The Ruling on the Prayer of Greeting the Mosque

Question:
If one enters the mosque before the obligatory prayer, and there is only a little time left before the iqamah (the second call to prayer), should one pray the greeting of the mosque, or the sunnah of the obligatory prayer?

Answer:
It is prescribed for one who enters the mosque to pray the greeting of the mosque, two rak'ahs, before sitting down, at any time, even in a time of prohibition, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): It is agreed upon that it is authentic. And if one enters the mosque after the adhan (the call to prayer), he prays the rawatib (regular voluntary prayers) that come before the obligatory prayer, such as the sunnah of the midday prayer and the dawn prayer, and this suffices in place of the greeting of the mosque. May Allah guide everyone to what He is pleased with, and may peace be upon you.