Bismihi Ta`ala
*THE RESPECT OF THE MASJID:*
1. The Messenger (Swalallahou `Alaihi Wasallam) has ordered the building of masjids in each town or village. He has also directed that masjids be kept clean and that they be perfumed every Friday. (Tirmizi, Ibn Majah) Hazrat Umar (ra) used to prevent the buildings of a second masjid on basis of disunity. Otherwise, a second masjid may be built where required in a given area.
2. Hazrat Umar bin Al Khattab (ra) used to arrange for the masjid to be perfumed every Friday. (Ibn Abi Shaibah). Abdullah Al Mujammir used to perfume the masjid every Friday with Bukhoor. Bukhoor is a package mainly of Ouds wood and also other types of perfumed wood which burn to produce a perfumed smoke. The moasjid may also be perfumed with the fragrance of Itar or even Musk or Zaafraan. (Sharhe Mishkaat- Qari)
3. It is recommended to build a large masjid and to decorate it with moderation. (Muslim)
4. It is recommended to enter the masjid with the right foot first and to leave it with the left foot first.
5. The Messenger (saw) has prohibited that (Houdood) corporal punishment be inflicted within the masjid area. He has also forbidden that the masjid be often used as a place for singing poems. Times to times permissible. (Abu Dawood, Muslim)
6. Within the masjid, it is forbidden to engage in conversation about business, transactions or matters relating to property or wealth. It is not permitted to engage in a salaried occupation within the precincts of the masjid. (Tirmizi)
7. It is forbidden to raise one’s voice within the masjid except for salah, talks, khutbah, Islamic teachings, zikrullah, taleem or Qur’an recitation. (Tirmizi). However, individual actions should not disturb any other person. Thus, one should keep away from the masjid those who do not respect the silence of the masjid: small children, mad men and such people.
8. It is unethical to introduce bad smells into the masjid through one’s breath or one’s clothes. It is very much recommended to perfume oneself and to clean one’s mouth before entering the masjid. Bad smells create difficulties for angels as well as other Musallis. (Ibn Majah)
9. One must be in the pure state (having had ghusl) in order to enter into the masjid. It is therefore prohibited for menstruating ladies and those who are in a state of major impurity (requiring ghusl) to enter the masjid. (Abu Dawood, Muatta Imam Maalik)
10. It is not permissible to use the masjid as a passageway. It is recommended to perform two rakaahs of Tahiyyatul Masjid whenever one enters the masjid, except at prohibited times. Important to read tahiyatul masjid at least once a day(Shami).
11. One is not allowed to carry double-edged weapons or pointed tools, which can hurt people, in a masjid. In case of need, they should be placed under a cover, or covered with the hand. (Bukhari)
12. Janaazah prayer should not be performed in the masjid. (Abu Dawood). It should be performed in the courtyard or outside the masjid.
13. It is prohibited to sit facing the qiblah or with the back in its direction when using the toilet. (Bukhari). It is also prohibited to spit towards the qiblah. (Abu Dawood). In fact, one should not spit on one’s right side. Within the masjid, in case of need, use a handkerchief or tissue paper and spit on one’s left side. One is also not allowed to extend one’s legs towards the qiblah. (Bahr ur Raiq)
14. It is prohibited to make announcements within the masjid regarding lost or retrieved items. (Muslim). Rather make use of a blackboard in the courtyard.
15. It is virtuous act to clean the masjid. One is rewarded (with sawaabs) when one removes rubbish from it. By the way, Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and Ismail (as) used to clean the Masjid Al Haram themselves. Hence, one should feel oneself privileged to clean the masjid partially or fully.
16. It is recommended to make the intention of nafil itikaaf when entering the masjid.
17. One may sleep in a masjid only if one is a traveller or a mu’takif. Hence, with the permission of the mutawalli, and after making the niyat for itikaaf, the muballighs (those who propagate the deen) can sleep in the masjid.
18. It is makrooh (detestable) to paint or place writings on the mihrab or the wall facing the qiblah which could divert the attention of musallis. (Ahmad, Shami). It is also makrooh to make use of musallas with pictures which affect the concentration in salaah of the musallis. Otherwise, it is better to make use of plain carpets without any pictures.
19. It is also makrooh (detestable) to wear clothes with pictures or writings which can distract the musallis’ attention. It is also makrooh (detestable) to perform salaah with short sleeved garments. (Shami). In actual fact, Allah Ta’ala enjoins us to wear dignified and presentable clothes during salaah and when going to the masjid: “O children of Adam. Wear presentable garments in each place of worship (salah).” (surah 7, verse 31)
20. It is unethical to place the Qur’an at a level lower than the musallis sitting on a chair. Rather, one should place it in a rack at some three feet from the ground.
21. It is prohibited to walk before a musalli in salah. The masjid must be equipped with sutrahs, a kind of low partitions which can be placed in front of musallis. The prophet (saw) has stated: If the person walking before a musalli in salaah knew the seriousness of that act, he would have preferred to wait up to one hundred years. (Abu Dawood, Tirmizi)
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