Praise be to Allah, Lord of all worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.
The masjids are the houses of Allah and among the most beloved places to Him. A Muslim enters them for prayer, remembrance, recitation of the Qur’an, and seeking knowledge. From the Sunnah is that the Muslim enters the masjid with proper manners and remembrance, and leaves it asking Allah from His bounty, so that both entering and leaving become acts of worship and a following of the guidance of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Because the masjid is a place of prayer, remembrance, Qur’an, and devotion. Going to it, entering it, and leaving it should be done with guidance and calmness. Dhikr turns the walk to the masjid into worship, makes entry a request for mercy, and makes leaving a request from Allah’s bounty.
This supplication means that the Muslim asks Allah for the light of guidance and insight in his heart, limbs, and path. He goes out to the house of Allah in need of Allah’s light and support.
Narrated by Muslim from Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When the prayer is established, do not come to it running. Come to it walking, and you must observe calmness. Whatever you catch, pray, and whatever you miss, complete.” Agreed upon.
He also said: “Whoever eats garlic or onion should keep away from us, or keep away from our masjid.” Agreed upon.
Regarding the virtue of walking to the masjid, he said: “Whoever purifies himself in his house, then walks to one of the houses of Allah to perform one of the obligatory duties of Allah, one of his two steps removes a sin and the other raises him a degree.” Narrated by Muslim.
It is recommended to enter the masjid with the right foot, send peace and blessings upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then ask Allah to open the doors of His mercy, because one is entering a place of worship and mercy.
The basic supplication is established in Sahih Muslim, and sending peace and blessings upon the Prophet is mentioned in a narration of Abu Dawud.
This wording gathers saying Allah’s name, sending peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and asking Allah to open the doors of His mercy.
It is reported: “When one of you enters the masjid, let him send peace upon the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, then let him say: O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy. And when he leaves, let him say: O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty.” Narrated by Abu Dawud, and the basic supplication is established in Sahih Muslim.
It is reported regarding its virtue that Satan says: he has been protected from me for the rest of the day. It is a seeking of refuge in Allah from Satan when entering a place of worship.
Narrated by Abu Dawud, and graded hasan by some scholars.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “When one of you enters the masjid, let him pray two rak'ahs before he sits.” Agreed upon.
The meaning is clear: when entering the masjid, the Muslim asks for mercy because he is entering worship; when leaving, he asks Allah from His bounty because he is returning to his worldly affairs and livelihood.
Narrated by Muslim.
It is recommended to leave with the left foot and ask Allah from His bounty, while sending peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him.
The basic supplication is established in Sahih Muslim, and the additional wording appears in narrations of the books of Sunan.
Among the virtues of sitting in the masjid after prayer is that the angels supplicate for the Muslim as long as he remains in his prayer place, so long as he does not harm anyone and does not invalidate his wudu.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “The angels send blessings upon one of you as long as he remains in the place where he prayed. They say: O Allah, forgive him. O Allah, have mercy on him.” Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
| Situation | Dhikr | Repetition | Brief Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Going to the masjid | The full supplication of light: O Allah, place light in my heart... | Once | Muslim |
| Entering the masjid | O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy | Once | Muslim |
| Entering the masjid | I seek refuge in Allah the Magnificent... from the accursed Satan | Once | Abu Dawud; graded hasan by some scholars |
| Leaving the masjid | O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty | Once | Muslim |
Say: “Bismillah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy.” It is also permissible to say only: “O Allah, open for me the doors of Your mercy.”
Yes. The supplication of light is established in Sahih Muslim. It is a great supplication said on the way to prayer, and it is written in full above.
Say: “O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty.” It is also permissible to say before it: “Bismillah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.”
Yes. The Sunnah is to enter the masjid with the right foot and leave with the left foot.
The greeting prayer of the masjid is an emphasized Sunnah according to the majority of scholars. A Muslim should avoid sitting until he prays two rak'ahs if that is easy for him.
Yes. They are said every time the Muslim enters the masjid or leaves it.
The adhkar for entering and leaving the masjid connect the Muslim’s heart to his Lord when entering one of the houses of Allah and when leaving it. So the Muslim should preserve this easy Sunnah, enter the masjid with calmness and reverence, and leave asking Allah from His bounty, for the masjids are places of mercy, remembrance, and nearness to Allah.