Is it permissible to perform tahiyyatul-masjid prayer at times of karahah?

As far as I know, nafilah prayers cannot be performed after the fard of the afternoon prayer and before the fard of the evening prayer. The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith: "Do not sit before performing a prayer of two rak'ahs when you enter the mosque." When I go to mosque for the evening prayer, I want to perform a prayer of two rak'ahs in accordance with this hadith but it is not permissible to perform nafilah prayers at that time. Can I not act in accordance with this hadith?

Dear Brother / Sister,

It is not permissible to perform tahiyyatul-masjid prayer at times of karahah. A person who goes to mosque and cannot perform tahiyyatul-masjid prayer due to being busy, being at the time of karahah or not having wudu says, "Subbanallahi wal-hamdu lil-lahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar."

When a person enters the mosque if it is a prayer time, the prayer that is performed (whether it is fard or sunnah) replaces tahiyyatul-masjid prayer. If a person enters a mosque after the time for a prayer or to visit that mosque, he performs a two-rak'ah tahiyyatul-masjid prayer. If it is a time of karahah, tahiyyatul-masjid prayer is performed according to Shafii scholars since it is a prayer that has a reason. However, the other three madhhabs (Hanafis, Hanbalis and Malikis) decree that it cannot be performed. (A. Jaziri, 2/518)

TAHİYYATUL-MASJID

Tahiyyah means respect, greeting, showing respect; tahiyyatul-masjid means showing respect to the mosque, or rather, to Allah, who is the owner of the mosque. For, the aim of man is not to approach the mosque but to approach Allah and to attain His consent. The prayer performed with this aim is called tahiyyatul-masjid prayer.

Tahiyyatul-masjid prayer is a mustahab prayer of two rak'ahs. It is performed when one enters a mosque before sitting. It can also be performed after sitting but it is more virtuous to perform it before sitting. As a matter of fact, the Prophet (pbuh) states the following in hadith reported from Abu Qatada: "When one of you enters a mosque, he should perform a two-rak'ah prayer." (Abu Dawud, Salah, 19)

A Muslim who enters a mosque to visit it, to read something or to teach something performs tahiyyatul-masjid prayer. It is enough to perform it once if he enters a mosque several times in a day. He can perform it when he enters the first time or the last time if he wishes. He does not have to perform it every time he enters the mosque.

If a person enters a mosque to perform any prayer or to perform a fard prayer and to follow the imam, that prayer replaces tahiyyatul-masjid prayer. Accordingly, any prayer performed in a mosque before sitting replaces tahiyyatul-masjid prayer.

Tahiyyatul-masjid prayer is not performed at the time of karahah. A person who goes to mosque and cannot perform tahiyyatul-masjid prayer due to being busy, being at the time of karahah or not having wudu says, "Subbanallahi wal-hamdu lil-lahi wa la ilaha illallahu wallahu akbar."

Durak PUSMAZ

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