The Ruling on the Prayer of Greeting the Mosque and Prayers with a Cause in the Times of Prohibition

The questioner: Also, in his letter he says: I entered the mosque after the 'Asr prayer, or rather near sunset, and I began the greeting of the mosque. Some of the attendees objected to me, may Allah reward them for me, until I was about to sit down and cut off the greeting of the mosque. What is your opinion on this? May Allah guide you.
The Shaykh: If a Muslim enters the mosque after the Fajr prayer to sit in it to read or rest, or enters the mosque after the 'Asr prayer, or near Maghrib to wait for the Maghrib prayer, he has a choice according to the correct opinion of the scholars. If he wishes, he prays the greeting, which is better, and if he wishes, he sits. It is not appropriate to dispute over this or to object to him. Rather, one who is ignorant should learn. The hadiths regarding the greeting of the mosque are authentic hadiths, and the prayer of greeting the mosque is among the prayers with a cause. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . When he saw a man on Friday who entered and did not pray the two rak'ahs, he ordered him to stand and pray them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering the sermon, and he saw him enter the mosque on Friday without having prayed the two rak'ahs, so he ordered him to stand and pray them. This indicates their importance. The scholars differed on this matter; some permitted it in the times of prohibition, and some disliked it. The correct view is that there is no harm in it. The correct and stronger of the scholars' opinions is that there is no harm in the greeting of the mosque. In fact, it is better to perform the two rak'ahs. This is the best: to pray the greeting of the mosque even if it is before sunset, and then sit. This is the best. If he sits and does not pray them, there is no harm in that. It is not appropriate to dispute over this or to be strict; rather, the matter is broad. The majority said he should sit, and a group of scholars said it is better that he prays them due to the authentic hadiths on the matter. This is the stronger opinion: that he prays them, out of eagerness to perform the recommended practice, and because by doing so he does not imitate the disbelievers; he prays them only by following the recommended practice. This is unlike the one who sits and then stands to pray; no, it is not permissible to pray in the times of prohibition. But this person entered the mosque, so he prays them because it is the greeting of the mosque, so there is no harm on him; in fact, it is the best. Likewise, if he circumambulates the Ka'bah in Makkah after 'Asr, or circumambulates after dawn before the sun rises or at its rising, he prays the two rak'ahs of circumambulation, because it is among the prayers with a cause. This is the stronger opinion. Likewise, if the sun is eclipsed at its rising, or is eclipsed after 'Asr, it is better that the eclipse prayer is performed, because it is among the prayers with a cause, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): . He did not say "except in the times of prohibition." This indicates that the prayers with a cause, such as the prayer of circumambulation, the prayer of eclipse, and the greeting of the mosque, are prayed even in the times of prohibition, according to the stronger opinion. We ask Allah for success for everyone. Yes.