What are the boundaries of the mosque that determine the rulings of mosques, such as the prohibition of sitting before the greeting of the mosque or the prohibition of selling?

The questioner : The mosque, so there is a platform in front of the mosque, our teacher, before we enter through the aluminum door, after we go up the stairs.

The Shaykh : The platform, yes.

The questioner : Yes, the platform, yes. We thought about sitting there, so some of the brothers had a question: Is it part of the mosque, so that we do not sit unless we pray the greeting of the mosque, or do we not sit because it is not part of the mosque, because it is not roofed, meaning the mosque is inside the main prayer hall?

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : So a discussion arose. I mean, I had heard this issue from you before, but we want clarity, meaning, where does the mosque begin? Does it begin from the wall? ... The ruling of the mosque: do we sit or not? Selling books, something inside the wall, outside the wall? So if you please, clarify this matter for us?

The Shaykh : The issue, of course, has no explicit text in the Book and the Sunnah; rather, it is one of the matters that a student of knowledge can reach through specific understanding, which is the jurisprudence to which the Messenger (peace be upon him) referred in the agreed-upon hadith: So the mosque is the place prepared for prayer, not open land, but rather it is walled and enclosed by a wall and a fence. So if we look at this Saladin Mosque, it is true that we find it on upper and lower levels and stairs, but it is walled and surrounded by the wall, and it also has doors—the mosque has doors—so whatever is inside these doors and inside this wall—peace be upon you—is the mosque. Accordingly, the rulings, or some of the rulings you mentioned earlier, apply, such as the presence of the greeting, even if it is just sitting on this platform, and the impermissibility of buying and selling. What do our brothers think? Let’s make the circle a bit smaller so we can benefit from the closeness. Now, move the chairs so you can fit in, but once the recording starts, there is no movement.
The student : The one next to him dozed off. Go take a cold shower. May Allah increase your reward.