Importance of Mosque Etiquette

"In houses (mosques) which Allah has commanded to be raised and in which His Name is remembered."
(Surah An-Nur 24:36)

Hasan al-Basri (رحمه الله) explained that honoring the mosques means respecting them, maintaining their dignity, and keeping them clean and free from impurity and filth.

"Whoever honors the symbols of Allah, it is truly a sign of the piety of the hearts."
(Surah Al-Hajj 22:32)

Mosques are among the symbols of Islam, places of worship, and locations where Allah's mercy descends. They are visited by the angels and are the most honored places on earth. Allah has referred to them as His houses as a mark of honor. Therefore, respecting and preserving the sanctity of the mosque is an obligation upon every Muslim, while disrespecting or neglecting it is prohibited.

Mosque Etiquette

1. Enter the mosque with your right foot first. Say Bismillah, send blessings upon the Prophet ﷺ, then recite:

Allahumma inni as'aluka min fadlik.

"O Allah, I ask You for Your bounty."

2. Greet those present with As-Salamu Alaikum, provided they are not occupied in prayer, studying, or remembrance of Allah.

If no one is present, say:

Assalaamu 'alaina wa 'ala ibaadillaahis saaliheen.

"Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah."

3. Pray two rak'ahs of Tahiyyatul Masjid before sitting down.

4. Engage frequently in the remembrance of Allah.

5. Do not buy or sell anything inside the mosque.

6. Do not carry an unsheathed sword or any exposed sharp object into the mosque, as it may frighten others.

7. Do not announce lost items inside the mosque.

8. Avoid unnecessary worldly conversations.

9. Do not step over people's shoulders to move forward.

10. Do not quarrel or argue inside the mosque.

11. Do not make the prayer rows uncomfortable for others by forcing yourself into a tight space.

12. Do not walk in front of someone who is praying.

13. Do not spit inside the mosque.

14. Do not crack your fingers in the mosque.

15. Keep the mosque clean and protect it from dirt, as well as from those who may unintentionally disturb its sanctity.

16. Do not come to the mosque after eating onions, garlic, or any food with a strong unpleasant odor.

Jabir (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

"Whoever has eaten garlic should not come near our mosque, for the angels are offended by what offends people."

Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA) said:

"You eat these two foul-smelling plants (onions and garlic). I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ order that anyone whose breath carried their odor be taken out of the mosque. Whoever wishes to eat them should cook them well until their smell is reduced."

Likewise, attending the mosque after smoking cigarettes, using hookah, chewing tobacco, pan, paraag, or anything else that leaves an offensive odor should be avoided, as such smells cause discomfort to the worshippers.

17. Do not raise your voice or create noise inside the mosque.

Sa'ib ibn Yazid (RA) narrated that Umar (RA) questioned two men who were raising their voices in the Prophet's Mosque. When they said they were from Ta'if, he remarked:

"If you had been residents of Madinah, I would have disciplined you. How can you raise your voices in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?"

18. Do not use the mosque merely as a passageway.

19. Do not conduct business or trade inside the mosque.

20. A person in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) or a woman during menstruation should not enter the mosque.

Adaab-e-Masjid Ki Ahmiyat

"Fi buyootin azinallahu an turfa'a wa yuzkara feehasmuhu." (An-Noor: 36)

Wo aise gharon mein hain jin ki nisbat Allah Ta'ala ne hukm diya hai ke un ka adab kiya jaye aur un mein Allah ka naam liya jaye. (Bayan-ul-Quran)

Hazrat Hasan Basri farmate hain:

Raf'a-e-Masaajid se muraad masaajid ki ta'zeem, takreem, adab wa ihtiram aur un ko najasat wa gandagi ki cheezon se paak wa saaf rakhna hai. (Ma'arif-ul-Quran 6/212)

"Wa man yu'azzim sha'aa'irallahi fa innaha min taqwal quloob." (Al-Hajj: 32)

Jo shakhs Allah ke sha'aa'ir ki ta'zeem karta hai, us ki ye ta'zeem dil ke sachche Khuda se darne se hasil hoti hai. (Ma'arif-ul-Quran)

Masaajid deen ke sha'aa'ir, Allah ki ibadat ki jagahein aur nuzool-e-rahmat ke maqamaat hain. Jahan farishton ki aamad-o-raft hoti rehti hai aur masaajid tamaam rooye zameen par sab se behtareen jagahein hain, Allah Ta'ala ne un ko ba taur-e-ta'zeem wa ikraam apna ghar qarar diya hai, lehaza un ki ta'zeem wa takreem hum par wajib, un ki be-adabi wa gustaakhi hamare liye mamnoo', un ko toorna wiraan karna mojib-e-wabaal hai, lehaza hamare liye zaroori hai ke hum masjid ke ihtiram wa ta'zeem ko khoob rakhein.

Adaab Ka Bayan

(1) Masjid mein dakhil hote waqt dayan pair andar dakhil ho, phir Bismillah aur Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam par durood wa salaam padhne ke baad ye dua padhe:

Allahumma inni as'aluka min fadlik.

Ae Allah! Main tere fazl ka sawal karta hoon.

(Rawahu Muslim an Abi Usaid, Kitabus Salatil Musafireen, Baabu Yaqoolu Iza Dakhalal Masjid: 713, wa Abu Dawood, wa Tirmizi, Kitabus Salah, Baabu Ma Yaqoolu Iza Rijal: 295)

(2) Masjid mein dakhil hote waqt salaam kare, bashart ke masjid mein baithe hue log namaz, dars, ya zikr waghairah mein mashghool na hon.

Agar koi shakhs masjid mein na ho to salaam is tarah kahe:

Assalaamu 'alaina wa 'ala ibaadillaahis saaliheen.

(Rawahu Abdur Razzaq an Ibn Abbas Mauqoofan, Baabu Yaqoolu Iza Dakhalal Masjid: 1688, wa Rawahu Al-Haakim Ala Shartish Shaikhain, wa Qarrahuz Zahabi, Surah An-Noor: 61)

(3) Baithne se pehle do rakat Tahiyyatul Masjid ada kare.

(Rawahul Bukhari an Abi Qatadah, Kitabus Salah, Baabu Iza Dakhala Ahadumul Masjid: 444, wa Muslim an Abi Qatadah, Kitabus Salatil Musafireen, Baabu Yaqoolu Iza Dakhalal Masjid: 714)

(4) Masjid mein kasrat se Allah ka zikr kare.

(5) Masjid mein koi cheez khareede, na hi farokht kare.

(Rawahu Ibn Majah an Abdullah bin Umar, Kitabul Masaajid wal Jama'at, Baabu Maa Yukrahu fil Masaajid wal Jama'at: 748)

(6) Masjid mein talwar ya koi teekhi dhaar cheez niyaam ke baghair na le jaye ke us se logon mein wehshat paida hoti hai.

(Rawahu Ibn Majah: 748)

(7) Masjid mein gumshuda cheez ka ilan na kare.

(Rawahu Abu Dawood an Abi Hurairah, Kitabus Salah, Baabu Lutqatil Masjid: 473)

(8) Dunyawi guftagu na ki jaye.

(9) Aagay barhne ke liye logon ki gardanon ko phandna na jaye.

(10) Masjid ke liye asli jhagra kare.

(11) Saf mein kisi ke liye jagah tang na kare, yani jhagra tang hone ki surat mein kisi ko takleef pohncha kar apne liye jagah na banaye.

(12) Namazi ke samne se na guzre.

(13) Masjid mein na thooke.

(14) Ungliyan na chatkaye.

(15) Gandagi, be-shu'oor bachon aur paglon se masjid ko bachaya jaye.

(16) Piyaz, Lehsan waghairah badboodar cheezen kha kar masjid mein na aaye.

Hazrat Jabir (RA) se riwayat hai:

Rasool Allah ﷺ ne farmaya: Jo aadmi is badboodar darakht (ya'ni lehsan) ko khaye, woh hamari masjidon mein na aaye, is liye ke farishte un cheezon se takleef mehsoos karte hain jin cheezon se insaan takleef mehsoos karte hain.

Hazrat Umar (RA) ne farmaya:

Ae logo! Tum yeh do badboodar darakhton ki sabziyan khate ho. Main ne Rasool Allah ﷺ ko dekha hai ke jis shakhs ke munh se in ki badboo mehsoos farmaate, us ko masjid se nikal kar Baqi' mein bhej diya jata tha. Pas jis shakhs ko yeh khana hi ho woh in ko paka kar khaye, taa ke in ki badboo zail ho jaye.

Piyaz, Lehsan, Sigret, Huqqa, Pan, Paraag aur is ki tamam aqsaam kha kar masjid aana bhi mana hai; kyun ke sigret aur in jaisi cheezon ki boo aur piyaz ki boo se zyada takleef-deh hoti hai

(17) Masjid mein shor-o-shaghab na kare.

Hazrat Saib bin Yazid (RA) farmate hain:

Hazrat Umar (RA) ne mujhe do shakhson ko bulane ka hukm diya. Aap (RA) ne un se poocha: Tum kahan se ho? Unhon ne kaha: Taif se aaye hue hain. Aap ne farmaya:

"Agar tum Madine ke rehne wale hote to main tumhein takleef deta."

Kya tum Rasool Allah ﷺ ki masjid mein apni awazen buland karte ho?

(18) Masjid ko guzargah (raasta) na banaya jaye.

(19) Masjid mein hoshyarji (kharid-o-farokht / tijarat) na ki jaye.

(20) Masjid mein halat-e-janabat aur haiz ki halat mein dakhil na ho