The Etiquette and rules in the Masjid

[bamalli]

The Etiquette and rules in the Masjid

1. Dress well and avoid everything that has an offensive smell.

The Muslim should avoid everything that has an offensive smell like garlic,
onion, or smoking. And the Muslim should wear clean clothes and socks when he
comes to the Masjid so that he does not offend any of the angels or Muslims
around him with an offensive smell.

It was reported that the Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever
eats garlic, onion, then keep away from our Masjid because the angels get
offended from what offends the children of Adam." [Bukhari and Muslim] 'Umar Ibn
Al-Khattab (radiallāhu`anhu) used to say while he on the Minbar: "I saw the
Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) when he found their smell (garlic,
onion) from a man in the Masjid, he ordered him to be taken out." and 'Umar Ibn
Al-Khattab (radiallāhu`anhu) said: "If you must eat them, then cook them well."
[Muslim]


As for women entering the masjid they should not put on perfume, adornment or
make-up. Abu Hurairah (radiallāhu`anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah
(sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "Do not prevent the female servants of
Allah from going to the mosques of Allah, but let them go out not wearing
perfume."[Narrated by Abu Dawud, 565; classified as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih
Abi Dawud, 529]

One should dress well for Solat al-Jumuah. It is a special occasion that
requires Muslims to appear in the best manner possible; therefore one should
put on his best attire for Solat al-Jumuah.

Allah Says: "O Children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every time and
place of prayer: eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not
the wasters." [Al-A'raf, 7:31]

The Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam) said, "If one has the means, he
should buy two pieces of clothing, other than his work clothes or [everyday
clothing], to wear on Friday." [Abu Dawud]

2. Pronounce a Supplication when entering the Masjid.

It is Sunnah for the Muslim, when he leaves his house and heads towards the
masjid, to recite the du'a for walking to the mosque. 'Abdallah ibn 'Abbas
(radiallāhu`anhu) said: "... Then the muezzin gave the call to prayer, and the
Prophet (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) came out, saying, 'Allāhumma aj'al fi
qalbi nūran wa fi lisāni nuran waj'al fi sam'i nūran waj'al fi basari nūran
waj'al min khalfi nūran wa min amāmi nūran waj'al min fawqi nūran wa min tahti
nūran, Allāhummah a'tini nūran'" (O Allah, place with my heart light, and upon
my tongue light, and within my ears light and within my eyes light, and place
behind me light and in front of me light and above me light and beneath me
light, O Allah, bestow upon me light). [Narrated by Bukhāri, Muslim, 763.]

3. Enter the Masjid with his right foot first and recite the Salutation.

The Muslim should enter the Masjid with his right foot first, and then say a
dua as reported by Abu Humaid (radiallāhu`anhum) who said: The Messenger of
Allah (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "When any one of you enters the
mosque, let him say: "Allāhumma iftah li abwaab rahmatika" (O Allah, open to
me the gates of Your mercy), and when he leaves let him say, "Allāhumma inni
as'aluka min fadlika" (O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty). [Narrated by Muslim,
713]

The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to like to start with his right
in everything.

But Abu Hurairah (radiallāhu`anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah
(sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "When any one of you enters the masjid,
let him send blessings upon the Prophet (sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) and say,
"Allāhumma iftah li abwaab rahmatika" (O Allah, open to me the gates of Your
mercy). And when he leaves let him send blessings upon the Prophet (sallallāhu
'alaihi wa sallam) and say, "Allāhumma isimni minas Syaitānir-rajīm" (O Allah,
protect me from the accursed Syaitan). [Narrated by Ibn Majah, 773; classified
sahih by al-Albani in Sahih al-Jaami', 515]

It was reported that "Ibn Omar (radiallāhu`anhu) used to step with his right
foot first when he entered the Masjid, and step out with his left foot first
when he walked out of the Masjid."

If there is a group of people who want to enter the Masjid at the same time,
then the one on the right should go in first to uphold the Sunnah of the
Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) [Bukhāri]

4. The Muslim should confer Salām to the people as he enters the Masjid, even if
the people are praying.

It is because the companions used to offer Salam to Prophet (Sallallāhu
'alaihi wa sallam) while he is in his prayer, and he used to reply with a hand
gesture. There are many Ahadith about that, among which reported that Shu'aib
(radiallāhu`anhu) said: "I passed by the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam)
while he was praying and gave Salam to him, he replied to me with a gesture."
Ibn 'Umar (radiallāhu`anhu) asked Bilal bin Rabab (radiallāhu`anhu): How did
you see the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) reply to them (his
companions) when they gave Salam to him while he was engaged in prayer?" Bilal
said: "By spreading his palm." [Bukhāri and Muslim]


5. The one who inters the Masjid should not run to catch up with a Rak'ah.

One should remain quiet because the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam)
forbade running in such a situation. It was reported that the Prophet
(Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "If the prayer started, then do not join
it running, and join it walking and quiet, and pray whatever you caught up
with, and make up for what you missed." [Bukhāri and Muslim]

6. The Muslim should not distract other praying Muslims in the Masjid.

It is because the praying Muslim is in contact with Allāh Subhanahu wata'ala
so he should not be distracted not even with reciting al-Qur'an, supplication,
or remembrance of Allāh. Imam Ahmad reported Abdullah ibn 'Umar
(radiallāhu`anhu) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) saw
some people praying, and they became loud in their prayer. The Prophet
(Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "The praying parson is in contact with his
Lord, so let him concentrate on whom he is in contact with, and do not raise
your voices over one another with Qur'an." [Ahmad, Abu Dawud, 1332: sahih]

It is not permissible of raising voices while talking when Muslims are
performing solat. It was reported that As-Sa'ib (radiallāhu`anhu) said: "I was
in the Masjid, and a man called me, I turned to him and there was 'Umar Ibn
Al-Khattab (radiallāhu`anhu). And he said: "Bring me these two men", then I
brought them to him. 'Umar (radiallāhu`anhu) asked: "Where are you from? They
replied from the people of At-Ta'if. He said: "If you were from the people of
Al-Madinah, I would have hurt you because you raised your voices in the Masjid
of the Messenger of Allāh (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam)." [Bukhari]

7. Offer two rak'at of Tahiyatul Masjid before sitting.

When the Muslim enters the masjid, he should not sit down until he has prayed
two rak'at to "greet the masjid". Abu Qatadah Al-Sulami (radiallāhu`anhu)
reported that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "When
any one of you enters the mosque, let him solat two rak'at before he sits
down." [Narrated by Al-Bukhari, 443; Muslim, 714]

Then one should make the intention of I'tikaf.

8. Placing a Sutrah in front.

The Muslim should place something in front of him during prayer as a barrier
between him and the passersby in front of him, and that he gets closer to it as
the Prophet used to do. The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "If
you pray, then pray toward sutrah (some barrier) and get closer to it."
[Baihaqi] So, if you enter the Masjid and want to Solat, then get closer to
the wall directing the Qiblah so much that there is just enough room between
you and the wall to pray. If you prostrate, there should be no room between
your prostration spot and the wall more than a sheep could pass. It was
reported that: "Between the place of his prostration (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa
sallam) and the wall there was no room more than sheep pass." [Bukhari and
Muslim] In another Hadith reported "When the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa
sallam) performed his Solat, he leaves between him and the wall three arm
lengths." [Bukhāri]

If you find people already at the wall of the Qiblah, then pray behind one of
them because he will be as a sutrah for you like the companions used to do.

9. The Muslim should not pass in front of the praying Muslim.

It was reported that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "If the
passer in front of the praying person knew how much sin he committed, it would
have been better for him to wait for forty [years] than to pass in front of
him." [Bukhari, Muslim and others]

10. The Muslim should sit where he finds a place in the Masjid.

The Muslim should not skip people or squeeze himself between two people who
are already sitting. Many Ahadith conveyed this meaning.

11. Perform dzikirullah while sitting ('iktikaf) in the Masjid.

The Muslim should keep himself busy supplicating and remembering Allāh
Subhānahu Wata'āla while he is sitting in the Masjid, because he is in the
prayer while in waiting for the prayer.

12. The Muslim should keep the Masjid clean and in good shape and smell because
it is the house of Allāh.

The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) considered spitting in the Masjid
to be a sin that could be forgiven only if the Muslim cleans the area. It was
reported that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "Spitting in the
Masjid is a sin and its expiation is clean it." [Bukhari and Muslim] When the
Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) saw a spit in the Masjid, he used to
remove it with a stone. [Bukhari and Muslim] The companions of Rasūlullāh
(Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) used keep the Masjid clean. Abdullah Ibn 'Umar
(radiallāhu`anhu) used to put perfume inside the Masjid when 'Umar
(radiallāhu`anhu) sat on the Minbar to deliver Friday Khutbah. [Abu Dawud]

It was narrated that 'Aishah (radiallāhu`anha) said: The Messenger of Allah
(sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) commanded that mosques should be built in every
neighborhood, and that they should be cleaned and perfumed.[Abu Dawud (455);
sahih]

13. The Muslims should keep away from the Masjid all selling and buying
transactions and crying out about item lost.

It was reported that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: "If you
see someone selling or buying inside the Masjid, say to him: May Allāh not make
you're trading profitable. And if you see someone crying out inside the Masjid
something he has lost, say to him: May Allāh not restores it to you, for the
Masajid was not built for this." [At-Tirmidzi and An-Nisa'i]

14. The Muslim should not walk out of the Masjid after the Adzān before he prays
with the Muslims.

This is even if he already prayed that obligatory prayer (which will be
considered a Nafilah (extra) when he prays with the other Muslims). Abu
Hurairah (radiallāhu`anhu) said: "The Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam)
ordered us, when we are in the Masjid and the Salah is called for, not to leave
the Masjid until we pray." [Imam Ahmad]

15. The Muslim should say Salam to the people before he leaves the Masjid.

It was reported in a good hadith that the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa
sallam) said, "When one of you joins a gathering he should greet those present;
and when he leave them he should greet them because the first salutation is not
better than the last one." [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidzi]

16. Leave the Masjid start with his left foot first and with supplication.

The Muslim should leave the Masjid start with his left foot first and say what
the Prophet (Sallallāhu 'alaihi wa sallam) use to say: "Bismillah, O Allāh,
Grant me with Your Blessings, O Allāh protect me from Syaitan." [Muslim]