The Ruling on Praying the Greeting of the Mosque During the Prohibited Times

Q: Is it permissible for a person who enters the mosque before the Maghrib adhan to pray two rak'ahs, or should he sit? Please inform us; may Allah reward you.

A: The times during which prayer is prohibited are known, and they are five: from the dawn of Fajr until the sun rises, from its rising until it has risen the height of a spear, when it is standing still before the midday prayer until it declines, after the 'Asr prayer until the sun begins to set, and when it begins to set until it disappears. However, there is no harm in performing prayers that have a specific cause during the prohibited times, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions. So, if one enters the mosque after 'Asr or after Fajr, it is better for him to pray the greeting of the mosque, two rak'ahs, before sitting, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Likewise, if one circumambulates the Ka'bah, he should pray the two rak'ahs of tawaf, whether it is after 'Asr, after Fajr, or at any time; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): . It was narrated by Imam Ahmad and the people of the four Sunan collections, and al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Hibban graded it as authentic.
Likewise, the prayer for the eclipse: if the sun is eclipsed after 'Asr, the Sunnah is to pray the eclipse prayer, according to the most correct of the scholars' opinions; based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): , agreed upon by al-Bukhari and Muslim, and in a narration by al-Bukhari, "until it clears."