Sunday, January 22, 2012

Solāh Tahiyyatul Masjid

Solāh Tahiyyatul Masjid 

Solāh Tahiyyatul-Masjid is Permitted At All Times When Solāh is Not Allowed

If a person enters the Masjid during one of the time when making prayer is makrūh (eg. sunrise, sunset, zawāl...), does he still have to perform Solāh two rak’at of Tahiyyatul-Masjid?

In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful;
All the praise and thanks is due to Allāh, the Lord of al-ā’lamīn. There is none worthy of worship except Allāh, and that Muhammad, Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam, is His Messenger.

Anyone who enters a Masjid is to offer the Solāh Tahiyyatul Masjid before sitting and it is permitted to be done at all times when prayer is generally disallowed. It is because of the general applicability of the sahih hadith.

One should perform two Raka’at (Solāh Tahiyyatul-Masjid) before sitting.

Abu Qatadah (radhiyallāhu`anhu) reported that the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said: 

"Whoever enters a mosque should perform two raka’at (Tahiyyatul-Masjid) before sitting"

 [Al-Bukhari, Muslim]

Jabir ibn ‘Abdullāh (radhiyallāhu`anhu) said: "Sulayk Al-Ghatafani came on Friday when the Rasūlullāh (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) was delivering the Khutbah. When he (Sulayk) sat down, the Prophet (sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said to him:

"O! Sulayk stand up and perform Solāh two raka’at and do not read much in them". Then he (the Prophet Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said: "If any of you comes to the mosque on Friday while the Imām is delivering the Khutbah, he perform Solāh two raka’at without lengthening them".

[Recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

This is one of the prayers that are done for a specific reason, like Solāh al-Tawāf (prayer done after circumambulating the Ka’abah) and Solāh al-Kusūf (prayer at the time of an eclipse). It is permissible to be performed at times when prayer is generally disallowed, like making up missed prayers. 

In relation to Solāh al-Tawāf, the Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said:

 “O Banu ‘Abd Manāf, do not prevent anyone from circumambulating this House and praying at any time of night or day.”

[Imām Ahmad with a sahīh isnād]

And in relation to Solāh al-Kusūf, the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alayhi wasallam) said:

 “The sun and moon are two of the Signs of Allāh; they are not eclipsed because of the death or life of anyone.” 

[Muslim]   

Entering the mosque and the adzān was being given for the Solāh   

When you enter the mosque and the adzān was being given for the prayer it is better to respond to the adzān first, then you may Solāh Tahiyyat al-Masjid, so as to combine two virtuous deeds. But the issue is flexible.

 [Al-Lajnah al-Dā’imah Li’l-Buhūth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftā’, 7/273]

If the Iqāmah is called

In the case of the Iqamah is called for Solāt Fajar or any Solāh; one may have to forgo the Tahiyyat al-Masjid as doing the fardhu (obligatory) Solāh is sufficient at that situation.

The evidence is based from a sahih hadith:

The Prophet (Sallallāhu `alayhi wasallam) said:

“If Iqāmah is called for the Solāh then there is no Solāh except the obligatory one”

[Sahih Muslim, 1/493]

If a person enters the mosque and is praying the sunnah while the iqāmah is called, then the opinion in this case is that if he is in his second rak‘ah, he should shorten it, and if he is in the first rak‘ah, he should just break his Solāt and enter the congregation with the Imam.

So, if one has performed the ruku ‘for the second raka‘ah, then he should complete the prayer, and if not, then he should discontinue because what is left from his sujud and tashahhud is not needed any more. Moreover, he should break without Salam, and it is enough to have the intention in the heart, contrary to common misconception.

Solāh when entering the mosque just before the Iqāmah

Imām An-Nawawi (rahimullāh) said: 'It is not a condition that when one prays a two raka’at to intend it for the salutation to the mosque (Tahiyyat al-Masjid). If you perform two raka’at, with intention of doing any kind of prayer; or intends two raka’at supererogatory prayer, or any other prayer, or an obligatory prayer which is then due, or making up for a missed obligatory prayer, then this is considered sufficient for him. In such a manner, what one intends by praying a two raka’at is achieved and the two raka’at of salutation to the mosque are included in that as well, and there is no difference of opinion about this. Similarly, if one intends the obligatory prayer and the two raka’at of salutation to the mosque, or intends the supererogatory prayer and the two raka’at of salutation to the mosque, then one achieves both purposes without any difference of opinion on this.'

Entering the mosque and the adzān was being given for the Solāh   

When you enter the mosque and the adzān was being given for the prayer it is better to respond to the adzān first, then you may pray Tahiyyatul-Masjid, so as to combine two virtuous deeds. But the issue is flexible.

Entering the mosque and the imam may order that the Iqāmah 

But in the case the imam may order that the Iqāmah be given for Fajar prayer, after which there is no need for Tahiyyatul-Masjid, because praying the fardhu (obligatory) prayer is sufficient and means that there is no longer any need to do Tahiyyatul-Masjid. The member of the congregation may also forego Tahiyyatul-Masjid if he enters the mosque when the Iqāmah is being given.

[Al-Lajnah al-Dā’imah Li’l-Buhūth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Iftā’, 7/272]

Allāh Almighty knows best.

[Adapted from Islam Q&A (Fatāwa No: 306; No 5070; No: 5074)]


See: Solāh Tahiyyatul Masjid
See: Disturbing others in Masjid is an evil deed

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