The Ruling on the Prayer of Greeting the Mosque in the Times When Prayer Is Prohibited

Q: There has been much discussion regarding the prayer of greeting the mosque. Some have said: It is not performed in the times when prayer is prohibited, such as when the sun is rising and when it is setting. Others have said: It is permissible because it is one of the prayers with a cause, which has no specific timing, and it is performed even if the sun has passed halfway through its setting. I hope you will provide me with a detailed explanation of this.

A: There is scholarly disagreement on this issue, and the correct view is that the prayer of greeting the mosque is prescribed in all times, even after Fajr and after 'Asr, due to the generality of the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): It is agreed upon that it is authentic. This is because it is one of the prayers with a cause, like the prayer of circumambulation and the prayer of the eclipse. The correct view in all of these is that they are performed in all the times when prayer is prohibited, just as making up missed obligatory prayers is done; based on the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the prayer of circumambulation: It was narrated by Imam Ahmad and the compilers of the Sunan with an authentic chain. And based on his statement (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the prayer of the eclipse: It is agreed upon that it is authentic. And his statement (peace and blessings be upon him): . These hadiths encompass the times when prayer is prohibited and other times. This is the choice of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and his student, the scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on them both). And success is from Allah.