1. Entering and Leaving the Mosque
When entering the mosque, step in with your right foot first and recite:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ. اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ (Bismillahi was-salatu was-salamu ‘ala Rasulillah. Allahummaftah lee abwaba rahmatik)
Meaning: In the name of Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy.
When leaving the mosque, step out with your left foot first and recite this Dua:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
(Allahumma innee as-aluka min fadlik)
Meaning: O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty.
2. Spiritual Etiquette Inside the Mosque
- Before entering and sitting down in the mosque, it is Mustahabb (highly recommended) to pray two Rak’ahs of Nafl prayer known as ‘Tahiyyatul Masjid’ (the prayer of greeting the mosque).
- Do not enter the mosque laughing and talking. This is a lack of proper etiquette. One must enter the mosque with Taqwa (piety and mindfulness of Allah).
- Do not engage in worldly conversations within the inner prayer hall. Doing so destroys the rewards of forty days of worship (Ibadah).
- Shouting, joking, playing around, engaging in trade/business, and quarreling inside the Masjid are actions that desecrate and disrespect the mosque.
- One must always remember the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ):
“In the final days, some people from my Ummah will come to the mosque; they will sit around in circles and talk about worldly matters. They will love the world. Do not sit with them; Allah has no need for them, and Allah dislikes them.”
3. Cleanliness and Fragrance
- Be mindful of the purity and cleanliness of the mosque. Do not allow it to be dirtied. Remove any litter or dirt found there.
- Use fragrances (perfume/incense) in the mosque, and make special arrangements for this particularly on the day of Jum’ah (Friday). These are righteous deeds that lead to Paradise.
- The Prophet (ﷺ) stated:
“Removing litter from the mosque and cleaning it serves as the Mahr (dowry) for the beautiful-eyed maidens of Paradise (Hoor al-Ayn).”
4. Management and Appointments
- Ensure that the Adhan (call to prayer), Salah (prayer), and other activities take place correctly and on time.
- Appoint pious, qualified individuals whose primary goal is the service of Deen (religion) for these sacred duties. Such individuals must possess deep caution in religious matters and be of excellent character. It is your duty to respect them and to fulfill their worldly needs and financial requirements. Arrangements should be made for people to receive spiritual upbringing (Tarbiyah) through them.
- The person chosen for the administrative responsibility of the mosque must excel in honesty, capability, and religious knowledge. Therefore, it is crucial that the individual appointed to such public positions is well-versed in the laws of Islamic Shariah.
- It is the collective duty of the Jama’at (congregation) to ensure that the person undertaking the mosque administration is not a Fasiq (open sinner) or someone engaged in prohibited (Haram) businesses.
- The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“If there is someone in the congregation who is well-versed in the Holy Qur’an revealed by Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ), yet someone else is appointed to the responsibility of the mosque, then he has surely deceived Allah, His Messenger, and the entire Muslim community.”
— Tabarani
5. Guidance Regarding Children
- Do not bring very young children who lack basic understanding into the mosque. They may soil the premises and, because they do not comprehend the sanctity of the mosque, they are likely to cause disturbances to those praying.
- Make it a habit to bring older children along with you—those who possess a level of understanding and recognize the dignity of the Masjid.
6. Code of Conduct During Congregational Prayer (Jama’at)
- During congregational prayer, care must be taken to ensure that the Saffs (rows) are straight, aligned, and tightly packed shoulder-to-shoulder without leaving gaps.
- Do not start a second row before the front row is completely filled.
“Allah connects the one who connects the row, and Allah cuts off the one who breaks the row.”
7. Avoiding Disturbance to Others
- Do not cause inconvenience to anyone in the mosque. Pushing through, stepping over people to move forward, coming in dirty clothes that cause discomfort to others, coming with bad breath (foul mouth odor), yawning or burping loudly, coughing repeatedly as soon as standing up for prayer, clearing the throat excessively, and constantly moving or fidgeting must all be avoided. We must ensure that we do not cause any form of hardship or disturbance to others.
8. Establishment of Islamic Education
- It is through the growth of religious knowledge that mosques are revitalized, discipline spreads, and Deen is established. Therefore, it is essential to establish Qur’an Madrasas and Deeniyyat (religious) schools in or alongside the mosques. Every parent must make sure to send their children there without fail to learn religious education.