Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalamu Aleikum,

I have heard and read that during Prophet Mohammed’ s (PBUH) time at a Jumma prayer when a sahaba entered the Masid sat down with out offering the  “Thahaiyathul masjid” our belovered prophet ordered him to stand and do the prayer.

Today some of our ulamas are of the opinion that if the Imaam is giving the sermon one should not do his “Thahaiyathul masjid” and their explanation of the above hadis is that since the beloved prophet wanted the congregation to see this person was in need of sadakah.

May I have have ur opinion please.

Jazakallah.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Prophet(saws) command tahiyatul masjid

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Al-Muwatta Hadith 9.60

Yahya related from Malik, from Amir ibn Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr, from Amr ibn Sulaymaz-Zuraqi, from Abu Qatadaal-Ansari that the Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "Whenever you enter the masjid, you should pray two rakahs before you sit down."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.52 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah

A person entered the mosque (and sat down) while the Prophet (saws) was delivering the Khutba on a Friday. The Prophet said to him, "Have you prayed?" The man replied in the negative. The Prophet (saws) said, "Get up and pray two Rakat."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believers to offer a two-rakah ‘tahiyat-ul-masjid’ whenever they enter a masjid and intend to sit down, absolutely regardless of whether the ‘imam’ has started to deliver the sermon or not.

Your Statement: Today some of our ulamas are of the opinion that if the Imaam is giving the sermon one should not do his “Thahaiyathul masjid”

All the four major schools of thought, and all the good scholars and jurists in Islam without exception are absolutely opinion that it is an extremely preferred Sunnah for a believer to offer a two-rakah ‘tahiyat ul-Masjid’ prayer whenever one happens to enter a masjid and intends to sit down, absolutely regardless of whether or not the ‘imam’ has started to deliver the Jumuah sermon.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan