What is the obligatory act a person must perform upon entering the Grand Mosque when the imam is delivering the Friday sermon
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May the Shaykh be respected, what is obligatory for me to do upon entering the Grand Mosque when the imam is on the pulpit for the Friday sermon? Is it obligatory for us to sit and listen to the sermon, or should we perform tawaf and then sit to listen?
The Shaykh : If a person enters the mosque on Friday while the imam is delivering the sermon, he should pray two light rak'ahs and then sit. This is based on what is established in the two Sahihs and others, that a man entered the mosque on Friday while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon, so he sat. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: He said: No. He said: This is what is obligatory for one who enters on Friday while the imam is delivering the sermon.
This is based on the position that the greeting of the mosque is obligatory. As for the position that it is a recommended practice, he may sit, but he is undoubtedly in great danger by contradicting the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). One who enters the Grand Mosque is like one who enters other mosques; he should not be occupied with anything other than two light rak'ahs as the greeting of the mosque. It is not befitting for him to be occupied with tawaf, because being occupied with tawaf leads to being occupied away from listening to the sermon, which is contrary to the objective of the Shari'ah.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : If a person enters the mosque on Friday while the imam is delivering the sermon, he should pray two light rak'ahs and then sit. This is based on what is established in the two Sahihs and others, that a man entered the mosque on Friday while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon, so he sat. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him:
Have you prayed?
أصليت ؟Stand up and pray two rak'ahs, and be brief in them
قم فصلي ركعتين وتجوز فيهماThis is based on the position that the greeting of the mosque is obligatory. As for the position that it is a recommended practice, he may sit, but he is undoubtedly in great danger by contradicting the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). One who enters the Grand Mosque is like one who enters other mosques; he should not be occupied with anything other than two light rak'ahs as the greeting of the mosque. It is not befitting for him to be occupied with tawaf, because being occupied with tawaf leads to being occupied away from listening to the sermon, which is contrary to the objective of the Shari'ah.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.