ISLAMIC ETIQUETTE THE MOSQUE

The mosque is the house of Allah:

"Indeed the Masaajid are only for Allah; so do not supplicate to anyone else with Allah." (72:18)

Therefore, anyone who enters them is a guest of Allah Ta'ala. The hospitality granted to them consists of the forgiveness of their sins. Thus, it must be respected. One should not talk about material or worldly things, joke, laugh, or make noise when entering a mosque.

Allah Ta'ala is pure, and He loves cleanliness and beauty. When one goes to the house of Allah, they must ensure:

1. They are wearing clean clothes and are dressed well, observing the law of satr, as Islam has recommended.

Let us emphasise that the satr—the parts of the body that are obligatory to cover—for a man begins from the navel and extends to the knees.

2. The cleanliness of the mouth. A bad or strong smell from the mouth does not only trouble the Musallis, but also the angels. Therefore, one must keep their mouth clean from any smell of smoke, garlic, or onion. It is reported that the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"Let whoever has eaten garlic or onion stay away from us and from the mosque; rather, let them stay at home."

When one goes to the mosque to establish the five daily prayers, it is better to observe the following etiquettes:

1. As soon as the Azan (call to prayer) is given, put aside worldly affairs and respond to the Azan. Then prepare for the Salah with Jama'ah in the mosque. In this way, we will be included in the circle that Allah Rabbul Izzah praised in His sublime book, Insha Allah:

"People whom neither buying nor selling turns them away from the Zikr of Allah, from scrupulously performing the Salah and from giving alms. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will turn and turn in all directions." (24:37)

2. Go, as far as possible, in a state of ablution (wuzu).

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) explained that each step of a person who leaves their house in a state of ablution to go to the mosque is rewarded with a blessing, and a sin is erased. This is why some Sahabah-e-Kiraam (Radiyallahu anhum‎) took small steps when going to the mosque, to earn more reward.

3. Place your right foot forward when entering the mosque, then invoke Allah in favour of the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) by reading, for example, one of the following formulas:

اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ

(Assalaamu 'alaa Rasulillaahi‎‎)

                 اَلسَّلَامُ عَلٰى النَّبِيِّ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَكَا تُهُ

 (Assalaamu 'alan-nabiyyi wa Rahmatullaahi wa barakaatuhu)

Then read (Allaahummaf-tah li abwaaba rahmatika)

أَللّٰهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِيْ اَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ

O Allah! Open for me the doors of Your mercy

4. Take off your shoes or slippers starting with the left foot, then the right foot, while placing your left foot on the left shoe. This principle should be followed when taking off one's shoes or slippers, whether in the mosque or elsewhere.

5. Do not run in the mosque, even at the risk of missing a Rak'ah with Jama'ah, so as not to disturb the Musallis. In regard to this, the Prophet (Alaihis Salaam) said:

"When you come to prayer, remain calm: do not go there in haste (i.e., by running). Observe the Rak'ahs that you had (with Jama'ah) and make up for those that you missed."

6. Avoid passing in front of those who are praying.

7.Make Dua and Zikr (Tasbih‎-e-Fatimah) at the end of each obligatory prayer. The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) gave us the good news by saying:

"Whoever, after every obligatory prayer, repeats:

• 33 times

  سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ (Purity is to Allah)

• 33 times

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ (All praise be to Allah)

• 33 times

اَللّٰه أَكْبَرُ (Allah is the Greatest)

and to complete the number of one hundred, adds once:

لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰه ُ وَحْدَه لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ  لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ

وَهُوَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ

(There is none worthy of worship besides Allah, alone. He has no partner. He alone possesses all Kingdom and to Him alone belong all praise. He gives life and causes death. All good is in His hand. He has power over everything.) will have his sins forgiven, even if they are as abundant as the foam of the sea."

8. Do not hurry to leave the mosque after the prayer; rather, remain there as much as possible.

Rasulullah (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"When the servant remains seated in his place after having performed the Salah, the angels invoke Allah on his behalf saying: 'O Allah, forgive him.' And when he sits, waiting for the time of prayer, they invoke Allah on his behalf thus: 'O Allah, forgive him! O Allah, have mercy on him.'"

In another Hadith, the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said: "Bear witness to the Imaan of the one who frequents the mosque" and then he recited the following verse from the Qur'an:

"Only those should attend Allah's places of worship who believe in Allah and the Last Day." (9:18)

Therefore, one should strive to remain more in the mosque and avoid engaging in backbiting, slander, selling, or buying. Instead, seek the pleasure and Rahmat of Allah Ta'ala through the recitation of the Qur'an-e-Kareem, Dua, and Tasbihaat such as:

• Repentance-Istighfar

 أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ الَّذِيْ لَا اِلٰهَ إلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ، وَأَتُوْبُ إِلَيْهِ

• Durud Sharif

• The Third Kalimah

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ وَلَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰه ُ وَاللّٰه ُ اَكْبَرُ

One can recite each of the aforementioned Tasbih 100 times every day after Salat-ul-Fajr and after Salat-ul-Asr, as the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) said that sitting after Salat-ul-Fajr in congregation and engaging in Allah's Zikr until sunrise is better in His eyes than the whole world and everything in it. Likewise, He prefers those who are absorbed in Zikr after the 'Asr prayer until sunset, rather than this world and its riches.

Therefore, one should make an effort to recite them regularly every day at the times mentioned. They contain many virtues.

9. Leave the mosque with your left foot and invoke Allah Ta'ala for the Prophet (Sallallaahu 'Alaihi Wasallam) as in No. 3 and read:

اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ أَسْئَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ

(Allaahumma inni as-aluka min fadhlika)

(O Allah, verily, I ask You of Your Bounty.)

May Allah, Al-Haadi, guide us and grant us the Taufeeq to put into practice these few Aadaab which are very simple but contain enormous rewards. (Aameen).

[English version of "La mosquée" – Al Haadi – Vol. 2 No. 5]