Etiquettes " آداب " of Masjid

Masjid is a place of worship, thus a very scared place the sanctity of which must be maintained by all those coming to offer As Salat / prayers. It thus requires of us to adhere to certain etiquettes (Adab -  آداب) of the masjid to maintain order and sanctity for proper use of this place of worship. 

However it is generally seen that many a worshippers do not adhere to any norms and etiquettes of masjid right from entering till after leaving the masjid. Thus the concept of discipline that Islam teaches to the believers is nullified. I am jotting down some of my personal observations and that of some friends who confided me their observations with regard to maintaining a peaceful atmosphere inside the mosque for any distraction, like the mobile ringing, or talking loudly before the prayer starts that distracts others who are offering voluntary cycles / rakat of sunnah. 

I have divided this post in three portions; namely general / pre masjid preparations / etiquettes, etiquettes of entering the mosque and post prayer etiquettes.

General  / Pre masjid preparations / Etiquettes

• Purity and Cleanliness:
• Cleanliness: Ensure cleanliness of body, clothes, and place of worship. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Purity is half of faith." (Sahih Muslim).  There are people who do not wear a vest under their clothes specially in summers, which makes their clothes wet from perspiration and smelly. Thus it should be ensured to wear clean clothes free of smelly stains. and preferably a vest worn under the shirt.
• Dress Modestly: Wear appropriate and modest clothing. Both men and women should dress in a manner that reflects respect for the sanctity of the mosque. Allah says in the Qur'an: "O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid." (Qur'an 7:31).
• Performing Wudu (ablution): It is recommended to be in a state of wudu (ablution) before entering the mosque. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "The key to Paradise is prayer, and the key to prayer is wudu." (Sahih Muslim). Since at the time of the prayer, there is rush in the masjid, it is recommended to do ablution from one's home so as not add to the waiting time and allow others to do ablution.
• Timings: It is better to arrive the masjid well in time to get settled down as forward as possible inside the masjid to allow space for the follow up worshippers.
• Parking: Coming well before prayer time allows one to park one's means of transport properly, allowing well kept space for those still coming in.
• Removing Harmful Items: It is not only the job of the masjid administration to keep the masjid and its immediate surrounding clean and free of obstacles or objects that may hinder easy movement of the worshippers. Therefore. ensure the masjid is clean and free from harmful items. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Removing harmful things from the road is an act of charity." (Sahih Bukhari).
• Taking of Shoes:  Since shoes are not allowed inside the prayer halls, these are generally taken off at the entrance of the masjid. However, the casual taking off shoes makes a very ugly scene at the masjid entrance and it looks like as a crowd as ran away leaving behind their shoes in a hurry. It should this be ensured that shoes are taken off, not stacked over shoes already present, and kept facing outward for ease of wearing when leaving the masjid.

Entering the Masjid: Once we enter the masjid, every care should be taken to care for  other worshippers for there are no VIPs in the masjid as everyone stands in submission to Allah as humble as possible. Herein under are some etiquettes of entering and sitting in the masjid:

• Switch off Mobile Phone: The ringing of mobile phones while the prayer is in progress is really annoying. As a courtesy not to disturb the prayer of others, one must switch off the mobile phone or put it on airplane mode or at least swatch off the ringer. Normally, the Imam asks everyone before commencing the prayer that all should switch off their mobile phones. Yet despite the request, one can hear mobile phones ringing during the prayer.
• Entering with the Right Foot: Enter the mosque with the right foot and say the supplication: "Bismillah, Allahumma salli ala Muhammad, Allahumma iftah li abwaba rahmatik" (In the name of Allah, O Allah, bless Muhammad, O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy). (Sunan Ibn Majah).
• Do not run to join the prayer if already started: Narrated by Abu Huraira: Heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "If the prayer is started do not run for it but just walk for it calmly and pray whatever you get, and complete whatever is missed. "
• Ablution in Masjid: It is better to do ablution from one's home. However, if it is to be performed in masjid following points to be adhered to:
• One should not perform ablution in a hurry, specially when the prayer has started . Because in this case, one is likely to properly perform the ablution. There is a Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in which he has cautioned against men who rush the ablution and run to join the prayer with their heels dry, that is water not run over these. [Read our previous post on this at Do not run to the Masjid with dry heels (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: Hadith 165)]
• It is generally seen that while doing ablution, people open the tap at full speed wasting lot of water. It must be ensured that the tap is opened with lowest possible level so as not to waste water.
• Greetings: Greet those in the mosque with "As-salamu alaikum" (peace be upon you). The Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged spreading peace through greetings.
• Tahiyyat al-Masjid: Perform two rak'ahs of Tahiyyat al-Masjid (greeting the mosque) upon entering, if it is not a time when prayer is prohibited. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When one of you enters the mosque, he should pray two rak'ahs before sitting." (Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim).
• Maintaining Silence and Respect: Speak softly and avoid unnecessary conversations. The mosque is a place for worship and reflection. Loud conversations and disturbances should be avoided.
• Sitting Etiquettes: 
• When entering the prayer hall, sit as forward as possible so as to make space for those yet to come in. Remember there are no RESERVED spaces for anyone. A friend once narrated me an incident that he came earlier had sat at a chair for he could not sit on the floor due to his ailment. In the meanwhile another man came and demanded of him to vacate the chair as he sat at that chair every day. Upon his refusal to do so and telling the man to sit on one of the many chairs in the masjid, the man refused and a loud commotion resulted in the masjid. Now this is insane. No place or seat is reserved for anyone and if one has been sitting on a particular chair/space, he should sit another place, respecting the right of the worshipper already sitting. 
• Sit calmly and engage in dhikr (remembrance of Allah) or read the Qur'an while waiting for the prayer. Avoid sitting in a manner that may distract or disturb others.
• Respecting Others: 
• Avoid passing in front of someone who is praying. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If the one passing in front of a praying person knew what (sin) there is upon him, it would be better for him to wait for forty than to pass in front of him." (Sahih Bukhari). 
• One should never try to jump over the shoulders of those already sitting to go to the front roes. In the first place, no space should be left in the rows so allow space for those following. But at the same time, one should not jump over the others. One can stand for a while for when the prayer is called, spaces are created at the back automatically for those standing.
• Observing the Rows: Straighten the rows during congregational prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized the importance of aligning the rows: "Straighten your rows, for indeed straightening the rows is part of perfecting the prayer." (Sahih Bukhari).
• Leaving the Masjid:
• When the prayer behind the Imam is over, there are many in the masjid who just stand and start praying their sunnah prayers. This restricts those wanting to leave the masjid after fard prayer and case inconvenience. People may be i hurry for the their job or wanting to leave early  for they may have parked their car behind someone's and not wanting to case delay in clearing the way for other car owners. Instead after the fard prayer, a minute or so be given to others to leave masjid and then one should start the sunnah / voluntary prayer.
• Those who have parked their cars behind cars of others blocking their exit, must leave the masjid as early as possible after the fard prayers so that inconvenience is not caused. Non adherence to this etiquette usually creates sad scenes when two people start fighting on the issue. This not only nullifies the spirit of brotherhood, but also hinges upon respect of rights of others. 

Huqooq ul Ibad is the duty we owe to mankind, the rights of every Muslim on the other Muslim. A Muslim who fulfils the Huqool ul Allah will also fulfill Huqooq ul Ibad, these are two different things but still intertwined. In Quran Allah has mentioned His Rights and Rights of fellow beings together in many verses.

I will add some more etiquettes in time. But for now, let all of us adhere to these listed etiquettes and try to offer salat in as peace atmosphere as possible, for own sake and for sake of others. 

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

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Etiquettes of collective life

It has been emphasized many a times before in our posts that Islam is not only a mere religion, but it is a Deen - that it is a complete code of life. Besides guidance to walk on the straight path, a path that leads to the ultimate salvation, it also teaches man ethics and etiquettes to live a life by caring for others first than meeting one's own requirements and priorities. Islam also teaches man how his behaviour should be when he is in the company of elders and society or community as a whole.

The 11th verse of Surah 58. Al-Mujadila (The Pleading Woman) is one such Divine Commandment stressing upon the etiquettes of sitting in a gathering. Many scholars are also of the view that this etiquette should also be applied to our collective life in every sphere.

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِذَا قِيۡلَ لَـكُمۡ تَفَسَّحُوۡا فِى الۡمَجٰلِسِ فَافۡسَحُوۡا يَفۡسَحِ اللّٰهُ لَـكُمۡ​ ۚ وَاِذَا قِيۡلَ انْشُزُوۡا فَانْشُزُوۡا يَرۡفَعِ اللّٰهُ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مِنۡكُمۡ ۙ وَالَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡعِلۡمَ دَرَجٰتٍ ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُوۡنَ خَبِيۡرٌ‏ 

(58:11) Believers, when you are told: “Make room for one another in your assemblies,” then make room; Allah will bestow amplitude on you. And when it is said: “Rise up,” then rise up; Allah will raise to high ranks those of you who believe and are endowed with knowledge. Allah is well aware of all that you do.

The explanation of the abovesaid verse by one of the most competent Muslim scholars Ibn Kathir is very elaborate. For this very reason, it is not being shared here as readers may find this post to be very lengthy. Those interested to consult Ibn Kathir explanation may open the reference page: Ibn-Kathir Al-Qur'an Tafsir, Surah 58. Al-Mujadila . Ayah 11.

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

(O YOU who have attained faith! When you are told, "Make room for one another in your collective life") Lit., "in the assemblies (al-majalis)". Although it is frequently assumed that this refers to the assemblies held by the Prophet, when his followers would throng around him in their eagerness the better to hear what he had to say, or - more generally - to congregations in mosques, etc., in later times, I am (with Razi) of the opinion that the plural noun majalis is used here in a tropical or metaphorical sense, denoting the totality of men's social life. Taken in this sense, "making room for one another" implies the mutual providing of opportunities for a decent life to all - and especially to the needy or handicapped - members of the community. See also the next note.

(Do make room: [and in return,] God will make room for you [in His grace].) Commenting on this passage, Razi says: "This verse indicates that if one widens the means (abwab) of happiness and well-being of God's creatures ('ibad), God will widen for him all that is good in this life and in the hereafter. Hence, no reasonable person (al-'aqil) could ever restrict [the purport of] this verse to merely making room for one another in an [actual] assembly."

(And whenever you are told, "Rise up [for a good deed]", do rise up;) The interpretation implied in the words "for a good deed" interpolated by me above is analogous to that offered by most of the classical commentators, and most explicitly by Tabari; in the words of Qatadah (ibid.), "Whenever you are called upon to do a good deed, respond to this call."

([and] God will exalt by [many] degrees those of you who have attained to faith and, [above all,] such as have been vouchsafed [true] knowledge:) Cf. the saying of the Prophet: "The superiority of a learned man ('alim) over a [mere] worshipper ('abid) is like the superiority of the moon on the night when it is full over all other stars" (Ibn Hanbal, Abu Da'ud, Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Darimi).

Explaining the meaning of the abose said verse, Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi is of the opinion:

This has been explained in the Introduction to the Surah above. Some commentators regard this Command as restricted to the assemblies of the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace). But as pointed out by Imam Malik, the correct view is that this is a general instruction for the assemblies held by the Muslims. One of the rules of etiquette taught by Allah and His Messenger to the Muslims is that when they are sitting in an assembly and some more people arrive, they should have the courtesy to accommodate the new-comers and should squeeze in together as far as possible to make room for them to sit. The newcomers also should have the courtesy not to press in forcibly and make others rise up in order to take their place. In the Hadith Hadrat 'Abdullah bin 'Umar and Hadrat Abu Hurairah have reported that the Holy Prophet said: Nobody should make another person rise up so as to take his place, but you should yourself make room for others. " (Musnad Ahmad Bukhari Muslim). And Hadrat `Abdullah bin `Amr bin 'As reports that the Holy Prophet said: "It is not lawful for a person that he should forcibly press in between two men except by their leave." (Musnad Ahmad, Abu Da 'ud, Tirmidhi).

'Abdur Rahman bin Zaid bin Aslam stated that the people used to prolong their sitting in the Holy Prophet's assemblies and tried to sit till the end. This caused him inconvenience and discomfort as well as hindrance in his daily chores. At this Allah sent down this Command, teaching the people the etiquette: `When you are told to rise up froth the assembly, you should rise up and disperse." (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Kathir). 

"You should not think that if in the Holy Prophet's assembly, you had to sit a little farther away from him for the sake of making room for others, you would be reduced in rank or if you were asked to rise up and disperse from the assembly, you were disgraced. The real means of exaltation of ranks is faith and knowledge, and not an opportunity to sit nearest to the Holy Prophet (upon whom be Allah's peace) in his assembly and sit the longest. If a person happened to sit nearer to him, it does not mean that he became exalted in rank, for the high ranks belong only to those who have attained the wealth of knowledge and faith. Likewise, the person who prolonged his sitting with the Holy Prophet only to cause him inconvenience and discomfort, in fact, displayed a lack of good manners. His sitting near him for a long; time will not exalt him in rank in any way. Far higher and exalted in rank in the sight of Allah is he who attained to taste faith and knowledge and imbibed the morals that should belong to a believer. 

Yusuf Ali Explanation: 

Even when a great man or a Leader comes into an Assembly, we are not to press forward without discipline, as it causes inconvenience to him and detriment to public business. Nor are we to shut out other people who have equal rights to be in the Assembly. We must spread out, for Allah's earth is spacious, and so are our opportunities.

"Rise up" here may imply: 'when the Assembly is dismissed, do not loiter about'.

Faith makes all people equal in the Kingdom of Allah, as regards the essentials of citizenship in the Kingdom. But there is leadership, and rank and degree, joined with greater or less responsibility, and that depends on true knowledge and insight.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Understanding the Holy Quran: Sajda-e-Tilawat - Prostration while Reciting the Quran

The Holy Qur'an is a Divine Book, which contains commandants, prohibitions, and directions for the mankind as how to lead their life as envisioned by none other than Allah, God to some. Therefore while reciting the Holy Qur'an, one must adhere to etiquette as a gesture of extreme respect and uphold its diginity and sacredness. 

While reciting the Holy Qur'an, one comes across at a number of places as given below where one is obliged to prostrate, called as Sajda-e-Tilawat - Prostration while Reciting the Quran. Generally, up to fifteen points in the Quran, a prostration is considered Waajib (necessary). These are:

1. Chapter 7       Surah Al A’Raf - Ayat 206  
2. Chapter 13     Surah Al Ra’d - Ayat 15
3. Chapter 16     Surah Al Nahl - Ayat 50
4. Chapter 17     Surah Al Isra - Ayat 109
5. Chapter 19     Surah Maryum - Ayat 58
6. Chapter 22     Surah Al Haj - Ayat 18
7. Chapter 25     Surah Al Furqan -) Ayat 60
8. Chapter 27     Surah Al Naml - Ayat 26
9. Chapter 32     Surah As Sajdah - Ayat 15
10. Chapter 38     Surah Sa’d - Ayat 24 (There exists a difference of opinion on Sajdah in verse 24)
11. Chapter 41     Surah Fussilat - Ayat 38
12. Chapter 53     Surah Al Najam (53) Ayat 62
13. Chapter 84     Surah Inshiqaq - Ayat 21
14. Chapter 96     Surah Al Alaq - Ayat 19

As for the second sajda mentioned in Surah Al Haj [Chapter 22] - Ayat 77, one is not liable to perform Sajdah as the Command of Allah in this verse is solely about prayers.  According to the Shafi'is and Hanbalis, this is the only surah to have two prostrations of recitation, however the Hanafis and Malikis do not recognise the second apparent sajda on a person to perform Sajdah (prostration)

The places where Sajda-e-Tilawat is to be offered are either denoted by Arabic word "Al Sajda" [Surah Al A’Raf - Ayat 206]:

Or denoted by a symbol [Surah Al Isra - Ayat 109]:

Or by both the Arabic text and symbol [Surah As Sajdah - Ayat 15]:

Narrated Ibn `Umar: When the Prophet recited a Surah that contained the prostration he would prostrate and we would do the same and some of us (because of the heavy rush) could not find a place for prostration. [ Sahi Bukhari, Hadith No. 1075]

The Prophet of Allah when prostrating for sajda-e-tilawat would say Allahu-Akbar, prostrate and while rising from sajdah with Allahu-Akbar. Sajda-e-tilawat which may be performed sitting or from standing position."

However, there are two views on sajda-e-tilawat; One school of thought considers it obligatory, like fard, and the other takes it as sunnah, an act of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In some instances the Prophet of Allah has been mentioned of skipping the sajda on the same verse in which he had earlier performed prostration. This shows that sajda-e-tilawat is Sunnah. This implies that offering prostration of recitation will fetch the believer many rewards, but no one will be penalized for skipping it. So we should do it for our good deeds and resultant Thawab / sawab are always lagging behind our bad deeds. However, many take it as obligation and stress on MUST rather than option. 

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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