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:

Dear Burhan,

Is it compulsory or imp to pray 2 rakat's of Tahiya-tul masjid when you enter the mosque. Did our beloved Prophet SAWS use to pray this namaz when he use to enter any mosque. ??? Is it OK to pray this type of a namaz or no. ???

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Answer:

Compulsory to pray 2 rakah after entering the mosque

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 no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) 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, "When you enter the mosque, you should pray two rakas before you sit down."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 2.52 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah

A person entered the mosque 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."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.321 Narrated by Kab

Whenever the Prophet (saws) returned from a journey in the forenoon, he would enter the mosque and offer two Rakat before sitting.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.320 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah

I was on a journey in the company of the Prophet (saws) and when we reached Medina, he said to me, "Enter the mosque and offer two Rakat."

Your question: Is it compulsory or imp to pray 2 rakat's of Tahiya-tul masjid when you enter the mosque.

The only prayers which are obligatory and absolutely compulsory are the five prescribed obligatory prayers; if one prays the five obligatory prayers, he will receive a huge reward from Allah Subhanah, and if one does not pray them, it is a grave sin.

All the other prayers are voluntary (Sunnah and Nafl); if one prays them, he will receive a huge reward from Allah Subhanah, and if one does not pray then, there is no sin. The most that can be said of a person who does not offer the voluntary prayers is that he missed a great opportunity to earn extra reward from Allah Subhanah.

It is indeed a preferred Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) to pray two rakahs ‘tahiyatul-masjid’ whenever one enters a mosque.

Your question: Did our beloved Prophet SAWS use to pray this namaz when he use to enter any mosque. ???

Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (saws) always prayed the two rakahs of ‘tahiyatul-masjid’ whenever he entered a mosque, and guided the believers to do the same.

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

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan