Do I pray the greeting of the mosque if I enter the mosque after 'Asr before sunset, and after Fajr before sunrise?
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The questioner : Do I pray the greeting of the mosque if I enter the mosque after 'Asr before sunset, and after Fajr before sunrise?
The Shaykh : If you enter the mosque after 'Asr before sunset, pray two rak'ahs. If you enter the mosque after the Fajr prayer and before sunrise, pray two rak'ahs. This is because the two-rak'ah prayer for entering the mosque is a prayer with a specific cause. Any prayer that has a cause is performed during the times of prohibition, because there is no prohibition against it. The prohibition is only reported regarding the absolute voluntary prayer that has no cause, such as when a person stands up to pray voluntarily without a cause. So here, prayer is prohibited in the following three times:
From the Fajr prayer until the sun has risen the height of a spear. The criterion is the man's own prayer, not the prayer of the people.
And from the 'Asr prayer until sunset.
And when it is standing in the middle of the day until it passes its zenith.
As for the first two times, which are from the Fajr prayer until the sun has risen the height of a spear, they are known. Likewise, from the 'Asr prayer until sunset.
As for the third, which is from its standing until it passes its zenith, it is approximately ten minutes before the zenith. When the sun is in the middle of the sky, one might think it is standing still, meaning it is not moving or traveling, because it has reached the highest point of the sky. Here, people stop praying for approximately ten minutes until it passes its zenith, and then the prohibition is lifted.
These are the times of prohibition, but there is no prohibition against a prayer that has a cause, such as the greeting of the mosque, or joining the congregation. For example, if you prayed in your mosque and then came to another mosque to study knowledge or to attend a funeral, and you found the people praying, then you pray. Likewise, the two rak'ahs of tawaf: if a person performs tawaf during the times of prohibition, he prays two rak'ahs because they have a cause. Likewise, the sunnah of wudu': when a person performs wudu', it is prescribed for him to pray two rak'ahs. Indeed, whoever perfects his wudu' and then prays two rak'ahs without speaking to himself in them, Allah forgives him his previous sins.
So the summary is: whoever enters the mosque after the Fajr prayer and before sunrise, or after the 'Asr prayer and before sunset, he does not sit until he prays two rak'ahs. There is no prohibition in that, nor in any voluntary prayer that has a cause.
As for the obligatory prayer, there is no prohibition against it at all, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): So if a person remembers after the 'Asr prayer that he prayed the Zuhr prayer without wudu', he prays the Zuhr prayer, even if it is after the 'Asr prayer. This is because there is no time of prohibition for the obligatory prayer. Rather, whenever he remembers it, if he was forgetful, he prays it, and whenever he wakes up, if he was sleeping, he prays it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : If you enter the mosque after 'Asr before sunset, pray two rak'ahs. If you enter the mosque after the Fajr prayer and before sunrise, pray two rak'ahs. This is because the two-rak'ah prayer for entering the mosque is a prayer with a specific cause. Any prayer that has a cause is performed during the times of prohibition, because there is no prohibition against it. The prohibition is only reported regarding the absolute voluntary prayer that has no cause, such as when a person stands up to pray voluntarily without a cause. So here, prayer is prohibited in the following three times:
From the Fajr prayer until the sun has risen the height of a spear. The criterion is the man's own prayer, not the prayer of the people.
And from the 'Asr prayer until sunset.
And when it is standing in the middle of the day until it passes its zenith.
As for the first two times, which are from the Fajr prayer until the sun has risen the height of a spear, they are known. Likewise, from the 'Asr prayer until sunset.
As for the third, which is from its standing until it passes its zenith, it is approximately ten minutes before the zenith. When the sun is in the middle of the sky, one might think it is standing still, meaning it is not moving or traveling, because it has reached the highest point of the sky. Here, people stop praying for approximately ten minutes until it passes its zenith, and then the prohibition is lifted.
These are the times of prohibition, but there is no prohibition against a prayer that has a cause, such as the greeting of the mosque, or joining the congregation. For example, if you prayed in your mosque and then came to another mosque to study knowledge or to attend a funeral, and you found the people praying, then you pray. Likewise, the two rak'ahs of tawaf: if a person performs tawaf during the times of prohibition, he prays two rak'ahs because they have a cause. Likewise, the sunnah of wudu': when a person performs wudu', it is prescribed for him to pray two rak'ahs. Indeed, whoever perfects his wudu' and then prays two rak'ahs without speaking to himself in them, Allah forgives him his previous sins.
So the summary is: whoever enters the mosque after the Fajr prayer and before sunrise, or after the 'Asr prayer and before sunset, he does not sit until he prays two rak'ahs. There is no prohibition in that, nor in any voluntary prayer that has a cause.
As for the obligatory prayer, there is no prohibition against it at all, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Whoever sleeps through a prayer or forgets it, let him pray it when he remembers it.
من نام عن صلاة أو نسيها فليصلها إذا ذكرهاThe questioner : May Allah bless you.