Masjid AdhkarAdhkar for Going to the Masjid, Entering and Leaving It
On the way to the masjid, a Muslim asks their Lord for light; when entering, for mercy; and when leaving, for His bounty. These brief supplications bring together the need for guidance, mercy and protection. They are complemented by walking to prayer with good manners and respecting those in the masjid.
{فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالغُدُوِّ وَالآصَالِ}
Allah, the Most High, says: {In houses that Allah has permitted to be raised and in which His name is remembered, He is glorified morning and evening.} [An-Nur: 36].
{وَأَنَّ المَسَاجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَدًا}
And He, glorified is He, says: {The masjids belong to Allah, so do not invoke anyone alongside Allah.} [Al-Jinn: 18]. Supplication and worship belong to Allah alone, and a Muslim seeks His help both inside and outside the masjid.
On the way to prayer1
The Supplication for Light
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, went out to prayer while saying:
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا، وَفِي لِسَانِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ فِي سَمْعِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ فِي بَصَرِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ خَلْفِي نُورًا، وَمِنْ أَمَامِي نُورًا، وَاجْعَلْ مِنْ فَوْقِي نُورًا، وَمِنْ تَحْتِي نُورًا، اللَّهُمَّ أَعْطِنِي نُورًا
"O Allah, place light in my heart and light in my tongue. Place light in my hearing and light in my sight. Place light behind me and light in front of me. Place light above me and light below me. O Allah, grant me light."
Narrated by Muslim (763).
This is an authentic wording of the supplication for light, and other authentic wordings have also been reported. In it, a servant asks Allah to place light in their heart, their faculties and all around them; its meanings include the light of guidance and insight. It is prescribed for Muslim men and women to say it when going to prayer.
Etiquette of Going to the Masjid
Make wudu first, keep your intention for prayer sincere, and leave early whenever possible so that you do not need to hurry. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَنْ تَطَهَّرَ فِي بَيْتِهِ، ثُمَّ مَشَى إِلَى بَيْتٍ مِنْ بُيُوتِ اللَّهِ، لِيَقْضِيَ فَرِيضَةً مِنْ فَرَائِضِ اللَّهِ، كَانَتْ خُطْوَتَاهُ إِحْدَاهُمَا تَحُطُّ خَطِيئَةً، وَالأُخْرَى تَرْفَعُ دَرَجَةً
"Whoever purifies himself at home, then walks to one of the houses of Allah to perform an obligation that Allah has prescribed, has one sin removed by one of his steps and is raised a degree by the other."
Narrated by Muslim (666). You can review How to Make Wudu Correctly if you need a reminder of how to perform wudu.
If you hear the iqamah, do not run to catch the rak'ah; the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِذَا سَمِعْتُمُ الإِقَامَةَ فَامْشُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ، وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالسَّكِينَةِ وَالْوَقَارِ، وَلَا تُسْرِعُوا، فَمَا أَدْرَكْتُمْ فَصَلُّوا، وَمَا فَاتَكُمْ فَأَتِمُّوا
"When you hear the iqamah, walk to prayer with calmness and dignity, and do not hurry. Pray whatever you catch, and complete whatever you miss."
Narrated by al-Bukhari (636).
Keep your clothing and body clean, and do not harm worshippers with an unpleasant smell. In al-Bukhari (855), the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, instructed anyone who had eaten garlic or onions to stay away from the masjid. The purpose is to avoid causing discomfort while the smell remains; this is not an excuse to deliberately eat something offensive in order to miss congregational prayer.
When entering2
Supplication When Entering the Masjid
It is recommended to enter with your right foot, an etiquette of the masjid that scholars mention under the practice of giving precedence to the right. Send peace upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then say:
اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
"O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy."
Its meaning is: O Allah, open the doors of Your mercy for me.
السلام على رسول الله
The supplication asking for the doors of mercy to be opened is authentically reported in Sahih Muslim (713). The instruction to send peace upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, before it appears in Abu Dawud (465), which al-Albani graded authentic. One wording of this greeting is: Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Sending peace upon him is not supplicating to him instead of Allah; it is asking Allah to grant him peace and honor. To learn about the wordings of sending salah upon him and their meanings, read The Virtue of Sending Salah Upon the Prophet.
When entering3
Seeking Refuge When Entering the Masjid
Another authentic remembrance when entering the masjid is:
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ العَظِيمِ، وَبِوَجْهِهِ الكَرِيمِ، وَسُلْطَانِهِ القَدِيمِ، مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
"I seek refuge in Allah, the Magnificent, in His noble Face and His eternal authority, from the accursed Shaytan."
حُفِظَ مِنِّي سَائِرَ الْيَوْمِ
Narrated by Abu Dawud (466), and graded authentic by al-Albani. The hadith states that when a Muslim says this, Shaytan says: "He has been protected from me for the rest of the day."
This means that a Muslim turns to Allah and asks Him for protection from Shaytan. Allah is the Protector; this remembrance is a prescribed means of protection by His permission. Mentioning Allah's noble Face in the supplication affirms what has been revealed, in a manner befitting Allah, without likening Him to His creation.
When leaving4
Supplication When Leaving the Masjid
It is recommended to leave with your left foot, send peace upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and say:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
"O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty."
Its meaning is: O Allah, I ask You for Your bounty and gifts.
Narrated by Muslim (713). Sending peace upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when leaving is authentically reported in Ibn Majah (773), which also includes this supplication:
When leaving5
Asking for Protection from Shaytan When Leaving
اللَّهُمَّ اعْصِمْنِي مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
"O Allah, protect me from the accursed Shaytan."
That is: Protect me from the accursed Shaytan. A person should not limit their requests to worldly good, but should also ask Allah to protect their faith and deeds.
These supplications appear in different narrations, and they may be said together. However, the combined wording is not the text of a single hadith, and combining them is not obligatory.
Etiquette of Entering the Masjid
When you enter the masjid and intend to sit down, pray two rak'ahs before sitting. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِذَا دَخَلَ أَحَدُكُمُ المَسْجِدَ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ
"When one of you enters the masjid, let him pray two rak'ahs before sitting down."
Narrated by al-Bukhari (444). Tahiyyat al-masjid, the prayer of greeting the masjid, is an emphasized Sunnah according to the majority of scholars. If you pray the obligatory prayer or a regular Sunnah prayer upon entering, before sitting, it suffices for tahiyyat al-masjid; you do not need to pray two separate rak'ahs afterward.
If the iqamah has been called or the congregation is already praying, do not begin tahiyyat al-masjid or another voluntary prayer; join the obligatory prayer instead. If you enter on Friday while the imam is delivering the khutbah, pray two brief rak'ahs, then sit and listen attentively.
Tahiyyat al-masjid is a prayer connected to a specific occasion. According to the stronger opinion, it may therefore be offered even during a prohibited prayer time; this is the view chosen by a number of scholars, including Ibn Baz. There is scholarly disagreement and further detail on this issue, explained in Prohibited Prayer Times and Their Exceptions.
The Virtue of Remaining in the Masjid
Lower your voice and turn off your phone's alerts before entering. If you use it, make sure neither its sound nor your use of it disturbs anyone praying or reciting the Quran.
There is virtue in remaining in the prayer area and waiting for prayer. Muslim (649) reports that the angels supplicate for someone who remains in the place where they prayed, asking Allah to show them mercy, forgive them and accept their repentance, as long as they do not cause harm there or invalidate their wudu. The reference to an invalidating act here means losing wudu. The hadith also states that a Muslim is considered to be in prayer for as long as prayer keeps them there, meaning while they are waiting for it.
After the obligatory prayer, keep up After Prayer Adhkar. You may leave after prayer when you need to; there is no obligatory length of time to remain in the masjid.
The adhkar for entering and leaving, and leading with the right or left foot, are recommended practices, not conditions for the validity of prayer. Anyone who forgets them owes no expiation and does not have to repeat the prayer. Missing a Sunnah is not the same as deliberately harming or disturbing worshippers.
What Should I Say When Entering the Masjid?
اللَّهُمَّ افْتَحْ لِي أَبْوَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ
Send peace upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then say: "O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy." It is also prescribed to seek refuge in Allah, the Magnificent, in His noble Face and His eternal authority, from the accursed Shaytan, as explained above with its wording and evidence.
Is There a Remembrance to Say on the Way to the Masjid?
Yes. The supplication for light given at the beginning of this article is authentically reported in Sahih Muslim (763), in a narration describing the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, going out to prayer. The supplication for entering the masjid is not a substitute for it; each has its own occasion.
What Should I Say When Leaving the Masjid?
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ
اللَّهُمَّ اعْصِمْنِي مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
Send peace upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and say: "O Allah, I ask You of Your bounty." Another authentic supplication when leaving is: "O Allah, protect me from the accursed Shaytan."
Should I Enter the Masjid With My Right Foot?
Yes. It is recommended to enter with your right foot and leave with your left. If you forget, do not repeat your entry or exit, and do not let this become a source of obsessive doubts.
Is Tahiyyat al-Masjid Obligatory?
It is an emphasized Sunnah according to the majority of scholars, so make a point of praying two rak'ahs before sitting. If you enter and pray the obligatory prayer or a regular Sunnah prayer, that suffices for tahiyyat al-masjid. If the iqamah for the obligatory prayer has been called, join it without beginning a voluntary prayer.
What Should I Do if I Sit Down Before Praying Tahiyyat al-Masjid?
If you remember after sitting briefly, stand and pray two rak'ahs, provided you are in a state of ritual purity and the iqamah for the obligatory prayer has not been called. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, told Sulayk al-Ghatafani, who had entered on Friday and sat down during the khutbah, to stand and pray two brief rak'ahs, as reported in Muslim (875). You do not need to leave and enter again.
Should the Masjid Adhkar Be Said Every Time I Enter or Leave?
Yes. It is recommended to say them whenever you enter the masjid and whenever you leave. These adhkar are connected to that occasion, not a remembrance to be said only once a day.
What Should I Do if the Iqamah Has Been Called?
إِذَا أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَلَا صَلَاةَ إِلَّا المَكْتُوبَةُ
Join the obligatory prayer and do not begin tahiyyat al-masjid or a regular Sunnah prayer. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "When the iqamah is called, there is no prayer except the obligatory prayer." Narrated by Muslim (710). Walk calmly, pray whatever you catch with the imam, and complete whatever you miss.
Should I Pray Tahiyyat al-Masjid While the Imam Is Delivering the Friday Khutbah?
إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدُكُمْ يَوْمَ الجُمُعَةِ وَالإِمَامُ يَخْطُبُ فَلْيَرْكَعْ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَلْيَتَجَوَّزْ فِيهِمَا
Yes. Pray two brief rak'ahs, then sit and listen attentively. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "When one of you arrives on Friday while the imam is delivering the khutbah, let him pray two rak'ahs and keep them brief." Narrated by Muslim (875). The instruction is to keep them brief, not to prolong a voluntary prayer during the khutbah.
Is Wudu Required for the Masjid Adhkar?
Wudu is not required for supplication or remembrance. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, used to remember Allah in all circumstances, as reported in Muslim (373). Prayer, however, requires the prescribed ritual purity. This answer concerns saying the adhkar, not the rulings on entering the masjid for someone in a state of janabah, major ritual impurity, or for a menstruating woman; that is a separate subject.
Should the Supplication for Entering or Leaving Be Repeated Three or Seven Times?
The hadiths mentioned do not establish a specific count of three or seven repetitions. Say the supplication when entering or leaving, without treating an additional fixed count as a Sunnah for this occasion.
