24.04.2015
Orthodox believers who see in their cities or while traveling to other countries large number Muslim temples, they wonder: is it possible for an Orthodox Christian to enter a mosque? There is a whole set of rules for this that apply to all believers, as well as Orthodox Christians who want to visit the mosque. To answer the question whether an Orthodox Christian can go to a mosque and find out the rules, you need to turn to Muslim sources, which tell in detail about the rules of conduct in a mosque. All questions were answered by Munir, Hazrat Beyusov, who is the imam of the Leningrad region.
Many people want to visit the mosque
According to Imam Munir, every believer or non-believer may want to visit the mosque, and according to the Muslim faith, it is one of the best places for prayer. Every Muslim, while praying, can come to the mosque, and Friday is considered a holy day for every Muslim believer; he performs Juma - prayer every week. Each mosque has its own imams, this is the same as the priests, as well as people who sing the azan, in addition, there is always a watchman and a cleaner in the mosque.
The imam of the mosque meets everyone who visits the temple and can explain what needs to be done; in addition, he and the believers perform prayer. Azanchey is the person who calls for prayer; his responsibilities include monitoring the prayer schedule, in addition, he helps during public prayer. The watchman and the cleaner do their job of protecting and cleaning the temple, which is very important. The entire territory of the mosque is fenced and is considered a sacred area, as believers come to pray, get rid of sin, and also try to learn to read the Koran, this will allow them to become closer to the Almighty. That is, according to Muslim teaching, when a person goes to a mosque, he does not visit it as a guest, but visits the house of the Creator.
If a person is Orthodox or another religion, then the Muslim faith does not prohibit visiting, but must be observed simple rules. This began with the words of the famous imam Abu Hanif, who said that the Prophet, after his sermons, could receive a delegation of Christians in a Muslim temple, in addition, when there were conflicts, supporters of Islam helped prisoners and hid them in the mosque.
Strong odors are prohibited
You should definitely know that you should not eat garlic or onions before visiting. This rule was adopted due to the specific smell. The fact is that it is believed that such a “aroma” will interfere with concentration and cause bad feelings. In addition, some odors can be included here - tobacco smoke, sweat, various ointments, cheap colognes. In the house of the Almighty, the person praying should not be distracted, there should be no strong smells of plants, and food can be taken at home after prayer is performed.
There is even a hadith where one of the Prophet’s companions told an interesting story:
No sooner had the Muslims taken Khaybar than they began to use a spice called garlic. In the evening the Muslims went to the temple. When the Prophet smelled garlic, he said that anyone who eats even a little of this plant should not come to the mosque. The believers thought that the Messenger of Allah had forbidden garlic, but then quickly dispelled their doubts, since the Prophet said that he could not forbid what the Almighty had permitted.
You cannot cross the path of someone performing namaz in a mosque.
Another rule that must be followed is visiting the mosque early. Arriving at the mosque, you can take best place, there will be very few people and then everyone will be able to look at the decoration of the walls, see patterns and much more. The main thing is that a non-Muslim should not interfere with the person praying and should not pass in front of the head of the person performing the prayer.
There is one more rule, but it can be rejected, although everyone can take note. The fact is that the best way to get to a Muslim temple is on foot. Usually this rule applies to those who have a temple nearby, when it is very easy to reach it on foot. The fact is that the Prophet himself asked that everyone get to the mosque slowly, so that there is no rush. For example, in modern world many do not have time for prayer, so they have to run.
In addition, the Imam shared his thoughts about the religion itself and confirmed that the Islamic faith has given the whole world a unique culture, a magnificent moral heritage and much more.
Therefore, every Muslim tries to follow the instructions of the Prophet himself. Believers of different faiths are required to follow the rules of visiting mosques, so they will always be clean and calm. Modern people have always admired the grandeur and beauty of Muslim temples.
Question: Is it permissible for women to go to a mosque without mahrams to perform the Tahajjud prayer, provided that the mosque is located next to the house and none of the men in the house perform this prayer?
Answer: Praise be to Allah
A woman is allowed to visit a mosque and pray there under certain conditions. However, accompanying a mahram is not one of these conditions, so there is no mistake in visiting the mosque for prayer without a mahram.
It is stated in the fatwa of the Standing Committee, 7/332:
“It is permissible for a Muslim woman to pray in the mosque and her husband has no right to interfere with her if she asks his permission to do so, provided that she is properly covered and those parts of her body that are prohibited for non-mahrams to see are hidden. It is reported that Ibn Umar said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: “If your women ask you for permission to go to the mosque, do not refuse them.” According to another version of the hadith: “If your women ask you permission to go to the mosque, do not refuse them.” Bilyal, the son of Abdullah ibn Umar, said: “By Allah, we will refuse them.” To which Abdullah answered him: “I am telling you what came from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and you dare to say: “We will refuse them?!” Both messages were reported by Muslim.
If a woman is not covered and those parts of her body that are forbidden to be shown to non-mahrams are visible, or the smell of perfume emanates from her, then she is not allowed to leave the house in this form, much less go to the mosque and pray there, as this can lead to fitna ( temptation). Allah Almighty says:
وَقُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنَاتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَى جُيُوبِهِنَّ وَلا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ
“Tell the believing women to lower their gaze and protect their genitals. Let them not show off their embellishments except those that are visible, and let them cover the neckline of their breasts with their veils and let them not show their beauty to anyone except their husbands" (Light 24:31)
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ قُلْ لِأَزْوَاجِكَ وَبَنَاتِكَ وَنِسَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يُدْنِينَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلابِيبِهِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يُعْرَفْنَ فَلا يُؤْذَيْنَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَحِيماً
“O Prophet! Tell your wives, your daughters and the women of believing men to lower (or draw together) their veils. This way they will be easier to recognize (distinguish from slaves and harlots) and will not be insulted. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful" (Hosts 33:59)
Zeinab al-Saqafiyya said the following words The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “If one of you is going to attend night prayer, then let him not anoint himself with incense that night.” According to another hadith: “If one of you visits the mosque, then let him not anoint himself with incense on that night.” "Sahih" Muslim.
It is proven in authentic hadiths that the women of the Companions attended the morning collective prayer, hiding their faces so that no one would recognize them. Amra bint Abdurahman said: “I heard Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: “If the Messenger of Allah had only seen what new women had brought (into their lives), he would certainly have forbidden them to go to the mosque, like just as it was forbidden to the women of the children of Israel.” Amr was asked: “Were the women of the children of Israel really forbidden?” She replied: “Yes.” Reported to Sahih Muslim.
These texts clearly indicate that if a woman observes Islamic etiquette in dress and does not adorn herself in a way that could cause temptation and afflict people with weak faith, then there is no obstacle to praying in the mosque. But if she appears in such a form that will seduce wicked people and those in whose hearts there is illness, then she is forbidden to visit the mosque, or more precisely, she is forbidden to leave the house (in this form) and visit the mosque.
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen said in Majmu al-Fatawa, 14/211:
“There is nothing wrong with women attending taraweeh prayers in the mosque, as long as there is no danger of temptation and as long as they look modest, without jewelry, makeup or perfume.”
In his book Hirasat al-Fadila (p. 86), Sheikh Bakr Abu Zeid listed the conditions for women to visit the mosque. He said:
“Women are allowed to visit mosques if the following conditions are met:
- There is no danger that they can seduce someone and vice versa.
- Visiting the mosque and their presence there will not lead to what is prohibited by Shariah.
- They should not crowd with men either on the street or in the mosque.
- They should not wear perfume.
- They must observe the hijab and not show off their beauty.
- There should be a separate entrance for women in the mosque, as mentioned in the hadith in Abu Dawud's Sunan and other sources.
- The women's row should be located behind the men's row.
- The last row is the best for women, unlike men.
- If the imam makes a mistake in prayer, then the men should say “Subhan Allah” and the women should clap their hands.
- Women should leave the mosque first, and men should wait until the women go home, as mentioned in the hadith of Umm Salama in Sahih al-Bukhari and other sources.
The word "mosque" comes from the Arabic word "masjid", which means "to prostrate". That is, a mosque is a place of worship and prayer. Mosques serve Muslims for general prayers, and also, sometimes, as places for people to gather and teach the basics of Muslim doctrine.
In accordance with this, there is a strict etiquette for behavior in the mosque. Not only followers of Islam, but also representatives of other religions can visit these places of worship, but, of course, only if people behave appropriately. So, what should you never do in a mosque?
1. You must enter the mosque with your right foot.
At the same time, the Muslim is obliged to say: “O Almighty, open the gates of your mercy.” In addition, upon entering the room, a Muslim must greet everyone by saying “As-salamu alaikum.” At the same time, you need to say hello even if there is no one in the mosque, since it is believed that angels are always present in the temple.
2. You cannot enter the mosque wearing shoes. This applies to both men and women, Muslims and people of other faiths. Therefore, when going to a mosque, say, on an excursion, you should make sure that your socks are clean and not full of holes. Shoes are left in special lockers at the entrance, but if you wish, you can take them with you in a bag.
3. You should also think about clothes. It should be clean and beautiful. Both men and women should cover their knees and shoulders, and women should cover their heads with a scarf so that their hair is not visible. Muslim women dress so that only their hands, feet and face are visible (however, in some countries they also hide their faces), and the clothes should not be too bright or tight. This is what representatives of other religions should be guided by if they do not want to cause indignation among Muslims.
4. Under no circumstances should anyone visit the mosque if they have recently eaten garlic and onions. The Prophet Muhammad said this: “Whoever eats onions, garlic or leeks should not come near our mosque, because the angels are irritated by what irritates the sons of Adam.” In other words, no stench is allowed in the mosque. It is even permissible for men to use incense in moderation. But women, on the contrary, should not use perfume. It is believed that the aroma emanating from a woman can interfere with the prayerful concentration of men. This is probably why women pray in the mosque in special rooms separated from those where men gather.
5. In addition, women are prohibited from visiting the mosque on “special days.”
6. It is forbidden to pass in front of a person performing namaz. The hadith (hadith is the legend about the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, which affects the peculiarities of the life of the Muslim community) says: “If the one passing directly in front of the one praying knew what he was doing, then standing for forty years would be better for him than passing directly in front of him "
7. You can sit on the floor in the mosque, but under no circumstances should you sit with your feet pointing towards the Kaaba. The Kaaba is the main shrine of Islam, the Kaaba temple is located in Saudi Arabia, in the city of Mecca. The direction to Mecca in every mosque is indicated by an empty niche in the wall called the mihrab. It is towards the mihrab that the faces of those praying are turned.
8. You cannot make noise in the mosque.
9. Men and women visiting the mosque as part of a tour should not hold hands, hug or kiss, even if they are husband and wife.
10. You cannot visit the mosque while drunk. In addition, a mentally ill person will not be allowed into the mosque. If anyone wishes to take a small child on an excursion, they should be aware that their behavior may disturb other people. If the child is naughty, you need to leave the mosque with him.
11. Usually, guests are allowed to take photographs in the mosque. But it should be remembered that believers should not be photographed during prayer.
12. You need to leave the mosque with your left foot. Muslims say: “Allah, forgive my sins.”
The word "mosque" comes from the Arabic word "masjid", which means "to prostrate". That is, a mosque is a place of worship and prayer. Mosques serve Muslims for general prayers, and also, sometimes, as places for people to gather and teach the basics of Muslim doctrine.
In accordance with this, there is a strict etiquette for behavior in the mosque. Not only followers of Islam, but also representatives of other religions can visit these places of worship, but, of course, only if people behave appropriately. So, what should you never do in a mosque?
1. You must enter the mosque with your right foot.
At the same time, the Muslim is obliged to say: “O Almighty, open the gates of your mercy.” In addition, upon entering the room, a Muslim must greet everyone by saying “As-salamu alaikum.” At the same time, you need to say hello even if there is no one in the mosque, since it is believed that angels are always present in the temple.
2. You cannot enter the mosque wearing shoes. This applies to both men and women, Muslims and people of other faiths. Therefore, when going to a mosque, say, on an excursion, you should make sure that your socks are clean and not full of holes. Shoes are left in special lockers at the entrance, but if you wish, you can take them with you in a bag.
3. You should also think about clothes. It should be clean and beautiful. Both men and women should cover their knees and shoulders, and women should cover their heads with a scarf so that their hair is not visible. Muslim women dress so that only their hands, feet and face are visible (however, in some countries they also hide their faces), and the clothes should not be too bright or tight. This is what representatives of other religions should be guided by if they do not want to cause indignation among Muslims.
4. Under no circumstances should anyone visit the mosque if they have recently eaten garlic and onions. The Prophet Muhammad said this: “Whoever eats onions, garlic or leeks should not come near our mosque, because the angels are irritated by what irritates the sons of Adam.” In other words, no stench is allowed in the mosque. It is even permissible for men to use incense in moderation. But women, on the contrary, should not use perfume. It is believed that the aroma emanating from a woman can interfere with the prayerful concentration of men. This is probably why women pray in the mosque in special rooms separated from those where men gather.
5. In addition, women are prohibited from visiting the mosque on “special days.”
6. It is forbidden to pass in front of a person performing namaz. The hadith (hadith is the legend about the words and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, which affects the peculiarities of the life of the Muslim community) says: “If the one passing directly in front of the one praying knew what he was doing, then standing for forty years would be better for him than passing directly in front of him "
7. You can sit on the floor in the mosque, but under no circumstances should you sit with your feet pointing towards the Kaaba. The Kaaba is the main shrine of Islam; the Kaaba temple is located in Saudi Arabia, in the city of Mecca. The direction to Mecca in every mosque is indicated by an empty niche in the wall called the mihrab. It is towards the mihrab that the faces of those praying are turned.
8. You cannot make noise in the mosque.
9. Men and women visiting the mosque as part of a tour should not hold hands, hug or kiss, even if they are husband and wife.
10. You cannot visit the mosque while drunk. In addition, a mentally ill person will not be allowed into the mosque. If anyone wishes to take a small child on an excursion, they should be aware that their behavior may disturb other people. If the child is naughty, you need to leave the mosque with him.
11. Usually, guests are allowed to take photographs in the mosque. But it should be remembered that believers should not be photographed during prayer.
12. You need to leave the mosque with your left foot. Muslims say: “Allah, forgive my sins.”
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة و السلام علي رسولنا محمد و علي اله و صحبه اجمعين
O Muslims, mosques are the houses of Allah on earth, and Allah has made them sources of light for Muslims, as well as a place where many angels gather and convey to believers the joyful news of the mercy and goodness of the Almighty, a message that brings peace to the hearts of Muslims.
The mosque مَسْجِد (masjid) was formed from the word سجد (sujud) - prostration, which means a mosque is a place of prostration, a place where Allah Almighty is worshiped, and the most beloved place for Allah on earth is a mosque. And the one who visited the mosque is a guest of Allah.
As the Prophet peace be upon him said: “Whoever performs ablution at home and then comes to the mosque is considered a guest of Allah, and Allah is the best host of guests.”
Abu Al-Dardaa told his son: “O my son, make the mosque a home for yourself, (and he meant visiting the mosque as often as possible), because the mosque is the home of the true believers, those who fear Allah, and I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “Everyone, whoever makes the mosque his home, Allah will bestow his mercy and his forgiveness, and will guide him across the Sirat Bridge to Paradise." »
Mosques play a vital role in the formation of a community of believers, and mosques ensure the dissemination of knowledge, and that is why the first thing the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him when he arrived in Medina was to build a mosque.
Islam encourages Muslims to take care of mosques and promises great rewards from Allah.
As the Qur'an says: “Only those who believe in Allah One, on the Day of Resurrection and Retribution, pray piously, and give purifying alms (zakat) from their property should go to mosques. They fear only Allah. Perhaps they will be with Allah on the straight path of faith!”
The Mother of the Believers Aisha (ra) said: “Whoever built a mosque and did not seek glory among people, and his intention was to please Allah, then Allah will build him a castle in Paradise.”.
Word "postoril" in this hadith has several meanings, such as spending money on building a mosque, on repairing a mosque, on maintaining a mosque in good condition, keeping it clean, and Allah rewards those who take care of his homes on earth with great rewards in eternal life.
Visiting mosques instills peace in people's souls. This is a place of cleansing from the bustle of the mortal world and reflection on the eternal. In the mosque, the Koran is read and sermons are preached. A mosque is a gathering place for Muslims and the center of a religious community. All Muslims can come there without an invitation, as if to their own home.
IN Holy Quran it says: “Undoubtedly, all mosques belong to Allah. Therefore, do not call on anyone except Allah."
Many Muslims have forgotten or perhaps do not know the rules of conduct in the mosque, and today we would like to dedicate an article about the rules of visiting the mosque.
The first and probably one of the most important rules when visiting a mosque is cleanliness (body, clothes, etc.)
When we go to the mosque, we must be sure that there is no bad smell. In addition, when preparing for Friday prayer (Jumgah), we must take a complete ablution - this is the sunnah. The Messenger of Allah even forbade those Muslims who had recently eaten onions or garlic from coming to the mosque, as the hadith says: “Let no one who eats onions, garlic or leeks (raw) come near our mosque, for, verily, he causes the same suffering to the angels as to the sons of Adam.”. However, some of the parishioners even manage to smoke near the mosque and then enter. Please be vigilant and avoid such mistakes!
When going to the mosque, we must wear the best clothes we have. However, it is a great regret that we can sometimes observe that some of the parishioners are careless in choosing clothes for such a holy place as a mosque.
When entering a mosque, a man must wear trousers, preferably a long-sleeved shirt.
Clothing should be clean, not attracting attention with colors or flashy inscriptions. Since you will have to take off your shoes, take care of clean socks.
A woman should cover her body as much as possible and cover her hair with a scarf.
According to Islamic law, a woman's face, hands and feet can remain uncovered. The color of clothing should not be very bright, and the silhouette should not be tight-fitting. The head should be covered. If your clothing does not comply with Islamic rules, do not be surprised when you are politely asked to wear a robe or hijab.
Children under the age of majority (12 years old boys, 9 years old girls) can wear shorts and T-shirts.
Be sure to take off your shoes when entering the mosque.
Before sitting down, you need to recite two rak'ahs of prayer. "Tahiyatul Masjid"(prayer of greeting to the mosque), unless of course the imam is leading the Friday sermon, and then greet everyone in the mosque;
When we hear the azan, we must sit facing the qibla, stop talking, we must repeat the words of the azan after the muazzin, except for the words when the muazzin says (Hayya "ala-c Sala and Haya "Ala al Falah), then you say (la hawla wala kuwata illa Billah), after the adhan, read the dua of the adhan, read salawat to the Prophet peace be upon him and ask Allah to give our Prophet the right to intercede for us on the Day of Judgment. Making dua during the time between azan and iqama is a blessed time during which dua will be accepted. When the imam takes his place and asks to pronounce the iqama, then upon hearing it, believers are supposed to stand up for prayer.
If you came to the mosque on Friday and the sermon (khutbah) began, then you should sit down and listen to the khutbah.
Some of the brothers, entering the mosque during iqama, rush to read the sunnah, and only then join the collective obligatory prayer, and this is wrong, because after the iqama has sounded, there is only one prayer - fard. And only after the obligatory prayer can you read all the other sunnah prayers that you missed.
Harming or inconveniencing other Muslims should be avoided, as this is a sin, especially when it comes to inconveniencing their prayers. In our time, a sign of this has become, and you yourself have repeatedly witnessed this, that often during the khutbah or the prayer itself, melodies ring mobile phones. Of course, every person can forget to turn off the sound of their mobile phone during Juma, but if they had not chosen music as a call, which belongs in a bar or a disco, then they would not have to find themselves in such a situation. This also applies to those brothers who choose not the usual simple bell as a melody, but set nasheeds or passages from the Koran. May Allah protect us from such mistakes.
Some of the brothers may not notice how they read the Qur'an too loudly in the mosque, and this is also not decent behavior in the mosque, because if one of the brothers is praying at this time, he may become confused and find it difficult to concentrate. The Messenger of Allah said: “Do not raise your voices by reciting the Quran among you. Allah Almighty will hear your recitation, even if you recite in a quiet voice." .
It is not advisable to talk loudly in the mosque. Loud talking may disturb those praying, in which case loud speakers should gently point out their mistake. In general, conversations on worldly topics should not be held in the mosque.
Also, from the ethics of being in a mosque, it is to enter the mosque calmly, with respect, even if the prayer has already begun, so as not to distract the worshipers with your noise and haste. The Prophet peace told him: “If you heard the iqama, then come without making noise, join the jamaa, and read what you joined, and finish reading what you missed from your prayer.”.
If you took the Quran or another book from the mosque to read, then do not forget to put it back in the same place from where you took it.
We hope that we will all become exemplary in our behavior in the mosque, and may Allah forgive us our past sins and make our ears receptive to the truth and our hearts receptive to it. Amen.