| Ruling on offering Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid at forbidden times  Q: If a person enters the Masjid (mosque) before the Adhan (call to Prayer) of Maghrib (Sunset) Prayer, is it permissible to offer Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid (two-unit Prayer to salute the mosque) or should they sit down? Please, advise. A: There are five times during which it is not permissible to offer supererogatory Salah (Prayer). These forbidden times are as follows: (1) From the break of Fajr (Dawn) until sunrise, (2) immediately after sunrise until it has risen to the length of a spear, (3) the time when the sun is straight overhead before noon until it passes its zenith, (4) the time after ‘Asr (Afternoon) Prayer until the sun is about to set, (5) and the time of sunset until it has set. | | (Part No. 11; Page No. 287) | |
According to the more correct of the two opinions maintained by scholars, there is nothing wrong with performing occasional Salahs offered for specific reasons during the times when it is not permissible to offer supererogatory Salah. Accordingly, the person who enters the Masjid after ‘Asr or Fajr is recommended to offer Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid, before sitting down. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:  When anyone of you enters the Masjid, they should not sit down until they pray two Rak‘ahs. (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Similarly, this applies to the two Rak‘ahs of Tawaf (two-unit-Prayer performed after circumambulating the Ka‘bah). A person may offer this Salah upon circumambulating the Ka‘bah, whether it is after ‘Asr, Fajr, or at any time, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: O Banu ‘Abd Manaf, do not prevent anyone from circumambulating this House (Ka‘bah) and praying there at any time they want, night or day. (Related by Imam Ahmad and Ahl-ul-Sunan [Al-Tirmidhy, Al-Nasa’y, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah] and ranked as Sahih [authentic] by Al-Tirmidhy and Ibn Hibban). This is also true with Salat-ul-Kusuf (Prayer at the time of a solar eclipse). If the solar eclipse occurs after ‘Asr, the Sunnah (action following the teachings of the Prophet) is to offer this Salah, according to the more correct of the two opinions maintained by scholars. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The sun and moon are two of the Signs of Allah; they are not eclipsed because of the death or life (i.e. birth) of anyone. So, when you see them, you should invoke Allah and pray until it is over. (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). | | (Part No. 11; Page No. 288) | |
According to another narration related by Al-Bukhari: "until it is clear." Q: Offering Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid at the times when it is not permissible to offer supererogatory Salah is very controversial. Some scholars are of the view that it is impermissible to offer it when the sun rises or sets. The opposite opinion is that since this is one of the Salahs done for a specific reason which do not have fixed times, it is permissible to offer it during the forbidden times even at sunset. Please, advise with regard to this matter in detail. A: Muslim scholars hold different opinions concerning this matter. The correct opinion is that offering Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid is permitted at all times, even after Fajr and after ‘Asr, because of the general applicability of the Hadith: When anyone of you enters the Masjid, they should not sit down until they pray two Rak‘ahs. (Agreed upon by Imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid is also one of the occasional Salahs offered for specific reasons, like Salat-ul-Tawaf and Salat-ul-Kusuf. The correct opinion concerning all of these Salahs is that it is permissible to offer them at times when it is not permissible to offer supererogatory Salah, like in the case of making up for missed obligatory Salahs. This is based on the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him) concerning Salat-ul-Tawaf: O Banu ‘Abd Manaf, do not prevent anyone from circumambulating this House (Ka‘bah) and praying there at any time they want, night or day. (Related by Imam Ahmad and Ahl-ul-Sunan through an authentic Isnad [chain of narrators]). | | (Part No. 11; Page No. 289) | |
Concerning Salat-ul-Kusuf, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The sun and moon are two of the Signs of Allah; they are not eclipsed because of the death or life of anyone. So, when you see them, you should invoke Allah and pray until it is clear. (Agreed upon by Imams Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Furthermore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Anyone who forgets a Salah let them offer it as soon as they remember it, for there is no Kaffarah (expiation) for it other than that. These Hadiths apply to all times including the times when supererogatory Salah is prohibited. Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and his knowledgeable disciple Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah be merciful to them both) advocated this opinion. May Allah grant us success. |
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