Tahiyyat Al-Masjid – The Prayer of Greeting the Masjid

Introduction

الحمد لله رب العالمين ، وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين، وبالله التوفيق

Due to the modern constraints on time, the hustle and bustle of man’s day in ‘post-modernity’, or simply being heedless of the Sunnah, one finds that a very important Sunnah is often ignored. It is the Sunnah of تحية المسجد or the Prayer of Greeting the Masjid (mosque), a small prayer with an immense reward. Its purpose, according to the scholars, and voiced by Imam Al-Khatib Ash-Shirbini, is to “honor the masjid”¹. Imam Muslim narrates an incident in his Sahih that shows the immense importance of this prayer:

حدثنا ‏ ‏أبو بكر بن أبي شيبة ‏ ‏حدثنا ‏ ‏حسين بن علي ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏زائدة ‏ ‏قال حدثني ‏ ‏عمرو بن يحيى الأنصاري ‏ ‏حدثني ‏ ‏محمد بن يحيى بن حبان ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏عمرو بن سليم بن خلدة الأنصاري ‏ ‏عن ‏ ‏أبي قتادة ‏ ‏صاحب رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏قال ‏

‏دخلت المسجد ورسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏جالس بين ظهراني الناس قال فجلست فقال رسول الله ‏ ‏صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏ما منعك أن تركع ركعتين قبل أن تجلس قال فقلت يا رسول الله رأيتك جالسا والناس جلوس قال ‏ ‏إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ ‏

From Abi Qatadah, companion of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa salam) who said,

“I entered the masjid while Rasulullah was sitting amongst the people, and so I sat down. So Rasulullah (s) said, “What prevented you from making two units of prayer (raka’tayn) before sitting?” I said, “Oh Rasulullah! I saw you sitting, and I saw the people sitting [and so I sat too].” The Messenger of Allah said, “When one of you enters the Masjid do not sit until you have prayed two units of prayer!”²

In another hadith reported by the great Shafi’i Mujtahid, Ibn Khuzaymah in his Sahih the Prophet Muhammad told the people,

أعطوا المساجد حقها

“Give the Masjids their right!”

The people asked, “And what is the right of the masjids?”

He said:

أن تصلوا ركعتين قبل أن تجلسو

“It is that one pray two units of prayer (raka’tayn) before sitting down.”³

Imam An-Nawawi comments in his Sharh of Sahih Muslim upon the hadith of Abu Qatadah,

“[This hadith shows] that it is recommended to prayer the tahiyyat al-Masjid with two units of prayer (raka’tayn). It is a Sunnah according to the consensus (ijma’) of the Muslims, although Al-Qādī ‘Iyād reported from Dāwūd and his companions⁴ that it was obligatory. This hadīth also clarifies that it is Makrūh (hated) to sit without making [this] Salāh, and the karāha (hatedness) is only one of a suggestive nature (tanzīh i.e. it is not the type that is prohibited). Within this hadīth [is proof] that one can make this Salāh at any time of entering the masjid, this is the view of our Madhhab⁵ and is also the view of a group of the scholars…”

It should be noted here that Imām An-Nawawī continues by stating that the Hanafīs, Imām Al-Awzā’ī as well as Layth ibn Sa’ad (may Allāh have mercy upon them all) held the view that this Salāh was makrūh in the times where Salāh is considered prohibited, mainly the time after ‘Asr and Fajr while the sun is rising. Our school believes that it remains Sunnah at all times and the proofs mentioned for this by Imām An-Nawawī are several. From them is that there are ahadīth which state that the Prophet Muhammad ordered a man who came in during the Khutbah of Jumu’ah prayer, to prayer during the Khutbah of Jumu’ah, a time wherein it is considered prohibited (mamnū’) to pray any other prayer. So the Prophet Muhammad stopped in the middle of giving the Khutbah to tell this man he needed to Pray the Tahiyyatul Masjid. This act shows that the words of the Prophet “Do not sit until you have prayed two raka’ahs” is valid at all times.⁶

There is a time it is considered makruh to make Tahiyyat Al-Masjid according to Imam An-Nawawi in his most authoritative work “At-Tahqiq”. He says,

“It is disliked (makruh) to pray it at the time when the Imam is making the established [five] prayers, or when the Iqamah is called⁷, or when one enters Masjid Al-Haram as he is to do Tawaf (circumbulation around the Ka’bah). If one enters the masjid, and the Imam is giving the Khutbah it is Makruh to abandon the Tahiyyatul-Masjid…”⁸

Imam Ibn Naqib Al-Misri also stated that it was Makruh at the time when the obligatory prayers are being made. He said,

“It is makruh (offensive) to begin any non-obligatory (nafl) prayer, whether greeting the masjid, the sunnah raka’ahs before a prescribed prayer, or other, when the Imam has begun the prescribed prayer or the mu’adhdhin has begun the call to commence (iqamah).”⁹

The proof for our school on this issues is what is reported by Imam Muslim in his Sahih wherein the Prophet Muhammad (‘alayhis salam) states,

‏إِذَا أُقِيمَتْ الصَّلَاةُ فَلَا صَلَاةَ إِلَّا الْمَكْتُوبَةُ

“When the Iqamah of Salah is called, there is to be no Salah except the prescribed prayers.”

Imam An-Nawawi said in explanation of this hadith,

“This hadith is a clear proscription for starting a supererogatory Salah (other than the obligatory) once the Iqamah has been called, whether or not it is an established Sunnah, such as the two sunnahs before morning prayer, or Thuhr or ‘Asr or other than them. This is the madhhab of Imam Ash-Shafi’i and the majority (jumhur). ”¹⁰

It should also be noted that Imam An-Nawawi in his Kitab At-Tahqiq¹¹, as well as in his Sharh of Sahih Muslim and elsewhere, states that Tahiyyat Al-Masjid is fulfilled by any two raka’ahs one prays. Ibn Naqib Al-Misri expresses this as well in his ‘Umdat As-Salik,

“It is accomplished anytime one enters a masjid and prays two raka’ahs, whether one intends merely performing two supererogatory raka’as, fulfilling a vow, the sunna raka’as before or after a prescribed prayer, the prescribed prayer alone, or the prescribed prayer together with the intention of greeting the mosque.”¹²

However, it should be noted that Imam An-Nawawi said,

وَلَوْ صَلَّى عَلَى جِنَازَة أَوْ سَجَدَ شُكْرًا أَوْ لِلتِّلَاوَةِ أَوْ صَلَّى رَكْعَة بِنِيَّةِ التَّحِيَّة لَمْ تَحْصُل التَّحِيَّة عَلَى الصَّحِيح مِنْ مَذْهَبنَا , وَقَالَ بَعْض أَصْحَابنَا : تَحْصُل وَهُوَ خِلَاف ظَاهِر الْحَدِيث

“And if one prays Janazah, or sajdat ash-shukr (prostration of thankfullness) or prostration for recitation (tilawah), or only prays one unit of prayer (raka’ah) with the intention of the Tahiyyat (greeting of the masjid), it does not result in having prayed the Tahiyyat ul Masjid according to the Sahih view of our Madh-hab. Some of our companions (of the school) have said that it does result in having prayed it, and this contradicts the apparent meaning of the hadith.”¹³

So if one prays less than two raka’ahs, it is not fulfilled according to the Sahih (correct view) of our Madhhab¹⁴.

How is Tahiyyat Al-Masjid not Obligatory?

Question: If the Prophet Muhammad commanded people to make this prayer, how is it not obligatory?

Answer:

The Thahiriyyah (literalists), a madhhab that is considered dead, believed this act to be wajib. However there is agreement of the scholars of the four schools that tahiyyat al-Masjid is a Sunnah, an act that is recommended and thus not obligatory.

Hafith Ibn Hajr Al-’Asqalani states in his Fat-hul-Bari,

“There is agreement of the Imams of Fatwa that the command for this act is one of a recommendation (للندب).”

The proof that it is not obligatory is what is reported in the two Sahihs as well as the Muwatta’ of Imam Malik ibn Anas from Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah:

جَاءَ ‏ ‏رَجُلٌ ‏ ‏إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏مِنْ أَهْلِ ‏ ‏نَجْدٍ ‏ ‏ثَائِرُ الرَّأْسِ نَسْمَعُ دَوِيَّ صَوْتِهِ وَلَا نَفْقَهُ مَا يَقُولُ حَتَّى دَنَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏فَإِذَا هُوَ يَسْأَلُ عَنْ الْإِسْلَامِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏خَمْسُ صَلَوَاتٍ فِي الْيَوْمِ وَاللَّيْلَةِ فَقَالَ هَلْ عَلَيَّ غَيْرُهُنَّ قَالَ لَا إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَّوَّعَ وَصِيَامُ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ فَقَالَ هَلْ عَلَيَّ غَيْرُهُ فَقَالَ لَا إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَّوَّعَ وَذَكَرَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏الزَّكَاةَ فَقَالَ هَلْ عَلَيَّ غَيْرُهَا قَالَ لَا إِلَّا أَنْ تَطَّوَّعَ قَالَ فَأَدْبَرَ ‏ ‏الرَّجُلُ ‏ ‏وَهُوَ يَقُولُ وَاللَّهِ لَا أَزِيدُ عَلَى هَذَا وَلَا أَنْقُصُ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏ ‏صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ‏ ‏أَفْلَحَ إِنْ صَدَقَ ‏

“A Man came to the Rasulullah from the people of Najd, with disheveled hair. We heard his voice though could not understand what he was saying until he came to the Messenger of Allah (‘alayhis salam). It was then that he asked the Messenger of Allah (‘alayhis salam) about Islam. So Rasulullah (‘alayhis salam) said, “Five prayers throughout the day and the  night.” He asked, ‘Is there upon me any more than this?” He (‘alayhis salam) said, “No except supererogatory, and the fasting of Ramadan.” He asked, ‘Is there anything else?’ He said, “Zakah”. He said is there anything other than this? “He said no, except supererogatory acts.” Then the man said, “I swear by Allah I will not add to this, nor will I decrease anything from it!” The Prophet said, “He will be successful if he is truthful!”

The proof from this hadith is that the Prophet Muhammad (‘alayhis salam) did not oblige any other prayer upon him, so Tahiyyatul-Masjid is of the Tatawwu’ (supererogatory prayers).

Another proof comes by way Zayd ibn Aslam (radiya allahu ‘anhu) who said,

“The companions of Rasulullah (‘alayhis salam) would enter the Masjid, then leave it, while not having prayed.”¹⁵

This shows that the Sahabah (radiya Allahu ‘anhum) did not believe it to be obligatory, only praiseworthy. Yet another proof that it is recommended, and not an obligation, is that the Prophet Muhammad (‘alayhis salam) did not narrate a specific punishment for its abandonment, hence it cannot be considered forbidden to not pray it.

Conclusion

The importance in this act of sunnah can be seen in the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (‘alayhis salam) called the two raka’ahs a “haqq” or right of the Masjid upon the Muslims. We should strive to cling to the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (‘alayhis salam) and not forget to make these two raka’ahs before we sit in the masjid. Now that we have learned these rulings insha’allah, let us follow the maxim of tasawwuf, “عمل بالعلم Action with knowledge” and implement the way of our beloved (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

وبالله التوفيق

Shafiifiqh.com’s Fatwa Dept.

Reviewed by Sidi Abdullah Marbuqi

1. Mughni Al-Muhtaj, as well as Imam An-Nawawi in his Sharh Sahih Muslim [↩]
2. Sahih Muslim electronic version 1167 , Sahih Al-Bukhari 1163, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah [↩]
3. Ibn Khuzayma’s Sahih 1824, Ibn Abi Shaybah’s Musannaf 1/340, and Durr Al-Manthur 5/52 [↩]
4. i.e. the dead school known as the Thāhiriyya [↩]
5. i.e. the Shafi’ī school [↩]
6. See his Sharh of Sahih Muslim [↩]
7. as the Fard takes precedence over the Sunnah [↩]
8. page 231 of Kitab At-Tahqiq, Dar Al-Jil, Beirut [↩]
9. f10.11, page 161 of Reliance of the Traveller [↩]
10. Sharh Sahih Muslim [↩]
11. page 230 [↩]
12. f10.10 page 160-161, Reliance of the Traveller [↩]
13. Sharh Sahih Muslim [↩]
14. Minhaj of Imam An-Nawawi [↩]
15. Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah 1/340 [↩]