A Question on the Greeting Prayer of the Mosque

Question:
When a worshipper comes for the Maghrib prayer and enters the mosque, is he required to pray the greeting prayer of the mosque or not? And is he required to pray it after finishing the Maghrib prayer?

Answer:
When a Muslim enters the mosque, he prays two rak'ahs as a greeting to the mosque, whether his entry is for Maghrib or after it, even if the time is late in the day before sunset; he prays the greeting prayer of the mosque because it is one of the prayers with a specific cause, and it has no prohibited time. Rather, it is prescribed for anyone entering to pray two rak'ahs, then sit. These two rak'ahs are called the greeting prayer of the mosque. If he enters the mosque before the prayer, it is the Sunnah for him to pray these two rak'ahs, due to the generality of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): It is agreed upon on its authenticity. It covers the prohibited times and others in the most correct of the scholars' opinions.
As for the regular voluntary prayer (rawatib) of Maghrib, it is after the prayer. Likewise, for 'Isha', it is two rak'ahs after the 'Isha' prayer. But the greeting prayer of the mosque is for the mosque; it has no connection to the Maghrib prayer or any other. If he enters the mosque at any time and is in a state of wudu, he prays two rak'ahs, whether at night, during the day, in the afternoon, or in the morning. Likewise, if the sun is eclipsed in the midday, morning, or afternoon, the eclipse prayer is performed because it is one of the prayers with a specific cause. Likewise, if he performs tawaf after the Fajr or 'Asr prayer, he prays the two rak'ahs of tawaf because they are one of the prayers with a specific cause.
It is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: It was narrated by Imam Ahmad and the people of the four Sunan collections with a sound chain.