Source: Ahkam wa Masā’il – The Chapter of Mosques, Vol. 1, p. 106
If a person enters the mosque during the prohibited times (when voluntary prayers are forbidden), should he perform two rakʿahs of Taḥiyyat al-Masjid before sitting, or not?
Alhamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd!
✿ Voluntary prayers without any cause are prohibited in the forbidden times.
✿ However, the two rakʿahs of Taḥiyyat al-Masjid are not without cause; rather, they are due to the reason of entering the mosque.
«إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī – Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb idhā dakhala al-masjid falyarkaʿ rakʿatayn)
"When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit until he has prayed two rakʿahs."
And in another narration:
«إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلَا يَجْلِسْ حَتَّى يُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī – Kitāb al-Tahajjud, Bāb mā jāʾa fī al-taṭawwuʿ mathnā mathnā)
"When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit until he has prayed two rakʿahs."
✿ Taḥiyyat al-Masjid is not an independent prayer; it is fulfilled by any prayer performed after entering the mosque (two rakʿahs or more).
✿ If a person intends to perform another prayer, that suffices as Taḥiyyat al-Masjid.
✿ If no other prayer is being performed, then he should pray two rakʿahs specifically for Taḥiyyat al-Masjid.
✿ If one does not wish to pray at that moment, he should at least remain standing rather than sitting, thereby fulfilling the command of the Prophet ﷺ.
Even during prohibited times, the two rakʿahs of Taḥiyyat al-Masjid are permissible since they are not without cause but linked to the specific reason of entering the mosque.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
❖ The Question
If a person enters the mosque during the prohibited times (when voluntary prayers are forbidden), should he perform two rakʿahs of Taḥiyyat al-Masjid before sitting, or not?
❖ The Answer
Alhamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd!
✿ Voluntary prayers without any cause are prohibited in the forbidden times.
✿ However, the two rakʿahs of Taḥiyyat al-Masjid are not without cause; rather, they are due to the reason of entering the mosque.
❖ The Status of Taḥiyyat al-Masjid
- According to some scholars, Taḥiyyat al-Masjid is wājib (obligatory), not just voluntary.
- According to others, it is Sunnah and not obligatory.
- The Prophet ﷺ commanded this prayer, as narrated:
«إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī – Kitāb al-Ṣalāh, Bāb idhā dakhala al-masjid falyarkaʿ rakʿatayn)
"When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit until he has prayed two rakʿahs."
And in another narration:
«إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلَا يَجْلِسْ حَتَّى يُصَلِّيَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ»
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī – Kitāb al-Tahajjud, Bāb mā jāʾa fī al-taṭawwuʿ mathnā mathnā)
"When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit until he has prayed two rakʿahs."
❖ Clarification
✿ Taḥiyyat al-Masjid is not an independent prayer; it is fulfilled by any prayer performed after entering the mosque (two rakʿahs or more).
✿ If a person intends to perform another prayer, that suffices as Taḥiyyat al-Masjid.
✿ If no other prayer is being performed, then he should pray two rakʿahs specifically for Taḥiyyat al-Masjid.
✿ If one does not wish to pray at that moment, he should at least remain standing rather than sitting, thereby fulfilling the command of the Prophet ﷺ.
❖ Conclusion
Even during prohibited times, the two rakʿahs of Taḥiyyat al-Masjid are permissible since they are not without cause but linked to the specific reason of entering the mosque.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
