Imagine walking into a royal palace, would you storm in with dusty shoes, loud chatter, and no regard for protocol? Of course not. You’d lower your voice, fix your posture, and walk with reverence. Now ask yourself, if this is the respect due to a worldly king, what about the house of the King of Kings, Allah? The Masjid is a house of Allah, and you need to observe some etiquettes of entering the Mosque.
We Muslims should be very conscious and know very well that the Mosques are the house of Allah. Not where Allah is sleeping, no. But it’s a place where we perform acts beloved to Allah and worship Him. Allah says…
And [He revealed] that the mosques are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone. (Quran 72:18)
Our Prophet, Muhammad (ﷺ), also taught us detailed etiquette of entering the mosque and even leaving the mosque, which can also be regarded as some of our worship. Some of the recommended etiquettes of entering the Mosque and the recommended etiquettes of leaving the Mosque are not just small matters that we can just ignore in our religion.
This is because they reflect our adab (manners), your taqwa (God-consciousness), and our awareness that we are in the house of Allah, not just any place or building. It is a sacred space where angels gather and hearts are connected to their creator. Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
The parts of land dearest to Allah are its mosques, and the parts most hateful to Allah are markets. (Sahih Muslim 671)
The Masjid (mosque) isn’t just a building. It’s where the Ummah comes together, shoulder to shoulder, rich and poor, young and old. The place where you bow your head in sujood to the Creator, where your heart softens with the remembrance of Allah, where the Qur’an is recited, hearts are purified, and many other acts of worship are performed.
So when you enter or exit such a space, every step counts and is spiritually rewarding. Observing some of the etiquettes of entering the mosque and the etiquettes of leaving the mosque brings massive reward, massive barokah (blessing), and builds your mindfulness in Allah very well. Now let’s discuss some of the recommended etiquettes of entering the mosque.
Some of the things to do before entering the mosque
1. Perform Wudhu (ablution)
From the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is to perform wudhu before heading to the masjid, even if you don’t have the chance from home, you can do it when you get to the Masjid. This will prepare you ahead for any form of worship you want to do in the Mosque. You can learn more about wudu here.
Performing wudhu before entering the mosque is a key part among some of the etiquettes of entering the Mosque, showing your readiness for worship. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said..
The key to Paradise is prayer, and the key to prayer is ablution. (Tirmidhi 4)
2. Walk humbly to the Masjid
Today, people drive everywhere, and some even run just to catch up with the congregational prayer. It is better to prepare ahead for each prayer and go to Masjid early because but the Sunnah emphasizes walking to the masjid. Each step you take literally washes away sins and raises your rank in Jannah, especially when you have performed ablution very well. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Give glad tidings to those who walk to the masjid in darkness that they will have complete light on the Day of Judgment.” (Sahih Muslim, 1033)
“Do not come to prayer rushing. Walk with serenity, pray what you catch (with the Imam), and complete what you missed.” (Bukhari 635)
Walking to the masjid in a state of humility and remembrance is among the greatest signs of love for Allah. So, whether you walk for Fajr in the dark or any other prayer during the day, walk with khushu’ (humility) and a mindful heart, not with haste.
3. Don’t rush to enter the Masjid or Solah
It’s common to see people running to catch the Takbiratul-Ihram with the imam, but this goes against the Sunnah. Yes, you may be eager, but eagerness should not override adab (manner). The Prophet ﷺ said:
“When you hear the Iqamah, walk to the prayer with tranquility and dignity, and do not rush. Pray what you catch, and make up what you miss.” (Sahih Bukhari, 636)
The above hadith teaches us that the way you arrive at the masjid matters. Rushing shows a lack of composure and neglects the spirit of submission and mindfulness that prayer demands. If you entered Solah after running, the major thing you will focus on is how to catch your breath, you will be absent-minded in the Solah. We should really take note of this. So, walk calmly. Don’t treat the mosque like a race.
What are the etiquettes of entering the Mosque?
We are going to start listing the etiquette of entering the Mosque below and then move to some of the etiquettes of leaving the mosque too. These start after performing all the aforementioned things to do before entering the mosque, like performing ablution, walking humbly, and also not rushing to the solah.
1. Enter with the right foot first
It may seem like a small detail, but in Islam, nothing is insignificant when done with intention. The Prophet ﷺ loved to begin good and noble acts with his right side, and this is among the etiquettes of entering the mosque.
When entering the mosque, step in with your right foot first, as a mark of respect and adherence to Sunnah. This should be done along with the dua of entering the mosque, which we are going to mention below.
“The Prophet ﷺ loved to begin with the right in all things…” (Sahih Bukhari, 168)
2. Recite the Dua for entering the Masjid
Right after stepping in with your right foot, recite the beautiful Sunnah supplication:
Bismillāhi, wassalātu wassalāmu `alā rasūlillāhi. Allāhummaftaḥ lii ‘abwaaba raḥmatik
This is one of the most recommended and spiritually rich sunnah etiquettes of entering the Mosque that one must adhere to.. You’re not just talking but asking Allah to surround you in His rahmah as you enter His house. Let the full dua be said when entering the Masjid here, and its benefits.
When the Prophet ﷺ entered the mosque, he would say, ‘O Allah, open for me the gates of Your mercy. (Sahih Muslim, 713)
3. Greet the people in the Masjid softly (if they are not praying)
If you see fellow Muslims inside who are not engaged in prayer or dhikr, greet them gently with “As-salamu ‘alaykum.” However, if someone is praying, avoid interrupting their connection with Allah. This is because greeting is a Sunnah and not at the cost of someone’s concentration in salah. The Prophet (ﷺ) said..
When one of you comes to an assembly, he should give a salutation and if he feels inclined to get up, he should give a salutation, for the former is not more of a duty than the latter. (Sunan Abi Dawud 5208)
4. Perform Tahiyyatul Masjid (greeting of the mosque)
Whenever you enter the mosque before sitting down and the obligatory Solah at that time has not started, pray two rak’ahs of voluntary prayer called Tahiyyatul Masjid (the greeting of the mosque). This was a constant Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and he commanded us to do this…
“When one of you enters the mosque, let him not sit until he has prayed two rak’ahs.”
(Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)
Even if a khutbah is ongoing on Friday, it is recommended to perform Tahiyyatul Masjid if the Jumuah prayer has not started. Imam Nawawi رحمه الله said..
“This hadith clearly shows the importance and consistency of this Sunnah. It is an act of showing honor to the masjid and preparing oneself spiritually for what lies ahead.”
These two rak’ahs purify the heart from worldly distractions and prepare it for worship.
5. Maintain silence, humility, and engage in other worship if the prayer has not started
Once you’ve greeted the masjid with Tahiyyatul Masjid, the next etiquette is to remain silent with khushu (humble submission) if there’s still time and the obligatory prayer has not commenced. Avoid idle talk, gossip, or worldly discussions. Instead, engage your heart with dhikr, Qur’an recitation, or more voluntary prayers. As Allah says..
“And the mosques are for Allah, so do not invoke anyone along with Allah.” (Surah Al-Jinn 72:18)
Imam Malik رحمه الله was once asked about talking in the masjid. He replied,
“It is not the place for idle speech, it is the place for remembrance and tranquility.”
What are the Sunnah etiquettes of leaving the Mosque?
After concluding your prayer and observing extra voluntary Solah except for Solat Al Asr. Then it is recommended to observe some of the etiquettes of leaving the mosque too. They include the following..
1. Avoid going out immediately after Salah
One of the most overlooked etiquettes of the Masjid is sitting for a short time after Salah, engaging in post-prayer dhikr and personal supplication. Many people, as soon as the imam says “Assalamu Alaikum,” jump up and leave immediately. This is totally inappropriate. The Prophet ﷺ would sit after prayer and say dhikr, and he taught us to do so.
“The angels continue to send blessings upon a person who remains seated in the place he prayed, saying: O Allah forgive him, O Allah have mercy on him…” (Sahih Bukhari, 647; Muslim, 649)
So before rushing out, take a few extra minutes to glorify Allah (SubhanAllah), praise Him (Alhamdulillah), and magnify Him (Allahu Akbar) and other adhkar after solah. These moments may be short, but their impact is eternal.
2. Say the Dua for leaving the Masjid
When it’s finally time to leave after performing voluntary prayer, don’t just walk out silently. The Prophet ﷺ prescribed a powerful, short dua when exiting the masjid…
“Bismillah, was-salatu was-salamu ‘ala Rasulillah, Allahumma inni as’aluka min fadlik.”
This dua above teaches us to leave the mosque not with a sense of finality, but with a hopeful heart, seeking Allah’s blessings in the world. You can read the full dua for leaving the masjid and its benefit here.
3. Exit with the left foot
As we enter the mosque with the right foot, the Sunnah when leaving the mosque is to step out with the left foot first. This is the sunnah of our Prophet ﷺ. Again, this might seem minor, but in the eyes of the believer, no Sunnah is insignificant.
From the moment you set your foot toward the masjid to the moment you step out of it, every action can become a means of reward when done with sincerity, and a reflection of your love for Allah and His Prophet ﷺ.
Whether you are practicing some or all the sunnah etiquettes of entering the Mosque, such as walking with humility, entering with the right foot, making du’a, or praying Tahiyyatul Masjid, or observing the sunnah etiquettes of leaving the Mosque like saying the prescribed du’a and walking out respectfully, you are living the prophetic way and will be rewarded for it.
We ask Allah to accept our worship and make us among those who honor His Houses and follow the sunnah of our Prophet ﷺ wholeheartedly. Aameen.
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