❖ Ruling on Praying Two Rak‘ahs Before Sitting in the Mosque ❖
Extracted from: Fatāwā ʿIlmiyyah, Vol. 1 – Kitāb al-Masājid, p. 235
Question by: Zafar Iqbal, Shakargarh
❖ Question:
Is it obligatory (farḍ) to perform two rak‘ahs before sitting upon entering the mosque? Or is it merely recommended (mustaḥabb)? Will a person be sinful if he sits down without performing them?
❖ Answer:
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa as-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd…
No, performing two rak‘ahs before sitting down upon entering the mosque is not farḍ (obligatory). However, it is strongly recommended and virtuous to perform them.
✦ Evidences:
➤ Sunan Abī Dāwūd (Ḥadīth: 546)
➤ As-Sunan al-Kubrā by al-Bayhaqī (2/20 – sanad ḥasan)
These narrations establish the recommendation of performing Tahiyyat al-Masjid – the greeting prayer for the mosque.
❖ Conclusion:
➊ These two rak‘ahs are not obligatory, but they are mustaḥabb (recommended) and preferable.
➋ If someone sits without praying them, there is no sin upon him.
ھٰذَا مَا عِنْدِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
