Evidence for the non-obligation of the mosque greeting
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You mentioned—may Allah preserve you—that you used to hold the view that the mosque greeting is obligatory, but then you retracted that position. What are the proofs that negate the obligation?
The proofs negating the obligation: The preacher on Friday comes and attends, but he does not pray the mosque greeting. This is one point.
And likewise: The apparent meaning of the hadith of the three men who came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was in a gathering: one of them sat down, the second stood behind them, and the third turned away. This indicates that it is not obligatory.
And likewise: In the story of Ka'b ibn Malik, when he entered the mosque after Allah accepted his repentance, it is not mentioned that he prayed the mosque greeting.
It is possible that these three men and Ka'b ibn Malik were not in a state of ritual purity, but the case of the preacher is clear. This is what made me retract the view of obligation. Because "obligation" does not mean that we do not instruct a person to pray the two rak'ahs; rather, it means that we do not declare him sinful if he leaves it. We urge him strongly not to sit until he prays two rak'ahs, whether it is a time of prohibition or not. However, declaring him sinful if he does not do so requires evidence that the soul finds reassuring.
The questioner: Is this argument—specific to the preacher?The Shaykh: It is not possible. The default is that there is no specificity. Rather, it indicates that it is emphasized but not obligatory. The important point is that declaring sin for leaving it requires evidence.
The proofs negating the obligation: The preacher on Friday comes and attends, but he does not pray the mosque greeting. This is one point.
And likewise: The apparent meaning of the hadith of the three men who came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) while he was in a gathering: one of them sat down, the second stood behind them, and the third turned away. This indicates that it is not obligatory.
And likewise: In the story of Ka'b ibn Malik, when he entered the mosque after Allah accepted his repentance, it is not mentioned that he prayed the mosque greeting.
It is possible that these three men and Ka'b ibn Malik were not in a state of ritual purity, but the case of the preacher is clear. This is what made me retract the view of obligation. Because "obligation" does not mean that we do not instruct a person to pray the two rak'ahs; rather, it means that we do not declare him sinful if he leaves it. We urge him strongly not to sit until he prays two rak'ahs, whether it is a time of prohibition or not. However, declaring him sinful if he does not do so requires evidence that the soul finds reassuring.
The questioner: Is this argument—specific to the preacher?The Shaykh: It is not possible. The default is that there is no specificity. Rather, it indicates that it is emphasized but not obligatory. The important point is that declaring sin for leaving it requires evidence.