligatory (wājib). The command regarding it is to be understood in terms of recommendation and Sunnah, not obligation.
✿ ⑥ The Statement of Ḥāfiẓ Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله (d. 852 AH):
“The leading scholars of fatwā are agreed that the command regarding Tahiyyat al-Masjid is for recommendation (nadb), not obligation.”
Fatḥ al-Bārī: 1/537
Summary:
- Tahiyyat al-Masjid is not wājib, but a recommended Sunnah.
- There is consensus (ijmāʿ) among scholars that it is mustaḥabb.
- Numerous authentic narrations from the Companions support this view.
