The مساجد are places of worship and is derived from the word سجود. They are called مساجد and not مراكع because this part of prayer is the most honourable part. The Prophet ﷺ said:
"أقرب ما يكون العبد من ربه وهو ساجد، فأكثروا الدعاء"
"The nearest a slave is to his Lord is when he is in Sujood, so increase in supplication" [Muslim]
The order of the Hadiths in this Chapter:
-> The Mosque should be cleaned and perfumed
-> Prohibition of having Graves in the Masjid
-> Permissible and Prohibited things to do in the Masjid
->The Great Reward of removing harmful or unclean things from the Masjid
-> The 2 Rak'ah Tahiyyatul Masjid
The role of the Masjid is very great in Islam. When Allah described real men in Surah Nur, He said: [as mentioned in 24:36-37]:
"In houses (mosques), which Allah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honoured), in them His Name is glorified in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings,"
"Men whom neither trade nor sale diverts them from the Remembrance of Allah (with heart and tongue), nor from performing As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), nor from giving the Zakat. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (from the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection)."
If you want to know if a man is a real man or not, ask about his going to the Masjid. If he is praying his 5 prayers in the Masjid, he is a real man. Because the factory of men is in the Masjid.
Nowadays our enemies target the Masajid by suicide bombing it. This is not a coincidence; they want people to be afraid of going to the Masjid, because they know it is the core of Islam; where the Muslim is raised and nurtured upon the Quran and Sunnah.
Hadith #195:
الدور has two meanings:
- Residential Districts
- Inside your house. You should have a place where you pray inside your house as a woman, and men should pray their voluntary prayers in that place.
The Prophet ﷺ ordered us to build the Masjid, clean, and purify it. And the Masjid is considered one of the شعائر الله (Symbols of Allah)l When you take your children to the Masjid, teach them the etiquette of going. Teach them not to make the place unclean. As a Muslim, if you see a harm or something unclean you should remove it, even if you did not put it there in the first place, and you will be rewarded for it.
Hadith #196:
The Prophet ﷺ curses people who turn the Masjid into a grave or a grave into a Masjid. If you have a grave do not build a Masjid on it, and if you have a Masjid do not put a grave inside. This is because it leads Shirk. Our Religion protects us from Shirk.
You will pray with the belief that you are praying in a Masjid, and the next generation will come thinking they are praying to the grave, as what happened with the people of Nuh عليه السلام and their statues of dead righteous men. Hanging pictures inside the Masjid is thus forbidden as well.
If the grave was put after the Masjid, the grave should be taken out. If the Masjid was built on the grave, the Masjid should be demolished.
After the Author spoke about cleaning the Masjid, he spoke about graves. The greatest thing we should clean the Masjid from is Shirk.
Hadith #197:
Can a disbeliever enter a Mosque? Yes, if there is a need.
E.g. We want him to repair the microphone.
This refers to any mosque, but not Masjid Haram, because no disbeliever is allowed to enter the Haram.
This was Thumama, one of the leaders of Banu Hanifa. The Prophet ﷺ tied him because he wanted him to listen to the Quran. He was tied for three days. On the third day Thumama became a Muslim, because he had heard the Quran.
His Story:
The Prophet (ﷺ) sent some cavalry towards Najd and they brought a man from the tribe of Banu Hanifa who was called Thumama bin Uthal. They fastened him to one of the pillars of the Mosque. The Prophet went to him and said, "What have you got, O Thumama?" He replied," I have got a good thought, O Muhammad! If you should kill me, you would kill a person who has already killed somebody, and if you should set me free, you would do a favor to one who is grateful, and if you want property, then ask me whatever wealth you want." He was left till the next day when the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "What have you got, Thumama? He said, "What I told you, i.e. if you set me free, you would do a favor to one who is grateful." The Prophet (ﷺ) left him till the day after, when he said, "What have you got, O Thumama?" He said, "I have got what I told you. "On that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Release Thumama." So he (i.e. Thumama) went to a garden of date-palm trees near to the Mosque, took a bath and then entered the Mosque and said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and also testify that Muhammad is His Apostle! By Allah, O Muhammad! There was no face on the surface of the earth most disliked by me than yours, but now your face has become the most beloved face to me. By Allah, there was no religion most disliked by me than yours, but now it is the most beloved religion to me. By Allah, there was no town most disliked by me than your town, but now it is the most beloved town to me. Your cavalry arrested me (at the time) when I was intending to perform the `Umra. And now what do you think?" The Prophet (ﷺ) gave him good tidings (congratulated him) and ordered him to perform the `Umra. So when he came to Mecca, someone said to him, "You have become a Sabian?" Thumama replied, "No! By Allah, I have embraced Islam with Muhammad, Apostle of Allah. No, by Allah! Not a single grain of wheat will come to you from Yamamah unless the Prophet gives his permission." [Bukhari #4372]
Hadith #198:
Can we say poetry inside the Masjid? Yes. If there is a need for it; if it is for defending Islam, saying truth, and the merits of Islam. If there are bad elements in it, it is not allowed.
What is Forbidden to do in the Masjid
Hadith #199:
1) Calling out for your lost item
After you invoke against him, tell him the reason - that the Mosques are not built for this. You see this happening often in Makkah.
Beware of asking people for your lost items in the Masjid.
Hadith #200:
2) Buying or Selling inside the Masjid
The Masjid is a place of worship, to remember the Aakhirah, not be busy with the Dunya. It is alright to sell items outside.
Hadith #201:
3) Executing Punishments inside the Masjid
In Islam we cut the thief's hand. If it is done inside the Masjid, there will be screaming, blood which will stain the Masjid, the people will gather and talk inside, etc. This place is for worshipping Allah, being calm, praising, and glorifying Allah. But instead, with every step people take, they are on the mobile phones.
Hadith #202:
Is it allowed for a sick person to stay in the Masjid or to pitch a tent and a man to sleep in the Masjid? Yes.
Sa'd bin Muadh رضي الله عنه was one of the leaders of Ansar and was injured. A woman named Rufaydha nursed him. After the Prophet ﷺ went to Banu Quraydah, and they did what they did, he ordered Sa'd to come and judge upon them, because they used to be allies. Sa'd said all their men should be killed, their women should be made captive, and their money should be taken from them. The Prophet ﷺ told him that he judged the same judgement as Allah from above the seven heavens. Later they came and found his blood running out of the tent. He had passed away. And he is whom the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that the Throne of Allah shook for at his death. He was thirty five or thirty six years old.
There is another Hadith, in which the Prophet ﷺ once found Ali رضي الله عنه, the husband of his daughter Fatima رضي الله عنها, sleeping in the Masjid and dust was covering him:
إِنْ كَانَتْ أَحَبَّ أَسْمَاءِ عَلِيٍّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ إِلَيْهِ لأَبُو تُرَابٍ، وَإِنْ كَانَ لَيَفْرَحُ أَنْ يُدْعَى بِهَا، وَمَا سَمَّاهُ أَبُو تُرَابٍ إِلاَّ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَاضَبَ يَوْمًا فَاطِمَةَ فَخَرَجَ فَاضْطَجَعَ إِلَى الْجِدَارِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ، فَجَاءَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَتْبَعُهُ، فَقَالَ هُوَ ذَا مُضْطَجِعٌ فِي الْجِدَارِ فَجَاءَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَامْتَلأَ ظَهْرُهُ تُرَابًا، فَجَعَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَمْسَحُ التُّرَابَ عَنْ ظَهْرِهِ يَقُولُ " اجْلِسْ يَا أَبَا تُرَاب"
The most beloved names to `Ali was Abu Turab, and he used to be pleased when we called him by it, for none named him Abu Turab (for the first time), but the Prophet. Once `Ali got angry with (his wife) Fatima, and went out (of his house) and slept near a wall in the mosque. The Prophet (ﷺ) came searching for him, and someone said, "He is there, Lying near the wall." The Prophet (ﷺ) came to him while his (`Ali's) back was covered with dust. The Prophet (ﷺ) started removing the dust from his back, saying, "Get up, O Abu Turab!" [Al-Bukhari #6024]
This shows us that if you have a fight with your husband or a dispute with anyone get away from them; do not speak to them, even if you are right and they are wrong. After a while both you and he will be calm, and can think about things again.
Hadith #203:
Is it allowed for a group of people to play with their sword and weapons in the Masjid?
Yes, especially if it is Eid.
It was day of Eid and they were not dancing or playing music; they were making moves with their weapons. The Prophet ﷺ knew Aisha was young and like to see, and so he let her see and screened her. Our religion is one of easiness, and Eid is a day of joy. You can enjoy, with what is allowed. They also played with their weapons to teach courageousness and bravery.
This also teaches us that it is allowed for a woman to look at the moves, but not looking at the faces of men with desire. Allah commanded women to lower their gaze in Surah Nur. If you follow the commandment, Allah will put light in your heart.
Hadith #204:
Is it allowed for a woman to stay in the Masjid? Yes, if she doesn't have a house.
There were nearly 70 men at the time of the Prophet ﷺ who lived in the Masjid and were called Ahl As-Suffa, because they were too poor to have houses.
This black slave girl would always swear by 'the One who saved her' (i.e. Allah). Aisha رضي الله عنها asked her why she did that. She related that she used to be slave for a tribe, and the daughter lot a necklace, and they accused her of stealing it, and even stripped her down looking for it. While they were doing that, Allah sent a magpie (the bird that steals items) to come down and return the necklace.
This is a lesson for us. She understood the nurturing of Allah with her and did not attribute it to coincidence. Allah is the One who made it happen. She understood that Allah saved her and proved her innocence, and she was always grateful.
Allah divided people into blind and seers in the Quran. We need to see the nurturing of Allah with us. We are dealing with Allah; every situation we go through are the actions of Allah with us. Allah wants to teach and purify us. And Allah said in Surah Al-A'la [87:14]:
"He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself"
Hadith #205:
Can someone spit inside the Masjid? No.
It is a sin to spit in the Mosque or do something similar, like putting trash or unclean things in it. Be careful when you take kids to the Masjid, to not make it dirty, or you will leave as a sinner; having committed a sin.
If you have to spit while praying, not on your right, under your foot and bury it. But only if there is sand, not carpets.
The Prophet ﷺ came and saw someone had spit in the Masjid. He got angry. A woman came and cleaned it and put perfume in its place. This made the Prophet ﷺ glad.
If you dirty the Masjid, you will be sinful. If you clean it, you will be rewarded.
Hadith #206:
Can we make extravagant decorations in the Masjid? No. The Masjid is a place of worship.
Each one says my Mosque is better than your Mosque. This Masjid was built to remember Allah and worship Him, not for boasting. This is Haraam.
Sometimes you do a deed and think it is a good deed, but it is actually a sin. This is why we need knowledge in everything we do, Knowledge is a light, it will show you if what you are doing is right or wrong.
Hadith #207:
The Jews and Christians used to beautify their places of worship. It is forbidden to beautify and decorate the Masjid because it is the doing of Jews and Christians, and resembling them is forbidden.
Hadith #208:
Even if you clean a speck of dust or a tiny straw in the Masjid, you will be rewarded.
If you go to a place and see something thrown here and there, act upon the knowledge. Do not just know and forget, know and forget. You will forget when you do not act upon knowledge and Allah will not increase you in it. The Masjid is so great in the sight of Allah, we should clean them, perfume them, and take care of them.
This was shown to the Prophet ﷺ in the Mi'raj.
Hadith #209:
Do not sit before praying these two Rak'ahs. If you sit, you cannot pray them anymore. Even if you enter and the Athan is being called, do not sit waiting for the athan to finish. Stand waiting.
The Scholars differed with regards to the ruling:
1) Some said it is obligatory, because of the Hadith where the Prophet ﷺ ordered the man to pray it while he was in the middle of delivering a sermon
2) Others said it is Highly Recommended, and can be prayed even during the prohibited times to pray.
If you entered the Masjid and are praying and the Imam begins the obligatory prayer, you should break your prayer and join the Imam if you are in the first Rak'ah. If you are in the second Rak'ah you continue, because you have time to catch the first Rak'ah with the Imam. This is because of the Hadith where the Prophet ﷺ said:
إِذَا أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَلاَ صَلاَةَ إِلاَّ الْمَكْتُوبَةُ
"When the Iqamah is pronounced for prayer, no prayer is valid except the obligatory prayer." [Sunan Abu Dawud #1266]
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