Is the prohibition in the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), "When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit down until he prays two rak'ahs," for prohibition or for dislike?
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih al-Bukhari 1167 Is the command here for obligation or for recommendation?The Shaykh : Is it for prohibition?
The questioner : For prohibition.
The Shaykh : I am asking whether it is for prohibition or for dislike?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or for obligation?
The questioner : For obligation or for prohibition?
The Shaykh : No, is it for prohibition or not? Because he said, "Do not sit," which is a prohibition. So, is this prohibition for prohibition? And if it is for prohibition, then the two rak'ahs become obligatory.
The scholars differed on this. Most of the scholars are of the opinion that it is a sunnah, that the greeting of the mosque is a recommended practice.
And some of them hold that it is obligatory.
The opinion that it is obligatory is strong, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was delivering the sermon, when a man entered the mosque and sat down, so he said to him:Sahih Muslim 875c The fact that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) interrupted the sermon and ordered him to stand up and pray, even though if he prays he will be occupied with the prayer and unable to listen to the sermon, and listening to the sermon is obligatory, and one is not occupied with an obligatory act except by what? Except by an obligatory act. So, the opinion that it is obligatory is strong.
But some matters may weaken the opinion that it is obligatory, such as the imam entering on Friday, for he ascends the pulpit and does not pray.
And such as a person entering the Sacred Mosque for tawaf, for he performs tawaf and does not pray.
And likewise, there are cases that appear to indicate that it is not obligatory, such as the story of Ka'b ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) when Allah accepted his repentance, so he came and entered the mosque, and the people stood up to congratulate him, and the apparent indication of the story is that he did not pray two rak'ahs.
So, this is what weakens the opinion that it is obligatory, because the opinion that it is obligatory is not just that it is obligatory or not obligatory; the opinion that it is obligatory implies that whoever sits and does not pray is sinful, and establishing sin in the presence of possibility is something in which a person should refrain.
But I say to you, my brothers, as a general piece of advice: When a prohibition is mentioned, avoid it and do not ask: Is it for prohibition or for dislike? When a command is mentioned, follow it and do not ask: Is it for obligation or for recommendation? The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), when the Messenger commanded them to do something, did not say: O Messenger of Allah, did you intend obligation or recommendation? They would just do it.
And the truth is that a person is to be blamed if he hears the command of Allah and His Messenger and then says: Is it for obligation or for recommendation? My brother! You are commanded to do it. If he hears a prohibition, he says: Is it for dislike or for prohibition? You are commanded to leave it. Yes, if a person is in a difficult situation and did not do what was commanded and did not leave what was prohibited, if he is in that situation, then we investigate: Is it for obligation or for recommendation?
But before that, my advice to every believer when he hears the command of Allah and His Messenger is what? That he should say: We hear and we obey, and he should do it. And when he hears a prohibition, that he should say: We hear and we obey, and he should leave it, and he should not take risks with himself. The most submissive people to the command of Allah and His Messenger are the strongest people in faith.[An-Nur 24:51] Seek this, seek success.
Then, if you do what is commanded, whether it is obligatory or not, in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, your heart will increase in radiance and your faith will increase in strength, and you will be with the Shari'ah of Allah in its commands and prohibitions. But if you become stubborn and ask: Is it obligatory or not? This is a matter that should not be done. We ask Allah to help us and you in obedience.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
If anyone of you enters a Mosque, he should not sit until he has offered a tworak` at prayer.
إذا دخل أحدكم المسجد فلا يجلس حتى يصلي ركعتينThe questioner : For prohibition.
The Shaykh : I am asking whether it is for prohibition or for dislike?
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Or for obligation?
The questioner : For obligation or for prohibition?
The Shaykh : No, is it for prohibition or not? Because he said, "Do not sit," which is a prohibition. So, is this prohibition for prohibition? And if it is for prohibition, then the two rak'ahs become obligatory.
The scholars differed on this. Most of the scholars are of the opinion that it is a sunnah, that the greeting of the mosque is a recommended practice.
And some of them hold that it is obligatory.
The opinion that it is obligatory is strong, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was delivering the sermon, when a man entered the mosque and sat down, so he said to him:
Have you observed prayer? He said: No. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Stand and offer the two rak'ahs
أصليت؟ قال: لا، قال: قم فصل ركعتين وتجوز فيهماBut some matters may weaken the opinion that it is obligatory, such as the imam entering on Friday, for he ascends the pulpit and does not pray.
And such as a person entering the Sacred Mosque for tawaf, for he performs tawaf and does not pray.
And likewise, there are cases that appear to indicate that it is not obligatory, such as the story of Ka'b ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) when Allah accepted his repentance, so he came and entered the mosque, and the people stood up to congratulate him, and the apparent indication of the story is that he did not pray two rak'ahs.
So, this is what weakens the opinion that it is obligatory, because the opinion that it is obligatory is not just that it is obligatory or not obligatory; the opinion that it is obligatory implies that whoever sits and does not pray is sinful, and establishing sin in the presence of possibility is something in which a person should refrain.
But I say to you, my brothers, as a general piece of advice: When a prohibition is mentioned, avoid it and do not ask: Is it for prohibition or for dislike? When a command is mentioned, follow it and do not ask: Is it for obligation or for recommendation? The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), when the Messenger commanded them to do something, did not say: O Messenger of Allah, did you intend obligation or recommendation? They would just do it.
And the truth is that a person is to be blamed if he hears the command of Allah and His Messenger and then says: Is it for obligation or for recommendation? My brother! You are commanded to do it. If he hears a prohibition, he says: Is it for dislike or for prohibition? You are commanded to leave it. Yes, if a person is in a difficult situation and did not do what was commanded and did not leave what was prohibited, if he is in that situation, then we investigate: Is it for obligation or for recommendation?
But before that, my advice to every believer when he hears the command of Allah and His Messenger is what? That he should say: We hear and we obey, and he should do it. And when he hears a prohibition, that he should say: We hear and we obey, and he should leave it, and he should not take risks with himself. The most submissive people to the command of Allah and His Messenger are the strongest people in faith.
The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, "We hear and we obey." And those are the successful.
إِنَّمَا كَانَ قَوْلَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِذَا دُعُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنْ يَقُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَThen, if you do what is commanded, whether it is obligatory or not, in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, your heart will increase in radiance and your faith will increase in strength, and you will be with the Shari'ah of Allah in its commands and prohibitions. But if you become stubborn and ask: Is it obligatory or not? This is a matter that should not be done. We ask Allah to help us and you in obedience.