The Prayer of Greeting the Masjid
Here is a chapter taken from a book titled” Rulings for Visiting the Masjids”. This is a very insightful book written by Abdullah ibn Salah Al-Fawzan(may Allaah preserve him).
Some of the etiquettes of visiting the Masjids, is the offering of two rakah’ glorifying Allaah; inside upon arrival. These two rakah’s show honor and respect for the places of worship. These two rak’ah are known as “ Taheeyahtul Masjid” , and display salutation for the masjid. The person entering the masjid performs them greeting the masjid; similar to the way a person greets somebody.
There is proof found in the hadeeth of Abu Qaatadah that this prayer is legislated. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,”
إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَلاَ يَجْلِسْ حَتَّى يُصَلِّىَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ
“Whenever one of you enter the masjid he MUST not sit down until he prays two Rak’ah.” (Bukhari 433)
فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ
“Then he MUST pray two Rak’ah before he sits down”(Muslim 714)
The majority of the scholars hold Taheeyahtul Masjid as being a recommended act of Sunnah and not obligatory. Ibn Hajr mentioned in Fahtul Bari: The scholars of Jurisprudence and religious verdicts all agree that the command in the hadeeth implies recommendation and advise. Ibn Daqeequl ‘Eed said: the majority of the scholars’ view that The Taheeyahtul salah isn’t obligatory. An-Naawawee said: There is a consensus from the scholars about this issue. However the statements from the people of knowledge about the consensus on this matter, needs more examination.
Ibn Battal mentioned a few words from the Thahiree school of thought, who hold this prayer a duty on the servant. Also Qaadee ‘Eeyad narrated from Dawud and his companions the obligation of this prayer whenever a person enters Allaah’s house.
The key reasons why the majority of the scholars view that this prayer isn’t a duty, is as follow:
1. Abdullah ibn Busr(may Allaah be pleased with him)said, “ A man came to the masjid while the prophet(peace and blessings be upon him)was giving the sermon. This person was passing over the shoulders of the people. Consequently the Prophet said “sit down you’re slow and late” (Abu Dawud 3/462, An-Nisa’ 3/103, Ahmed 4/188, Ibn Khuzaymah 3/156) . The Isnad of this hadeeth is Hasan by way of other narrations that support it.
This hadeeth establishes the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to sit. He didn’t order him to pray Taheeyahtul Masjid. Hence this shows that the prayer isn’t obligatory.
2. The hadeeth Talha ibn ‘Ubaydallaah(may Allaah be pleased with him)narrates the story when Demaam ibn Tha’labah asked the Prophet(peace and blessings be upon him)about the obligatory prayers for him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) answered by saying “The five daily prayers”. Subsequently Demaam asked are there any others? He (peace and blessings on him) said,” no, but you can offer voluntary prayers.”(Bukhari 46, Muslim 11)
Conversely, the Ulema that say the two Rak’ah are a must use the following as their proof:
1. The aforementioned hadeeth from Abee Qaatadah(may Allaah be pleased with him). In that hadeeth, two different wordings have been narrated; the wording that infers an order and the other which infers a prohibition. An order generally means the act is obligatory. And a prohibition generally means the act itself is Haraam. Therefore the hadeeth from Talha isn’t supportive enough to show this act is otherwise- non-obligatory.
2. Hadeeth from Jabir (may Allaah be pleased with him). He said: A man entered the masjid on Friday and sat down while the messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings be upon him)was giving the sermon. He (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him if he prayed (two rak’ah)? The man (Sulayk Al-Ghataafanee) said,” no”. Following this reply he (peace and blessings be upon him) said,” stand up and pray ( Taheeyahtul masjid.” )(Bukhari 930, Muslim 875).
This hadeeth shows that Allaah’s messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Sulayk to pray two Rak’ah after he sat. Also it shows that he stopped the khutbah to ask him if he prayed. And after asking him, he then ordered him to pray. This is some strong evidence for this prayer’s obligation. And if the prayer wasn’t a duty on the servant to do it would have been in this instance- during the sermon. Nevertheless, it was commanded to be done while the sermon was going on. This illustrates that it is strongly recommended to be done.
In closing the people of knowledge have replied to the people’s evidence that hold this prayer as Sunnah by the following;
1. The hadeeth with the word” Sit down you’re slow and late”, doesn’t prove the prayer is Sunnah. It could mean stop walking through the people, and not imply don’t pray. Furthermore this hadeeth could infer that he sits down, provided he prays. It’s possible that this companion (may Allaah be pleased with him) prayed Taheeyahtul masjid in another are of the masjid, before he started walking through the people. Moreover it’s possible that this happened before this salah was made obligatory. And whenever you find high probabilities in evidence that show differently, then it can not be used as a conclusive proof for a view, stance or ruling. In particularly, since this hadeeth on the surface contradicts the hadeeth of Jabir and the story or Sulayk(may Allaah be pleased with them). And the proofs found in those narrations are clear and concrete.
2. There are three angles to view the hadeeth from Talha(may Allaah be pleased with him); 1. Learning the shar’iah is in stages and it was incorrect to make a new act of worship a duty at that time; since the purpose was to get the servant to practice the five prayers only. This is what has been mentioned in the hadeeth of Deemam ibn Tha’labah about the Shahadahtain, Fast, Hajj and Zakah. And this view is supported when he (peace and blessings be upon him) said,” no, but you can offer voluntary prayers.” We gather that the answer was based on the question. He didn’t say that the acts which Allaah made on the servant after these acts are not obligatory for him to do. In fact, whatever Allaah made a duty after this it became a duty for him as well. And no doubt, there are many other acts of worship that obligatory than those mentioned in that hadeeth.
2. The Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) statement” no, but you can offer voluntary prayers” shows that there were no other prayers obligatory to be done on a beginning of revelation. And accordingly it doesn’t show that there aren’t acts of worship which the servant must perform, when the conditions are met. E.g Taheeyahtul masjid.
3. The ulema that hold the hadeeth from Talha(may Allaah be pleased with him)as a proof for this prayer to be sunnah with alongside the hadeeth of Qattadah, say that it is apart from the five daily prayers. E.g funeral prayer, two rak’ah after Tawwaf and the ‘Eed prayers are all obligatory apart from the five daily prayers. (refer to Nayl Awtar 3/79)
Ibn Daqeeqal ‘Eed said, “Certainly, the apparent meaning of a command implies a duty and an obvious meaning of a prohibition infers the act is Haraam. And whoever claims otherwise must bring his proof.”
As-San’anee commenting on his (Ibn Daqeeqal) words said,” This is correct and the stance that this prayer is a must is taken form the command and prohibition (found in Qataadah’s hadeeth).”
The shaykh(Abdullah Fawzan) said: The evidence that support this prayer as a duty are decisive and solid. And this Salah becomes a responsibility for the servant whenever he/she enters the masjid. This ruling doesn’t contradict the hadeeth that says any prayers other than the daily five are only voluntary. And if someone said: Taheeyahtul masjid is a stressed sunnah, then his view isn’t unsupported. And Allaah the Most High knows best.
http://abuaaliyah.multiply.com/journal/item/10/The_Prayer_for_Greeting_the_Masjid_Its_place_and_Ruling_._Part_1_
